Local Government in Action

Well today we saw proof that our local government is about as pea-brained as the state and national level.

Our county commissioners have opted to join the 10-county district health department in a Point of Sale ordinance involving septic tank inspections and pumpings. In their infinite wisdom ALL home sellers (land contracts excluded) will now have to pay for said inspections and pumpings prior to closing on the sale of their property - if it has not been done within the last three years - at a cost of $300-$1,000.

Our former realtor alerted us to this, so we attended the county board's finance committee meeting at 8 a.m. today.

Here's what we learned:

The ordinance state inspections/pumpings must have been done within two years prior to the sale of a property. The Health Department representatives claimed it's three years. Wonderful example of mixed messages.

There are no provisions/exceptions for homes that have stood vacant for two to three years and had a septic inspection/pumping done just prior to their vacancy (Sweetie's mom's place comes to mind as do ALL those foreclosures out there).

And no one took the frost laws (road restrictions) into consideration. So, if you have a signed purchase agreement in January, you can't complete the sale until May or June when heavy equipment is able to travel roads. "In other words, selling real estate has become a six month a year job in this county," said one realtor.

Another realtor noted that of the 211 homes sold in our county last year, more than 65% were $50,000 or less!!!! As difficult as it is to sell a home in this economy, sellers now have an additional expense to incur and try to pass on to a potential buyer.

Several people mentioned that the Purchase Agreement of any real estate contract is the place where a Buyer and Seller can negotiate what inspections/conditions they want in their transaction. But, once again, the government has to meddle in the public business!

This ordinance effectively prevents "As Is" sales!!

Sweetie and I looked at one another and said, "Guess we have until September to sell our place!"

To complicate matters, our county now has to go to each of its townships and get them on board to state they want OUT of this ordinance - and then the county has to go to the District Health Department to try to get out of it. In other words, the numskulls gave away their local power when they signed on to the district wide ordinance.

One of these days we're going to be taxed/metered for FLUSHING into a private septic! I am sick to death of government.