Condominium and Cooperative Law in Ohio

Cooperatives and condominium developments are examples of arrangements identified 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 persons 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 typically 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 basic 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 Sharonville, Ohio

There are a large number of laws in Sharonville, Ohio that can affect condominiums and cooperatives, but few, if any, of them are unique to such common-interest communities. Alternatively, 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 probablyy be impacted more by the rules set by the owner or manager of the property, rather than any local or state laws.

The manager or owner of the land on which your residence is located will probably have a lot of rules concerning what can and cannot be done in and near the houses. These rules typically mandate cleanliness, keeping noise to a minimum, and regulate the presence of pets.

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 Sharonville, Ohio. This conduct is illegal under state and federal law, and can result in severe civil penalties.

Can a Sharonville, Ohio Attorney Help?

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