The following is a list of cities in the Cleveland, Ohio area that
require a point of sale inspection before title transfer and purchase.
Bedford
Building Dept. (440) 735-6530
www.bedfordoh.gov
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: Varies from $50 for single-family dwelling plus
$25 for each additional rental unit; Commercial buildings are minimum
of $75 and maximum of $200
Re-inspection Fee: Same as original Fees
Escrow: An amount not less than $100 and equal to 150% of the
estimated cost of repairs for outstanding violations. Estimate must be
provided by a company registered with the City of Bedford.
Bedford Heights
Building Dept. (440) 786-3200
www.bedfordheights.gov
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $125.
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Berea
Building Dept. (440) 526-5812
www.bereaohio.gov
Interior POS: No
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $75
Re-inspection Fee: $75.
Escrow: At the request of the owner of the property or his
agent, the City may issue a letter or other document signed and dated
by a Building Department Official stating that some, but not all, of
the violations listed on a specific Certificate of Exterior Inspection
have been completed to the City’s satisfaction.
Bratenahl
Building Dept.
www.bratenahl.org
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $25
Certificate Expiration: Time limit for correction of minor
repairs is agreed upon with owner or his agent or prospective occupant
and Commissioner of Buildings. Time limit for corrections of issues
that are a hazard to health, safety or welfare of occupants is
determined solely by Commisioner of Buildings.
Re-inspection Fee: $35 for second inspection and $50 for each after.
Brooklyn Heights
Building Dept. (216) 749-4300
www.brooklynhts.org
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $50
Re-inspection Fee: $25.
Escrow: N/A
Brook Park
Building Dept. (216) 433-7412
www.cityofbrookpark.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: No charge if in June, July, or August.
Reinspection fee: No charge
Escrow: None but requires buyer to sign waiver and agree to do repairs within 90 days of closing.
Cleveland Heights
Building Dept. (216) 291-4900
www.clevelandheights.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $150 first unit, $50 each additional unit.
Re-inspection Fee: $20.
Escrow: If all Class A violations are not corrected,
seller must escrow not less than $1,000 and equal to 125% of the
estimated cost of repairs.
Ongoing POS: The exteriors of all owner-occupied
single-family homes are inspected on a street-by-street basis on a
five-year rotation.
East Cleveland
Building Dept. (216) 681-2415
www.eastcleveland.info
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $50
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Notes: Properties can be sold “AS IS” but the
following conditions MUST be met prior to issuing of Certificate of
Inspection. 1. Submit original notarized Affidavit to Building/Housing
Department 2. Submit copy of Purchase Agreement to Building/Housing
Department 3. Only the Building/Housing Department’s can grant
compliance time frame for notarized Affidavit (NINETY (90) DAYS
COMPLIANCE) prior to issuing of Certificate of Inspection.
Euclid
Building Dept. (216) 289-2703
www.cityofeuclid.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: Single Family $225; Two Family $260;
Three Family $295; Multi-Family $225 per building + $35 per suite. One
suite per building not charged.
Re-inspection Fee: $112.50
Escrow: 50% of the estimated costs of repair.
Notes: Assumption of Class A violations and assumption
of Class B violations shall require the payment of one hundred fifty
dollars ($150.00) by the purchaser at the time the affidavit is
presented to the Housing Manager.
Garfield Heights
Building Dept. (216) 475-3171
www.garfieldhts.org
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $75
Re-inspection Fee: $25
Escrow: 150% of the estimated repairs.
Gates Mills
Building Dept. (440) 423-4405
www.gatesmillsvillage.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: N/A
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Ongoing POS: Every septic tank shall be inspected at
least once every three years by a licensed company engaged in the
business of cleaning and servicing septic systems. It shall be the duty
of the owner of the property whereon such septic tanks are located to
keep such septic tanks in proper working condition at all times and to
notify the Building Inspector, at least once in every three years, by
certificate from the inspecting company, that such system is in proper
operating order.
Highland Hills
Building Dept. (216) 283-3003
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $25
Re-inspection Fee: None
Escrow: Attached to the Certificate of Inspection
shall be a written agreement signed by the seller and purchaser
identifying the party who will be responsible to correct all violations
listed with the Certificate of Inspection and, not withstanding any
outstanding or new mortgage indebtedness or lien upon the premises,
providing that all necessary funds shall be deposited or retained in
escrow sufficient to pay for the costs to correct all violations, which
funds may be released totally or partially, as the work progresses,
upon the authority of the CBO so long as funds are retained to complete
unfinished work. In lieu of said funds, being retained in escrow, a
payment or performance bond may be approved by the Law Director.
Notes: All violations shall be corrected within thirty
(30) calendar days of the issuance of the Certificate of Inspection as
required herein, unless an extension is granted. (ii) If the
transferor does not correct the violations contained in the Certificate
of Inspection prior to the transfer of title, then the purchaser or
transferee of the property shall be required to correct the violations
contained in the Certificate of Inspection within the time allotted by
operation of these Ordinances or within any extension of time permitted
Hunting Valley
Building Dept. (440) 247-2807
www.huntingvalley.net
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: N/A
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Lakewood
Building Dept. (216) 529-6270
www.lkwdpl.org
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $50
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Notes: Repairs are the responsibility of the seller of
the property. If the buyer wishes to assume some (or all) of the
violations, then he/she will need to come to the Lakewood Building
Department (with his/her valid driver's license) to sign a notarized
Affidavit stating that they will be legally responsible for the
repairs. There is no cost for this affidavit.
