North Dakota situation guide · Updated November 2026

Wholesaling Code Violation Properties in North Dakota

Wholesaling code violation properties in North Dakota means contracting for a house that a city has cited, such as one in Fargo, and assigning that deal to a buyer who will cure the violations. N.D.C.C. 43-23-24 calls for written notice to every party, and the code violation leads guide shows where the citations come from.

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The short answer

Can you wholesale a code violation property in North Dakota?

Yes. A Fargo wholesaler may hand the contract on a cited property to a buyer when the written notice under N.D.C.C. 43-23-24 goes to every party and the numbers cover the cure. Read the citation itself, and the statute as currently written, before you sign.

A code violation is a city’s way of saying a property fails a local standard. It might be an unsafe porch, an unlicensed rental, tall weeds, a broken furnace or garbage. The owner receives a notice and a deadline, and ignoring it can lead to fines or a city-ordered cleanup. Learn what the city actually wants by asking for the file. Our certificate of occupancy guide explains one common hurdle.

Fargo and Cass County move on different clocks than Bismarck, and each city has its own housing inspectors. Before you offer, call the city, read the notice and price the fix using the repair estimate guide. Unpaid fines or assessments can turn into liens, so also run a title search; see doing a title search.

Code Violation Properties in North Dakota at a glance

Wholesaler disclosure	N.D.C.C. 43-23-24, as changed by 2025 HB 1125
Who must be told	All parties to the agreement
Remedy for a missed notice	Cancellation before close of escrow
Citation records	Ask the city for notices, deadlines and any hearing dates
Possible liens	Fines or city cleanup costs may attach; confirm with title
Broker risk	Open marketing of the contract may be treated as brokerage

The opportunity

Why cited properties create openings in Fargo

An owner with a violation notice is under a clock. Perhaps the house needs thousands in work or a rental has become more trouble than it earns. In Fargo, older homes and small rentals can pick up citations for exterior upkeep, safety hazards or missing permits. Sellers in that spot value a quick, certain close. You offer certainty and let a buyer with a crew do the fixing. Learn how to structure your offer with the offer guide.

Out-of-state owners

They cannot manage repairs from afar. See the absentee owner guide.

Landlords

A cited rental with a stubborn tenant may be easier to sell than to fix.

Owners with limited cash

A repair list they cannot fund makes a cash as-is offer appealing.

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Lead sources

Where to find code violation leads in Fargo

City records. Ask the inspections office what notices are public and how to request them.
Property drive-bys. Peeling paint, trash piles and tarped roofs show trouble. Try driving for dollars.
Tax and lien lists. Owners behind on taxes often have citations too. See tax delinquent lists.
Neighbors and agents. People who live nearby often know which houses draw complaints.
Skip tracing. Find out-of-state owners with skip tracing.

Your exit

Who buys code violation properties in North Dakota

Rehabbers and small landlords with crews are the likely buyers. They need to know the exact violation, the deadline and whether the city will give more time after a sale.

Match each deal with a buyer who fixes this kind of problem. A buy box helps. If the violation is severe, a buyer may require an extension from the city, so tell sellers that part is not in your control. Use an investor-friendly title company to check for liens.

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Step by step

How to start wholesaling code violation properties in North Dakota

Get the notice. Ask the seller for every letter and note any deadline.
Call the city. Confirm the status, fines and whether a re-inspection date exists.
Check title. Search for liens. See mechanic’s liens too.
Price the cure. Use the ARV calculator and the MAO calculator with the full repair list.
Write the offer. State that the property is sold as-is with the violation open.
Disclose in writing. Send the 43-23-24 notice. Review assignments.
Hand the file to the buyer. Share the notice, photos and city contact.

Your checklist for wholesaling Code Violation Properties in North Dakota

Get a copy of every city notice and the deadline.
Ask the city whether fines or cleanup costs will attach to the property.
Order a title search before you assign.
Send the 43-23-24 notice to the seller and the buyer.
Keep photos that show the property as you found it.

A North Dakota example: a cited duplex in Fargo

Contract price	$132,000
After-repair value	$210,000
Cure and rehab budget	$41,000
Buyer costs and profit	$22,000
Assignment fee	$12,000
Outstanding city fines	$1,800

Here is a worked example. An owner living out of state held a small duplex in south-central Fargo. The city had cited it for a damaged stair rail and exterior upkeep, and one tenant had moved out. The owner was tired of the calls.

You offered $132,000, subtracting the fines and planned repairs. The title search showed no lien beyond the $1,800 the city listed, and you gave the written wholesaler notice at signing.

A local investor took the contract for a $12,000 fee, paid the fines at closing and fixed the stairs within the city deadline. These dollar amounts are invented for teaching; test your own with the ARV guide.

North Dakota rules to know

What the law says about cited homes

The statute defines a wholesaler as a person who enters an agreement to earn income from an equitable interest in real property. N.D.C.C. 43-23-24 calls for a written statement to every party, and a missed statement lets the seller and buyer cancel ahead of close of escrow. This section as amended by 2025 HB 1125 reaches all real property, so it applies to a cited rental or a commercial building. Confirm the current wording yourself.

City code rules differ by city, so the citation controls what must be fixed. Fines and assessments can end up on the property, and a title company should confirm what attaches. The broker chapter also names public marketing of a purchase contract interest, which is why many wholesalers keep marketing private. Review the license guide and ask an attorney.

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Turn citations into clean deals

Citations look scary, but the numbers are usually simple. Our mentors walk students through reading a notice, calling the city and pricing the cure.

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FAQ

Code Violation Properties in North Dakota: common questions

Is wholesaling code violation properties in North Dakota legal?

Generally yes, when you follow state rules. N.D.C.C. 43-23-24 requires written notice to all parties, and broker licensing rules may touch how you market a deal. Review the statute as it reads now and get legal advice before assigning a contract on a cited property.

Who pays the city fines on a cited house?

It depends on the contract and the title. Fines can attach to the property, so a title company should find them. Many deals deduct known fines from the price or pay them at closing. Decide before signing and write it into the contract so the seller and buyer agree.

Can I find code violation lists in Fargo?

Often, but access rules vary. Ask the city inspections office what records are public and how to request them, and check county tax data for owners behind on bills. Do not assume a list is complete. Verify each address with the city before you contact the owner.

Will the buyer get more time from the city?

Possibly, but never promise it. Some cities extend deadlines for a new owner who shows a repair plan, while others do not. Ask the inspector directly, put the answer in writing for your buyer and treat the original deadline as the real one.

Do I need a license to wholesale cited properties?

Not always, but be careful. The broker definition lists several acts, among them publicly marketing an interest in a purchase contract, and unlicensed brokerage can be a misdemeanor. Read the current wording and ask an attorney how to structure the deal.