what should I do if I have cats in a no-pet building?

[EnzoLeya]

Oh my goodness I didn't know there were that many rules with condos!!! Why on earth would you buy a condo, that YOU own, and still let other people boss you around and come into YOUR condo whenever they please! Condos don't seem any different than apartments!

Good luck, but I'm afraid you will never be able to have your cats there. It's a rule of their's and reguardless of them seeing you take the cats in, the cats would have been spotted in the windows eventually.

 

[GoldyCat]

Is there any clause in your contract that allows you to opt out if you change your mind within a certain length of time? It might be too late for that, but it doesn't hurt to check. I know with mortgages it's usually only 72 hours.

One more thing you need to take into consideration if you're trying to hide the cats instead of going through proper channels. In addition to the legal ramifications, fines, possible eviction, etc., you could possibly lose your cats anyway. If you have neighbors or board members who are dead set on enforcing the "no pet" policy, someone might call animal control to come and remove your pets from your home. I don't know if that's legal, but it could cost you a lot more--in money and emotional trauma-- than you're prepared to pay.

This is a case where it's better to follow the rules from the beginning.

I know you've invested a lot of money in this condo, a good deal of it nonrefundable. Still, you might want to look into selling it and renting another place until you can afford the downpayment on a pet-friendly house or condo.

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

Oh my goodness I didn't know there were that many rules with condos!!! Why on earth would you buy a condo, that YOU own, and still let other people boss you around and come into YOUR condo whenever they please! Condos don't seem any different than apartments!

Which is one of the reasons I'd never ever buy a condominium. Also living in one is no different than living in an apartment building in my opinion. You still have to contend with noisey neighbours on the other side of your walls, and not all condo owners live in their condos, many rent them out, which makes it worse yet because people who rent often don't have any regard for their neighbours.

 

[darlili]

Depending on your stage of life, career needs, or local real estate market, a condo may be a good purchase. For those who travel, for those who don't want, or aren't up to, a lot of outside maintenance, for those downsizing, for those who want to live in city center, and depending on how much single family homes are in the area, condos may be a viable, or even preferable, alternative. Not all associations allow rentals. And, a lot of people do like homeowner associations for single family subdivisions as well.

The key is always to read up on what you're thinking about buying - check your city codes and local laws, check any association rules & regs, and, IMO, always have an attorney to explain what you may not be familiar with.

In Illinois, before the sale goes through, you have an opportunity, usually within 3 days of your initial offer, to go through your rules & regs, as well as have an inspection...assuming your offer was written correctly, you can withdraw your offer without penalty. But, again, the important thing is to know what you are doing before you jump in. I'm sure not one homeowner hasn't realized they neglected to check something before that first purchase, but sometimes the consequences can be tough to live with.