Gaithersburg Condo and Co-op Lawyers

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Condominium and Cooperative Law in Maryland

Cooperatives and condominiums are types of "common interest" communities.

These are residential areas with one or more buildings, each housing multiple residential units. The units are part of a larger building, which contains other residential units. In turn, there are several such buildings on the property. The units are rented or owned by the residents, but the building as a whole, and the land on which it sits, is owned either by a third party, or collectively by all the residents. The residents, in addition to mortgage or rent, normally have to pay a fee to cover maintenance of the common areas.

Simply looking at the physical structure of a condominium or cooperative community, it would be nearly impossible to tell which is which.

There are no physical features unique to either one, which can be used to distinguish them. Rather, the difference lies in the legal arrangement that covers the relationships between the residents and managers. In condominium communities, the residents own the units they live in, and collectively own the land and buildings in which they are located. In a cooperative community, the units are rented, and are owned by a single entity.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Gaithersburg, Maryland

There are several laws in Gaithersburg, Maryland that might be applicable to common interest communities. But most of these laws are not unique to common-interest communities. Rather, they usually concern zoning, land use, and contract law, which are applicable to most other types of real estate, as well.

Your day-to-day life in a common interest community will probablyy be impacted more by the rules set by the owner or manager of the property, rather than any local or state laws.

Because the land they occupy is normally private property, it is the owners of this property who make most of the rules that will affect your daily conduct. A responsible manager will normally make rules designed to balance your right to live as you please in your own residence, with the right your neighbors have to a clean, safe, and quiet living environment.

This power, however, has limits. There are some rules which landowners cannot impose. Most obviously, they can't bar people from renting or buying units based on their race, religion, or national origin in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This conduct is illegal under state and federal law, and can result in severe civil penalties.

Can a Gaithersburg, Maryland Attorney Help?

If you have a problem with your landlord, your community association, or a neighbor (which the landlord is unwilling or unable to address), an accomplished real estate attorney in Gaithersburg, Maryland will be able to help.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg, Maryland is a city in Montgomery County. Its population is around 60,000 people. Gaithersburg, Maryland was founded in 1765, as a small agricultural community. By the late 1800s, BO Railroad had built a station in Gaithersburg, which accelerated its growth. The station was designed by an Ephraim Francis Baldwin, a famous architect known for designing ornate, Victorian-style train stations. In 1899, Gaithersburg was selected as one of six sites for the construction of the International Latitude Observatory, which was an international effort of scientists to precisely measure Earth's "wobble" on its axis of rotation. Six observatories were built in different parts of the world, on the exact same line of latitude. They would then all focus on the same groups of stars, and each one would measure the stars' apparent movement very precisely, using this data they could obtain very precise data about the movement of Earth's axis. The Observatory in Gaithersburg is an important site in the history of science. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark, and is a popular destination for science enthusiasts to visit. Modernly, Gaithersburg is very diverse, both economically, and demographically. For this reason, there are many competent lawyers of various specialties in Gaithersburg. This means that, if you are facing any type of legal issue, there is a Gaithersburg, Maryland lawyer who can help you with it.

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