re: Adding a room to a house without getting a permit

I’m a Texas attorney from Winnsboro, LA, but I have a friend that practices in Winnsboro and Monroe that I can connect you with. If I was handling this in Texas, I would advise the seller to simply disclose the non-permitted addition in the MLS and seller disclosure. Whoever is saying that it doesn’t count towards the property’s value or prevents the property from being sold has done a terrible job of advising you/your uncle and should not be listened to anymore. A property is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and if a financed purchase, what an appraiser states it is worth, which usually ends up at or near the contract price. If the seller discloses the non-permitted addition and a buyer still wants to purchase it at the price the seller is asking, there should be no problems as long as your uncle doesn’t walk up to the appraiser during the appraisal and say hey we didn’t permit this addition.