Septic permits continue to be a hot topic in Cherokee County that literally revolves around… well… crap. I must point out,  we live in a county where one of the most politically involved issues is a septic permit - we’ve got it great here in Murphy!

I recommend, as does any responsible real estate agent in our area, that anyone buying a lot has their property gets a "perc" test as most people call it. This ensures your property can have a septic system installed, and thus have a house built.

Very seldom, that doesn’t mean anything. In this case of the article in the Cherokee Scout, one man had a permit that was revoked. This happened because a soil specialist who worked for the county did not do his job properly. He issued permits that should not have been because of unsuitable soil conditions.

Now the question is this: The property is virtually useless so who is responsible for paying? The arguments:

• The homeowner is up a creek (which is wrong)
• Cherokee County is responsible because the permit issued here
• The state of North Carolina - who licenses and approves soil scientists

It seems to be a finger pointing session with the buck not stopping any where. Although I feel confident it will be resolved soon, it’s a matter of working it all out and going through the hoops. Since the property owner did everything that should have been done, I don’t believe they should be penalized. Now the question is, "Who’s Paying?" The state or Cherokee County?

Read the full article from the Cherokee Scout: Denied septic permits results in ‘useless’ land - The Cherokee Scout - Cherokee County, N.C.’s local newspaper - News

John and Jessica Poltrock - The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX of Murphy, NC - www.MyMurphy.com - JohnPoltrock@gmail.com - Call Toll-Free (877) 837-3002 and demand the POLTROCK TEAM! - Real Estate in the Mountains of Murphy

*Note* Out of all of the tens of thousands of permits issued, this issue has affected  far less than 0.1% of property owners.

The Cherokee County Health Department now has a great new program if you’re buying a piece of land and want to expedite your septic permit. Long gone are the days (thankfully!!) where we had to wait 6 months to get the permit.

When you find your property (assuming it doesn’t have a permit already), you can submit your septic permit application with your sales contract. By doing this, your permit will be put to the front of the list. According to their current estimations, it will be roughly two weeks to two months to obtain your permit.

When you purchase property through us, we manage this process for you - lay out and design your system in the most cost effective and logical (based on the lay of the land, etc.) manner. This way, we can follow it through closing an ensure when you buy a property, you’ll have one that will allow you to build on it before you close on the land.

Let us be your guide to owning the mountain land of your dreams!

*Try visiting the Environmental Health Department’s web page here. It has useful information for the process and the fee schedule.

John and Jessica Poltrock - The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX of Murphy, NC - Homes and Land in the Mountains - JohnP@remax.net - www.MyMurphy.com  - (877) 837-3002

As a total, you can see where more permits are requested than issued. We’re still 6 months out, but you still have the alternative. Soil Scientists are a good alternative in the Murphy (Cherokee County) area. There’s been a state law applied where a permit can be issued by a soil scientist instead of just through the health dept. In fact, I just received a permit in about 2 weeks! Ask me how and I’ll be happy to tell you the process and who to talk to.

John Michael Poltrock - REMAX Properties - Murphy, NC - www.MyMurphy.com - JohnP@remax.net

Many of our customers and clients come from flat lands looking to find their mountain dream spot. Whether they’re looking for a lot in a mountain community, an unrestricted lot, or a tract of land with a lot of acreage, septic permits help ensure you are buying a piece of real estate you can build on and enjoy.

The above image gives you an idea of what a septic system looks like, and a permit is essentially Cherokee County’s authorization to put a septic system in the ground. They look at your soil type and decide whether it is capable of absorbing the amount of water you’re putting in the ground based on the amount of bedrooms your home will have.

Let me give an illustration of what COULD happen if you don’t get a permit when you buy: You buy the perfect piece of real estate. In a few years, you go to build your home on your land. You don’t want to start building your house till you have the permit in hand. If you apply for it after the fact and the county inspector goes and says your property is not suitable, you’re done for! Yes - there are some ways to appeal it. If you can’t get one at all, you have a property that just dropped in value to next to nothing that would only be worth something to the neighbor next door.

Play it safe - make you contract contingent on receiving a septic permit unless you have a very good reason not to. We would be more than happy to consult with you on how this process works.

John and Jessica Poltrock - REMAX Mountain Properties - Murphy, North Carolina - (828) 837-3002 - (866) Murphy-NC