Condominium and Cooperative Law in Washington

Cooperative and condominium communities are examples of a class of housing developments known 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 usually taken care of by charging the residents a periodic maintenance fee, to pay for the upkeep of the common areas.

Simply looking at the outside (or inside, for that matter) of a condo or cooperative community, you likely can't tell which it is.

This is due to the fact that there are no visual or physical characteristics that can distinguish one from the other. All the differences between them lie in the ownership arrangements that the residents have. With a condominium, the residents usually own their housing unit, and collectively own the land on which it sits. In a cooperative, the residents rent the units, and the land is owned by a single entity, either a corporation or other form of business association.

Laws and Regulations Concerning Common Interest Communities in Liberty Lake, Washington

There are several laws in Liberty Lake, Washington 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.

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 land that common interest communities occupy is usually 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 usually 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 rules set by property owners or managers may not be enforceable, however. For example, in Liberty Lake, Washington, 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 Liberty Lake, Washington Attorney Help?

If you are involved in an argument with your neighbor, in conflict with a zoning regulation, or in a dispute with your landlord, a good Liberty Lake, Washington real estate attorney can help you prevail.