Dear Barry,

When I bought my home, the seller disclosed that the sunroom was added without a building permit. At the time, my Realtor assured me that a permit was not required because the room is less than 150 square feet. But now I'm doing some remodeling, and my contractor says the sunroom is not legal without a permit. When I called my Realtor, she said the contractor is wrong. Who do I believe? --Barbara

Dear Barbara,

Your contractor has advised you correctly.  more...

Dealing with a city's building department can be a nuisance, depending on where you live. The cost of obtaining permits ups the overall cost of a project. However, skipping the permit process can potentially cost you much more.

One homeowner jeopardized a profitable home sale because a significant remodel to the house was done without required building permits. In this case, the renovations added about 1,000 square feet to the building. The buyer's appraiser searched the public record for the recorded square footage of the house.  more...

Editor's note: Robert Bruss is temporarily away. The following column from Bruss' "Best of" collection first appeared Sunday, June 18, 2006.

If you are a home seller, real estate agent or a homeowner who cares about how a home looks from the street, "Curb Appeal Idea Book" by Mary Ellen Polson will anticipate your questions and help you show a home at its best.   more...

Editor's note: Robert Bruss is temporarily away. The following column from Bruss' "Best of" collection first appeared Sunday, June 18, 2006.

DEAR BOB: Which home mortgage fees are proper for a lender to charge borrowers? I recall you said some fees are unnecessary junk or garbage fees to avoid --Stephen O.  more...