Condominium and Cooperative Law in Missouri

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

These residential communities are composed of a single piece of land, occupied by one or more buildings, each of which contains more than one housing unit. The units are owned or leased by the individuals who live in them, but the buildings themselves, and the land they sit on, are owned either collectively by the residents, or by some third party. The residents are responsible for the upkeep of the buildings and the common areas of the property (walkways, lawns, swimming pools, etc.). To that end, they normally pay a periodic fee to cover maintenance.

If you simply look at one of these communities, you won't be able to tell whether it's a cooperative or a condominium community.

This is because there are no physical characteristics that can clearly distinguish one from the other. The main difference lies in the legal ownership arrangement. In a condominium community, the units are actually owned by the residents. The residents also collectively own the common areas, holding joint title to it. In a cooperative community, the buildings and land which make up the houses are owned by a single entity, and the individual units are often rented rather than owned by the residents.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Kirksville, Missouri

Kirksville, Missouri likely has many laws and regulations concerning common interest communities. However, these are mostly limited to the laws and regulations (zoning, land use, etc.) that concern all real estate owners.

Your daily life in a cooperative or condominium community is more likely to be affected by the rules set by the owners or managers of the property, rather than the laws of your state or city.

The land that common interest communities occupy is normally private property. Therefore, the owners of the property are free to make certain rules governing what is and isn't allowed on it. A good manager or owner will normally make every effort to strike a balance between residents' freedom to do what they want in their homes, and the rights of their neighbors to a safe, clean, and reasonably quiet living space.

Some of these rules, however, may not be enforceable, if push came to shove. This would depend on the specific laws of Kirksville, Missouri which control landlords and tenants.

Can a Kirksville, Missouri Attorney Help?

If you are in a dispute with your homeowners' association, a neighbor, or your landlord in Kirksville, Missouri, a brilliant real estate lawyer may prove extremely helpful, if the dispute cannot be otherwise resolved.