Damaged houses · St. Petersburg · Pinellas County
Fire, a leak that ran for months, a cracked foundation, a roof that let the storm in: what the City of St. Petersburg does with damaged houses, and how a sale works around it.
Part of our guide: Code violations and liens, start here
The short answer
Yes, you can sell a damaged St. Petersburg house as-is, without repairing it first. What shapes the sale is where the City stands: whether the Building Official has condemned it as unsafe (an owner can appeal to a Hearing Officer), whether it’s vacant and has to be secured, and whether repairs need permits and a new Certificate of Occupancy. An open codes case by itself doesn’t stop a sale when there’s no violation, fine or lien, the City says.
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From the City’s Inspections page (read November 7, 2026):
To report an unsafe structure, or to ask about one, the City’s number is 727-893-7373.
City code requires every structure to be secured against entry. Broken or open windows and doors on a vacant house can be boarded. If the owner doesn’t secure it after notice, the department can arrange it, and the house then goes on the City’s list of vacant and boarded properties, which is monitored for other violations. If a damaged house is sitting empty while you decide, securing it yourself keeps that decision yours.
City inspectors and staff assessed damage after both storms and identified more than 12,000 damaged properties, from flooded structures to trees on roofs. The City opened Damage Assessment codes cases to check that repairs get permits and final inspections, partly to protect future buyers from houses repaired without them. What the City says about these cases:
The City publishes these cases in its codes case database, so a buyer’s title company will see them.
Repairs and improvements are permitted at the Municipal Services Center, One 4th St. N. The City asks homeowners to bring photo ID, a floor layout, a summary of the damage and photos or video of it. Lobby hours changed on November 3: 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m.–noon on Wednesday.
Two rules catch people after a fire or a major repair. A new Certificate of Occupancy is required for fire damage where the occupants were moved out during reconstruction, and for remodeling a condemned building. In a flood zone, the separate 49% rule can decide whether repairs are allowed at all; that’s on our storm-damaged house page.
Any buyer, us included, prices the house from the repair scope, the permits it needs, and the time it sits. What helps you get a better number:
None of this has to be fixed before a sale. It just turns guesses into numbers, and guesses cost the seller.
AL buys damaged houses from the office at 433 Central Ave in downtown St. Petersburg. We buy many homes with our own cash; on some deals we partner with a vetted local investor, and we tell you upfront, in writing, before you sign. A condemned or boarded house, an open codes case, liens and back taxes all go into the written offer, and a licensed Florida title company settles what’s owed at closing, typically 7–21 days after the title is clear, or on a date you choose. We are not real estate agents or attorneys; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Yes. A condemned house can be sold as-is; the buyer takes over the City’s case. An owner can also appeal the Building Official’s decision, and a Hearing Officer can approve a stipulated agreement that allows repairs.
No. The City says an active codes case doesn’t affect a sale or refinance unless violations or accrued fines or liens exist, and its Codes Administrative Coordinator works with title companies on pending codes issues.
The City requires one for fire damage where the occupants were moved out during reconstruction, and for remodeling a condemned building. Permits are issued at the Municipal Services Center, One 4th St. N.
The City assesses the cost against the property, after notice to the owner, a recorded notice of intent and a legal advertisement.
Yes, for cash, in any condition, including condemned or boarded houses. We buy many homes with our own cash; on some deals we partner with a vetted local investor, and we tell you upfront, in writing, before you sign.
No. HomeSellerCashOffer is not a real estate agent or broker. We buy houses as Tampete Homes LLC, many with our own cash; on some deals we partner with a vetted local investor, and we tell you upfront, in writing, before you sign. Closings run through a licensed Florida title company.
AL Cakici · Owner, HomeSellerCashOffer (Tampete Homes LLC)
AL buys houses in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco, many with company funds and has personally purchased and assisted with 100+ transactions over 10+ years across the country. He is not an attorney; this page is general information drawn from the sources listed above, not legal advice. Facts checked against those sources on the dates listed.
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Straight answers first. If selling isn’t your best move, he’ll say so.
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