Condominium and Cooperative Law in Ohio

Cooperatives and condominium developments are examples of arrangements recognized as "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.

The main 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 residents, not purchased.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Riverside, Ohio

There are many laws in Riverside, Ohio 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 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.

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.

The enforceability of some of these rules may depend on Riverside, Ohio's laws governing relations between landlords and tenants.

Can a Riverside, Ohio Attorney Help?

If you have a dispute with a neighbor, your landlord, or your homeowners' association, a brilliant Riverside, Ohio real estate attorney can be instrumental in obtaining a desired outcome.