Common Condo Restrictions

After years of taking care of home, maybe you've decided to scale down to something cozier and more manageable. Why not? If the kids have moved on, or if you have recently divorced or become widowed, buying a condo provides you with a secure living environment and access to amenities you might otherwise have not had installed at home. Before you make any commitments, however, it's good to research your potential new living space and determine if the condo community's restrictions are too restrictive.

Unlike with a single home, a condo sometimes comes with strings attached. Whether it is part of a contemporary downtown building or a detached living area in a golf course community, the condo offers residents luxury and comfortable living, but residents are held to a covenant. Some restrictions one might find when buying a condo include:

Painting: Depending on the agreement for buying the condo, you may be restricted to specific shades and styles of paint if you wish to do decorate some of your new rooms.
Pets: Not all condos accept pets. Those that do may impose weight and size restrictions and the types of pets you can keep at home.
Age and Occupancy: "Adult-only" communities tend to discourage families with small children from buying. Also, senior communities will have age requirements.
Cable and Satellite TV: Some condo communities will provide cable or satellite, which are covered by condo fees, and prohibit residents from going with another service.
Gardening and Landscaping: Condo fees may also cover services like maintenance of lawns and greenery. As such, if you want to set up a garden in your backyard you may need to clear it with your condo board first.
Construction: If you wish to build on to your home or work on a project within, like installing a new bathroom or taking down a wall to make a room bigger, you could run into trouble with your condo board if you don't get permission first.
Security: Changing locks may need to go through your condo. Best to clarify this if you want to update security.
Visitors: If you entertain relatives or friends from out of town, keep watch on how long you can have them over. Lengthy visits or a month or longer are typically restricted.

Granted, living in a condo doesn't necessarily mean you will be stifled of your personal living flair. Restrictions to design and structure are set mainly to keep condo units looking information for resale value. If you plan to adapt your living space to suit your needs, you will want to find a community that is open to change. Research well to find the condo that's right for you.