home addition without permits, selling home

Oh well, you'll find out if you did a good job or not. However, most Codes or Laws don't require the Property Owner to get a permit for most anything WITHIN an existing building's footprint. Yes, they do strongly suggest it and most every Zoning Department will lie right to your face to get money.

- BUT, if you added to the footprint then you, potentially, could be in a real mess...EVEN IF you did a great, wonderful and perfect job. If Zoning gets wind, they could require the addition's removal and still fine you heavily (hundreds or thousands a day) or condemn the entire property.

- If you choose to re-build it in that sucks-big-time-case, you'll be getting permits and inspections galore or going to jail with more fines. And maybe you can't go as big, because you exceeded the open-space percentage or setback regulations or are now required to retain water run-off, etc. You'll get every page of the book thrown at you, since you didn't bow to their divinity.