Condominium and Cooperative Law in Michigan

Cooperatives and condominiums are instances 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.

Merely viewing one of these communities from the outside (or inside) will not let you discern whether it's a cooperative or condominium community.

The major difference is that, in condominium communities, the units are purchased and owned by their residents, and they also collectively own the common areas of the development. In a cooperative community, the land and buildings in which the housing units are owned by a single corporation or association. The individual units are rented by the inhabitants, not purchased.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan

There are a huge number of laws in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan that can affect condominiums and cooperatives, but few, if any, of them are unique to such common-interest communities. Rather, they're mostly governed by laws of general application, covering zoning, contracts, and landlord/tenant relations.

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

The land on which these communities sit is private property, so the owners have considerable leeway when it comes to setting rules regarding what tenants can and can't do on the property. These rules typically govern things like noise levels, cleanliness, long-term guests, and pets. They are often designed with the goal of balancing residents' rights to a clean and quiet neighborhood, with their individual autonomy.

The enforceability of some of these rules may depend on Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan's laws controlling relations between landlords and tenants.

Can a Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Attorney Help?

If you are in a dispute with your homeowners' association, a neighbor, or your landlord in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, a seasoned real estate lawyer may prove extremely helpful, if the dispute cannot be otherwise resolved.