What is a Public Report in Real Estate

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Preliminary title reports are smaller versions of final title reports. Subdivision is often necessary when a developer plans to develop the land. For example, the physical partition of a large portion of land, or a developer’s desire to convert a large apartment complex into individual condominiums, is a form of subdivision. Let’s learn what a public report in real estate is.

If a developer plans to apply for a subdivision, you must prepare two maps. A city needs a master plan if a developer wants to build on a lot, but zoning does not allow it.

Depending on the jurisdiction, local building codes may contradict state housing laws. A developer who wants to subdivide a lot into four or five units can do so without having to apply with the Department of Real Estate if he decides on the four-unit option if possible. Therefore, it is essential to know what it is and how to report it.

What is a Public Report in Real Estate?

A public report, also known as a property condition assessment, is an inspection that determines the current condition of a real estate asset or investment. The report can be generated for almost any type of structure, including residential homes, commercial buildings, and even land. Public reports can be performed at any time to assess the current condition of an individual real estate asset or ownership group’s properties.

A public report will generally include information about deficiencies found at the subject property(s). Such information may cover roofs, flooring systems (including exterior cladding), windows/glass/doors, other structural items critical to operation, and equipment located within buildings. Generally, speaking conditions are reported to one or more of three levels: “Good,” “Fair,” or “Poor.”

Documentation of serious deficiencies can provide a basis for financial loss claims and lawsuits in some cases. A typical inspection regime is recommended at least every two years to ensure that the real estate assets and investments meet required standards and remain in their intended use (vs. out of service). Most inspections include regular use warranties, which warranties transfer with sale or financing change.

What is a Subdivision Public Report?

When selling or leasing subdivided properties like units, parcels, or lots, a public report is a legally issued disclosure statement for potential buyers and the general public. To compare, publically listed corporations must get permission to publish or sell stock under company law.

To lawfully sell or lease properties in a subdivision, any individual, real estate agent, or business must submit public reports.

Make sure you have more than five units.
Are made available by public institutions.
Industrial and commercial products.
Within a city’s limits, there should be no public space.

What are the Contents of a Public Report?

The general information included in the public report is as follows:

The applicant’s first and last name, respectively.
Unit or subdivision size and location on the property.
Copies of utility bills.
Detailed tax returns.
Reports on the status and condition of the equipment.
Expenses and costs associated with running a business.
Information about any additional fees that buyers of this apartment might encounter.
Data about setbacks and easements.
Seller-imposed restrictions or special permits necessary for business activities

Buyers will be responsible for any costs associated with the property once they sign the agreement. Although each public report offers specialized information for distinct projects and locales, prospectus buyers benefit from the information provided by these reports.

The Department of Real Estate reviews the application and audits the property before finalizing the report, which provides buyers with additional protection from deception, fraud, and deceit.

The Department of Real Estate’s types of public reports

Owners of properties that have been subdivided must attend the Department of Real Estate (DRE) to obtain subdivision reports. Here are some of the most common ones:

A preliminary report to the public (pink)

Property owners can legitimately market part of their units in a subdivision while holding back other departments for a refundable deposit if they use a preliminary or pink report. In contrast to other public statements, an agreement reached based on pink information may not always be legally binding. Owners typically begin the advertising process by utilizing this tool in this way:

Public report subject to conditions (yellow)

Subdivides must engage in binding contracts with buyers for one or more units in their subdivision if they get a conditional or yellow report from the county. If subdivides want to shut escrows based on this report after six months, they must renew the account.

The final report for the public to see (white)

Unlike a yellow report, you require a final or white public report for all property owners with subdivisions within the DRE’s jurisdiction. Property buyers must submit this report to complete the sale or lease of a unit or lot in the development.

Corrected public statements

Before their expiration, these reports were tampered with by the sub-divider. Subdivides must get a new report before selling or leasing units or lots that have been amended. This report is still valid until the whole of the original public report has been released.

A new report to the public

Subdivides have the option of requesting a renewal of both final and revised reports following the term completion of a public report. The DRE doesn’t need any further information unless you want to make changes to the document.

An interim report to the public

An intermediate public report has the same authority as a final report, but it can only be available to subdividers after publication. Check the tiny print before making any decisions on the pink paper.

Report to the public with a time limit

The DRE frequently refuses to grant subdividers the standard 5-year term because of paperwork problems, unpaid bills, or partial ownership. As long as it is legally binding, it usually expires within two to three years of the review and subdivider’s resources.

