Inherited, Neglected, and Facing City Fines on West 29th Street
How we helped an out-of-state owner handle City of West Palm Beach code violations, mounting fines, and structural hazards, closing in just 19 days.
Project Lead: Max Cohen
Licensed General Contractor
The property as seen during our initial walkthrough
Location
Northwood Shores
Issue
Code Violations
Condition
Unsafe / Neglected
Result
Sold in 19 Days
The Challenge: A Legacy of Neglect
When Mrs. Rodriguez inherited her family's home on West 29th Street in the Northwood Shores neighborhood of West Palm Beach, she inherited a headache. Originally a modest 1968 concrete block structure, the property had been subjected to decades of neglect and unpermitted modifications.
The house was literally falling apart. The original cast iron plumbing was corroded, causing frequent backups and water damage. The roof, long past its useful life, leaked into multiple rooms, feeding a growing mold problem. An unpermitted patio enclosure from the 1980s had electrical wiring that was visibly unsafe and structural components that were failing.
The property's exterior showed years of deferred maintenance.
The property was in critical condition and unlivable.
Behind the Walls: Major System Failures
It wasn't just cosmetic. The "guts" of the house were dangerous. During our inspection, we found:
- Fire Hazards: Unsafe electrical wiring in the unpermitted enclosure and outdated electrical systems.
- Plumbing Failures: Corroded cast iron pipes causing backups and water damage throughout.
- Structural Issues: Failing structural components in the unpermitted addition and roof leaks causing mold growth.
The Full Picture: A Property Beyond Repair
The interior was a mix of water damage, mold, and decades of deferred maintenance. From leaky ceilings to bathrooms with failing fixtures, the property was completely unlivable. Mrs. Rodriguez didn't have the tens of thousands of dollars needed to make this market-ready, and the accumulating City of West Palm Beach code enforcement fines were making the situation worse.
The Solution: A Fair Cash Offer
Unlike a traditional buyer who would run away from these inspection photos, FL Home Buyers ran toward the problem. We are licensed General Contractors. We understood exactly what it would cost to address the code violations, replace the plumbing, fix the electrical, and bring it up to West Palm Beach code.
We made Mrs. Rodriguez a cash offer that factored in these repairs and the accumulated city fines, taking the risk completely off her shoulders.
The Repair Scope
Mrs. Rodriguez had called three contractors before contacting us. Two wouldn't even give her a quote after seeing the property. The third came back with numbers that exceeded the home's value:
| Repair Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Cast iron plumbing replacement (full re-pipe to PEX) | $12,000 - $18,000 |
| Roof replacement (active leaks, mold underneath) | $14,000 - $20,000 |
| Electrical system upgrade (unsafe wiring in enclosure) | $6,000 - $10,000 |
| Demolish unpermitted patio enclosure | $4,000 - $7,000 |
| Mold remediation (multiple rooms) | $8,000 - $15,000 |
| City of WPB accumulated code fines | $6,200 |
| Total estimated cost | $50,200 - $76,200 |
Palm Beach County Code Enforcement
The City of West Palm Beach code enforcement had been issuing violation notices for over a year. The unpermitted patio enclosure, overgrown yard, and deteriorating roof were all active violations carrying daily fines. By the time we got involved, $6,200 in fines had accumulated and a lien was about to be recorded.
After closing, we petitioned the code board with our permit applications and renovation timeline. The city reduced the fines to $1,800, a 71% reduction, because we demonstrated concrete plans to cure every violation. This is standard practice in Palm Beach County when a licensed contractor takes over a violation property.
From Call to Close: 19 Days
- 1Day 1: Mrs. Rodriguez called from Georgia. She'd inherited the property 8 months earlier and hadn't been able to visit.
- 2Day 2: Max Cohen walked the property, documented the violations, and scoped the full renovation.
- 3Day 3: Written cash offer sent with line-item repair breakdown.
- 4Day 5: Offer accepted. Title search began immediately.
- 5Day 19: Closed via mail-away signing in Georgia. Funds wired same day.
"I honestly thought I was going to lose my home to the city. The fines were too much, the house was falling apart, and no one would touch it. Max and his team at FL Home Buyers were a godsend. They handled everything, exactly as they said they would. It was such a relief to finally close and get a fresh start."
Mrs. Rodriguez, Seller
Do You Have a Problem Property in West Palm Beach?
Code violations? Accumulating fines? Inherited stress? We buy houses exactly like the one on West 29th Street.