Selling a house in rough shape in Proctor

A small city with its own letters

Proctor grew up around the railroad yard, and Boundary Avenue marks the line with Duluth. It is a small place, and many homes are older. That line matters. If a city sent you a notice, check which city it came from. Duluth's code handouts describe Duluth's rules, not Proctor's.

Minnesota defines a hazardous building as one that because of poor maintenance, damage, unsanitary condition or abandonment is a fire hazard or danger to the public, and the statewide process starts with a written order to the owner. When it reaches court, a notice is recorded with the county recorder, so the open case follows the property into a sale.

The county

Proctor is in St. Louis County. Deeds go through the county Recorder, and estate cases go through the county's district court. The steps look the same as for a Duluth address.

Few sales to compare

We explain how we got our number, and you can set it beside what an agent says. If you are unsure, run the worksheet.

What Minnesota asks of you

Minnesota law applies here. Sellers must give a buyer a written disclosure of material facts they know, as is or not. Read the disclosure guide before you sign anything.

When selling to us is the wrong move

If a house is in decent shape and the family is not rushed, listing may pay more. If a fire claim is open, call the adjuster first and read the fire damage guide. A house full of belongings is not a reason to hold off. See the guide for a full house.

Where to read next

Start with the home page for the short version, or the full list of towns we buy in.