Condo documents.
The questions behind the keys.
Before you buy, get a clearer picture of the fees, rules, repairs, and responsibilities.
the right packet.
Request current documents. Keep dated answers. Confirm your review deadlines.
What should you request?
Know what you’re buying, what you’ll pay, and who handles repairs.
Before buying a condo in Northeast Ohio, request the current governing documents, association budget and financial records, reserve information, unit-specific dues and assessment statements, meeting minutes, maintenance records, and insurance information. Review them alongside the purchase contract with your real estate agent, lender, insurance professional, and an Ohio real estate attorney when needed.
Know what you’re buying.
Governing documents
RequestDeclaration, bylaws, recorded amendments, and current rules.
More on governing documents
Ask for the complete current set, including recorded amendments and any separate rules. The declaration identifies the condominium property, units, common elements, and use restrictions. Ohio’s condominium declaration statute provides useful background.
Check:
- Which spaces belong to the unit or are reserved for its use?
- What approvals are needed for flooring, windows, doors, or renovations?
- Are there separate move-in procedures or charges?
Ask your attorney about unclear or conflicting provisions. Confirm review deadlines with your agent before signing; don’t assume every purchase offers the same cancellation rights.
Parking & everyday rules
RequestParking or garage rights, rental provisions, pet rules, and approval procedures.
More on parking & everyday rules
Verify parking and garage rights in the applicable documents. Ask whether a space is deeded, assigned, leased, or a limited common element, and whether its use transfers with the sale.
Read current rental and pet provisions before making plans. Ask about approval procedures, any waiting lists, and applicable exceptions or accommodations. Have unclear restrictions reviewed professionally.
Understand the money.
Budget & reserves
RequestAdopted budget, recent financial statements, reserve balance, and repair plan or reserve study if available.
More on budget & reserves
Request the current adopted budget, recent financial statements, reserve balance, and latest reserve study or capital-repair plan, if available. Ask about major upcoming work and how the association expects to pay for it.
An association’s annual budget describes planned revenues and spending. Obtain a separate, current statement for the amount billed to your specific unit.
Useful questions include:
- What major components are approaching replacement?
- When was the reserve study updated?
- How does current funding compare with the documented repair plan?
Ohio law addresses association budgets and reserves, with exceptions. A balance or percentage alone does not answer whether funding fits this community’s needs. Have your lender and appropriate professionals review the actual documents.
Dues & assessments
RequestA current, written statement for this unit, plus approved or proposed assessments.
More on dues & assessments
Request written confirmation of the unit’s current recurring dues, billing schedule, included services, and any approved changes. Ask separately about special assessments already approved, proposed, or under discussion, including their purpose, amount, payment dates, and remaining installments.
Confirm any outstanding unit balance and closing-related association charges. Have the purchase agreement and closing figures clearly address who pays applicable amounts.
Association dues are usually paid directly to the association, outside the mortgage-servicer payment, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Include them in your ongoing budget. For purchase-day planning, see Understanding Cash to Close in Real Estate.
Look behind the upkeep.
Minutes & maintenance
RequestRecent meeting minutes, available reports, and current project updates.
More on minutes & maintenance
Request recent board and association meeting minutes, available inspection or engineering reports, and updates on planned or ongoing projects. Ohio law requires associations to keep financial records and meeting minutes; coordinate requests through the seller, agent, or management company.
Look for the next practical question: Has a roof project been scheduled? Is a repair estimate final? Is work completed, funded, or still being evaluated? In Northeast Ohio, ask specifically about snow removal, drainage, roof maintenance, and exterior upkeep.
A reference in old minutes needs a current status check. These records also complement a professional inspection of the unit.
Repair responsibilities
RequestThe governing-document sections covering each major component.
More on repair responsibilities
Create a simple list covering the roof, windows, doors, plumbing, heating and cooling equipment, patios, and any garage. For each, confirm:
- Who maintains it?
- Who repairs or replaces it?
- Who pays, and who approves the work?
Ask for the governing-document section supporting each answer. A space reserved for your use may still have responsibilities that need clarification. Ask what the fees include and how much useful life remains in major building components.
Bring the right team.
Insurance coverage
RequestCurrent master-policy information for your insurance professional to review.
More on insurance coverage
Request current master-policy information and give it to your insurance professional. Ask what the association policy covers, where your unit-owner policy needs to respond, and which deductibles could affect you.
Discuss coverage for interior finishes, improvements, belongings, liability, and loss assessments. Ask specifically how any master-policy deductible assessment would be treated, including limits and exclusions.
Master and unit-owner policies serve different roles, and coverage varies. Have your insurance professional review the actual policies and governing documents; a general checklist cannot confirm coverage for a particular loss.
Lender’s project packet
RequestYour lender’s required project documents, questionnaire, and review timetable.
More on lender’s project packet
Ask your lender what project documents and questionnaire it needs, who supplies them, and when review must be completed. Borrower preapproval does not establish that a particular condominium project meets your loan program’s requirements. Lenders also evaluate community condition and finances as part of the applicable project review.
Keep one question list with your homebuying team, request dated answers, and resolve important gaps before contractual deadlines. Start your financing conversation through our financing page.
Have a condo on your list?
Let’s talk through the documents to request and the questions to bring to your homebuying team.
THE CARPENTER GROUP HOMES · Keller Williams Greater Metropolitan
This article offers general buyer education. Property-specific legal, insurance, and financing questions belong with the appropriate licensed professionals. Sources are linked in the expanded guidance. Request current documents and confirm contractual deadlines.
