Can you sell a house with code violations in Portsmouth, NH?

We buy Portsmouth houses with violation notices, repair orders, and serious deferred maintenance. You do not have to complete repairs, clean the house, or clear it out before selling to us. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.

If you sell to us, you are selling directly to the buyer instead of preparing the house for a public listing. An existing order, court matter, deadline, or lien can still affect what is needed before closing; an as-is sale does not remove those obligations.

A sale may be possible, but the notice, any court case, liens, and local closing requirements matter. Under RSA 155-B, New Hampshire’s hazardous-building law, a city council or town selectmen can order a hazardous building repaired or removed. The proceeding is recorded at the registry of deeds. If a court judgment is not followed, municipal work can become a property lien collected like a tax lien.

Municipal housing ordinances under RSA 48-A can also lead to repair or demolition orders and liens for costs or unpaid fines. Selling as-is does not erase those obligations or automatically cancel a deadline. When you sell to us, we're the buyer, so the repairs become our job.

1. Talk through the house and notice. Tell us the Portsmouth address, what you know about the condition, and what the notice says. If you have dates, court papers, or the notice itself, we can talk through those details with you.
2. Review the written offer and terms. You receive the written offer and written terms before you commit, so you can read them and decide whether the sale works for you.
3. Close through a title company. The title company reviews the title details. Any order, lien, payoff, or deadline may affect what is needed before closing; an as-is sale does not cancel an order or court deadline.

For alleged building, housing, or land-use ordinance violations, contact the City of Portsmouth’s Zoning Enforcement office. The City lists its office at 1 Junkins Avenue and phone number (603) 610-7279.

For a permit or inspection question, the City’s Inspection Department lists 1 Junkins Avenue and (603) 610-7243. For the action or response date on a notice, use the contact information on that notice and confirm what applies to the property.

When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including New Hampshire real estate transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.

Compare the numbers for your house with the Portsmouth home-sale net proceeds calculator. It can help you compare an estimated listing outcome with an as-is sale after costs.