Posts made in January 2019

The Benefits of Buying into a Homeowners’ Association

hoaWhen you are in the market for a new home, you may be considering moving into a development with a homeowners’ association. There are many reasons why moving to an HOA is beneficial for a homeowner.

Amenities

Most HOAs provide a variety of amenities to homeowners like tennis courts, pools, a protective gate around the community, golf courses and more. The fees that you pay go towards ground maintenance, which keeps the whole neighborhood looking beautiful. Because of these shared amenities, HOAs tend to be community-oriented, which creates a friendly atmosphere for you and your family.

Increased Home Value

Homeowners’ associations do tend to have a lot of rules and regulations. These are designed to protect the value of homes within the association. Having an active HOA can boost the value of the entire neighborhood.

Quality Community

Having an HOA in the neighborhood ensures that everyone in the neighborhood shares similar values. You are less likely to have unruly or unpleasant neighbors because the rules and regulations of the HOA deter those types of people from purchasing a home within the association.

When your HOA needs sound legal advice, turn to the experienced homeowners’ association attorney in Loudoun County, VA, at Ceresa Law. Contact our law office today and start resolving your homeowners’ associations’ pressing issues.

4 Things to Do Before Buying a Condo

condominium law loudoun county vaBuying a condo can be a great thing. When you live in a condo, all of the outdoor maintenance is done for you, significant costs are shared among the condo community, there are often amenities like gyms and pools, and you get to enjoy community living. Condos also tend to offer more affordable living, better locations, and better security. However, the condo is only as good at the condominium association that governs it. To avoid the potential pitfalls of owning a condo, be sure to do these four things before purchasing.

Check Out the Governing Documents

When you live in a condo, you are bound by the association’s governing documents – so it pays to know what they are. If you find that you don’t want to comply with condominium regulations, or you can’t comply with them, it is best to find a different condo complex.

Examine their Finances

The resale disclosure packet, which you can easily obtain from the condominium association, will contain the association’s annual budget and assessments owned by each owner. If the association has financial issues, you will see higher assessments in the future.

Check the Minutes

Obtain the minutes from a recent Board of Directors meeting to see if any major problems are facing the association that you may wish to avoid.

Check Their Insurance

If the condominium association is sued, the insurance should cover it. If they do not have enough liability insurance though, the homeowners will have to contribute to the payment.

Our law firm in Loudoun County, VA, provides expert legal advice for condominium and homeowners’ associations. Contact us today for more information.

Welcome to the Ceresa Law Blog

ceresa law logoYour home is your biggest asset, and it is up to a good homeowners or condo association to help preserve its value. In fact, a great HOA can even increase your home’s value. Since 1997, Ceresa Law has specialized in HOA law. We provide vital services for both HOA organizations and individual homeowners, dealing with government agencies, contractors, and more. We can handle insurance matters, meeting issues, election issues, policy resolutions, and more.

In this blog, we will be taking a deep dive into homeowners’ and condo associations and the legal matters that surround them. If you are a part of one of these organizations or are simply fascinated by legal proceedings, you should subscribe. We will be publishing informative and entertaining content on a regular basis, so do not miss out.

Our firm can help educate your board of directors about legal issues that face your organization. We prevent and solve legal problems for our clients every day using our combined 30 years of experience in HOA law.

When you need an HOA attorney in Ashburn, VA, for your organization, reach out to Ceresa Law. Our capable lawyers are ready to assist you when you call us at 703-726-9500.