Ongoing POS: An Annual Inspection is required by law
for non-owner occupied properties and to be done every three years.
Annual inspections are done (most of the time) on a per-street basis.
Maple Heights
Building Dept. (216) 663-4094
www.mapleheights.cuyahogacounty.us
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: Single-family $ 75; Single condominium $50; Two-family dwelling $85; Three-family
dwelling $95
Re-inspection Fee: $25
Escrow: 150% of the estimated cost of repairs
Notes: Any prospective Buyer of a residence who
intends to assume some or all of the violations listed on the
Certificate of Inspection must deposit 150% of the estimated total cost
of all required repairs into an escrow account and written
confirmation of such escrow account shall be provided to the Building
Department before the Building Department will issue a Certificate of
Occupancy. Funds may only be released from this account by written
approval of the Building Commissioner. Written estimates of the total
cost must be submitted from a minimum of two contractors registered to
perform work in the City of Maple Heights.
Mayfield Heights
Building Dept. (440) 442-2626
www.mayfieldheights.org
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $50
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Escrow: Escrow funds are required when violations
remain at the time of title transfer. Funds must be set aside to assure
that violations are corrected at a later date. The amount listed on
the front page of the inspection report is the amount required to be
held as “escrow.” This amount is determined by the housing inspector.
This amount does not guarantee to be the cost to cover repairs.
Notes: If the buyer agrees to assume some or all of
the violations, they will need to fill out a notarized statement of
assumption and an escrow account will need to be created.
Newburg Heights
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $40 Single Family, $50 Two-Family
Re-inspection Fee: $15
Notes: The owner of the property to repair, improve or
demolish the structures or premises concerned within ninety days of
the date of issuance of the Certificate.
Orange Village
Building Dept. (440) 498-4400
www.orangevillage.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $50 Single Family
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Oakwood
Building Dept. (440) 232-9980
www.oakwoodvillageoh.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $20 Single Family; $20 plus $5 per unit for multi-family
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Shaker Heights
Building Dept. (216) 491-1400
www.shakeronline.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: A fee of $100.00 for the first dwelling unit and $25.00 for each additional unit.
Re-inspection Fee: $25 after first two requested re-inspections
Escrow: 150% of the estimated cost of repairs
Notes: Funds held in escrow shall be disbursed only
upon written authorization from the City. If the amount held is less
than $5,000, no funds shall be released until all violations are
corrected. If the amount is $5,000 but less than $20,000, the City may
authorize one (1) partial release of funds from escrow if it is
determined that substantial progress has been made in correcting the
violations and that sufficient funds remain in escrow to correct all
remaining violations. If the amount is $20,000 but less than $40,000,
two (2) partial releases may be approved. If the amount is $40,000 but
less than $60,000, three (3) partial releases may be approved. On
escrow accounts equal to or exceeding $60,000, four (4) partial
releases may be authorized. The purchaser is responsible for correcting
all violations remaining at transfer of title within ninety (90) days
unless, for good cause, an extension of time is approved by the Housing
Inspection
Department.
University Heights
Building Dept. (216) 932-7800
www.universityheights.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $75 single family; $125.00 two family
Re-inspection Fee: N/A
Notes: The buyer(s) must sign an “assumption form”,
and funds must be escrowed to cover the cost of correction of any
outstanding violations. Upon receipt of the signed assumption form and a
letter of verification from the escrow company stating the amount of
funds held for violation correction, the building department will issue
a “transfer release” (usually to the escrow company) stating that our
requirements are met and releasing the property for transfer. Ordinance
states that violations must be corrected within 30 (thirty) days of
the date of the report. However, the building department grants requests
for extensions on a “progress-made” basis.
Ongoing POS: The Building Department requires an
exterior housing inspection, once every three years, for one and two
family homes.
Warrensville Heights
Building Dept. (216) 587-1230
www.cityofwarrensville.com
Interior POS: Yes
Exterior POS: Yes
Inspection Fee: $50 Single Family; $30 per multifamily unit; $90 commercial structures
Re-inspection Fee: No Fee Within 1 Year
Escrow: 150% of the estimated cost of repairs
Notes: Code violations noted on the certificate,
except in a case of danger to the public health or safety, to be
corrected by the owner of the property within sixty (60) days of the
issuance of the certificate unless, for good cause, the Building
Commissioner has extended that time for compliance. If the owner of a
property does not correct the violations enumerated in the certificate
of inspection prior to the time the title is transferred to the
purchaser, then the purchaser of that property shall be required to
correct the violations contained in the certificate of inspection
within the time allotted in the notice given to the prior owner or
within the extended time permitted by the Building Commissioner