Do I require a Disclosure Report (Public Report) when selling lots in an established subdivision?

Anyone who sells or leases six or more parcels of land or causes the land to subdivide into subdivisions for the subdivider or others. Also, who undertakes to develop subdivisions?

However, it doesn’t apply to a public agency or officer authorized by law to create subdivisions, considered a subdivision developer under law.

Under ARS 32-2181 et seq. and Commissioner’s Rule R4-28-B1207, all subdividers must acquire a Disclosure Report (Public Report) before putting lots on the market.

Rather than ownership, you require a Disclosure Report (Public Report) to sell a property. This requirement has no time limit attached to it. You must file a Disclosure Report (Public Report) before selling the sixth lot in a single platted subdivision with fee title or equitable interest.

You could buy and sell two lots every five years, but you’d be in violation if you didn’t obtain a Disclosure Report as soon as you acquired a stake in the sixth lot and put it up for sale (Public Report). A Disclosure Report (Public Report) is necessary if you simultaneously have fee title or equitable interest in six or more lots.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the preliminary public report?

In this case, it is not a notice of intent to make a final report public. Before advertising or taking reservations on subdivision interests, a subdivider must acquire a preliminary public report. A preliminary (interim) public report provided for an amendment or renewal filing is a preliminary public report.

What is a Subdivision Final Public Report?

In a subdivision, the Subdivision Final Public Report (“Public Report”) provides for lot, parcel, or unit sales and leases. In the same way that firms must get approval to issue and sell stock certificates, a developer must obtain approval to sell or lease five or more lots, parcels, or units in a subdivision.

What types of sub-division development would be exempt from getting a Public Report?

Subdivisions with fewer than five dwellings
Subdivision offers from government entities.
Subdivisions for commercial and industrial use.
A normal city project with no common space where all of the plots are in need of repair.

Is there more than one type of Public Report?

Authorization to sell or lease lots, parcels, or units inside a subdivision grant by the Public Report, also known as the White Report. Preliminary Public Reports, sometimes known as “Pink Reports,” allow developers to promote and collect reservation deposit funds to sell or lease lots, parcels, and units inside a development.

There are no fees for using a Preliminary Public Report for developers to collect deposits. To start escrow before the issue of a final public report, a Subdivider may get a Conditional Public Report. You can find this as a Yellow Report and agree with a buyer.

What kind of information can typically be found in the Public Report?

There are a few circumstances that you must always include in the Public Report according to CalBRE requirements. As a general rule, the Public Report will consist of the applicant’s name, location, and size of the subdivision, utilities; schools; taxes; management; maintenance, and operational expenses.

Also unusual easements; rights of way; setback requirements on vacant land offerings; restrictions or conditions imposed on the buyer; extraordinary costs; and any unique financial or conveyance arrangements.

There are no two Public Reports that are alike. These pages contain information to help prospective buyers make an educated purchasing decision.

What is the purpose of the Public Report?

The Public Report serves as a safeguard against misrepresentation, deception, and fraud by providing information to the public regarding a particular property or project. Public Report processing by CalBRE includes an examination of the developer’s project budgets, deposit money handling, and the guarantees offered to accomplish all promised upgrades.

Bottom line

If you know what you’re doing, obtaining a public record in real estate isn’t a challenging endeavor. Depending on your documents, it’s a simple process you can complete in a few weeks or less. The DRE will issue quantitative deficiency notices within ten days if your application has any issues.

If a developer wants to invest in a vacant lot, they may build 20 to 30 houses, which necessitate the physical division of a large piece of land, called subdivision. It is possible to divide an amount of land in another way that does not entail physically dividing it. If you know anything about apartment complexes, you know that they can contain upwards of 50 units under the control of a single developer.

One method of subdivision that does not necessitate the physical division of land is for a developer to purchase the property and then turn it into individual condominiums. Then, they may then sell to those who want to buy individual apartment units resulting in, for example, 50 owners.

Local governments can limit the types of subdivisions that they allow in their cities by using the map you can find online. To apply for a subdivision, a developer must submit two types of maps. The parcel map is the first map that you’ll see on a map.

To proceed through the developer process, developers must prepare a parcel map for subdivisions with no more than four units. Otherwise, developers must prepare a final map for any subdivision with more than five subdivided units.