Condominium and Cooperative Law in Virginia
Cooperative and condominium communities are examples of a class of housing developments recognized 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 responsible for taking maintaining the common areas in their communities, such as lawns, gardens, swimming pools, and the like. This responsibility is normally taken care of by charging the residents a periodic maintenance fee, to pay for the upkeep of the common areas.
If you simply look at a condominium or cooperative community, you probably won't be able to tell if it's one or the other.
There are no physical features unique to either one, which can be used to distinguish them. Rather, the difference lies in the legal arrangement that covers the relationships between the residents and managers. In condominium communities, the residents own the units they live in, and collectively own the land and buildings in which they are located. In a cooperative community, the units are rented, and are owned by a single entity.
Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Reston, Virginia
While there are a lot of Reston, Virginia laws that will affect the residents and owners of condominium and cooperative communities, there are few that are actually specific to such communities. Rather, they are mostly governed by laws of more general application, such as contract law, zoning laws, and landlord/tenant law.
The daily lives of residents, and what they are and aren't allowed to do in their residences, will be far more heavily impacted by rules and regulations that the homeowner's association, or the owner of the land, has imposed.
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 normally mandate cleanliness, keeping noise to a minimum, and regulate the presence of pets.
Some rules set by property owners or managers may not be enforceable, however. For example, in Reston, Virginia, any rule which purports to exclude residents based on race, color, national origin, or religion will not be valid. There are likely some others, as well.
Can a Reston, Virginia Attorney Help?
If you have a dispute with a neighbor, your landlord, or your homeowners' association, a brilliant Reston, Virginia real estate attorney can be instrumental in obtaining a desired outcome.