Condominium and Cooperative Law in North Carolina

Cooperatives and condominium developments are examples of arrangements identified as "common interest communities."

This is a type of community in which the individual residents rent or own residential units in a building, or collection of buildings, but are collectively accountable for taking maintaining the common areas in their communities, such as lawns, gardens, swimming pools, and the like. This responsibility is typically taken care of by charging the residents a periodic maintenance fee, to pay for the upkeep of the common areas.

If you just 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 defining physical characteristics which are distinct to one type of cooperative community, but not the other. The significant differences aren't embodied in physical characteristics, but in the legal ownership arrangement governing the communities: in a condominium community, the residents own the units they live in. In a cooperative community, the units are rented.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Carrboro, North Carolina

There are various laws in Carrboro, North Carolina 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.

Usually, the rules established by the owner of the property, or the entity tasked with managing it, are going to have much more of a day-to-day effect on your life than any state laws governing these types of communities.

The land on which these communities sit is private property, so the owners have substantial leeway when it comes to setting rules regarding what tenants can and can't do on the property. These rules usually 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 Carrboro, North Carolina's laws controlling relations between landlords and tenants.

Can a Carrboro, North Carolina Attorney Help?

If you have a dispute with a neighbor, your landlord, or your homeowners' association, a reliable Carrboro, North Carolina real estate attorney can be instrumental in obtaining a desired outcome.