Single family site condominiums have become more common in recent years in southeast Michigan. A single family site condo community looks just like a traditional, platted subdivision. Lot sizes, quality of homes and zoning restrictions are all identical. The only differences are technical - sites are divided and recorded by condominium documents rather than a plat.
Below is excerpted from the state of Michigan's Department of Consumer and Industry Services publication "The Condominium Buyers' Handbook" -
"The term "site condominium" is used to describe a condominium development with single-family detached housing instead of two or more housing units in one structure. Site condominium developments must comply with the Act. The Act requires developers to notify the appropriate local government of their intent to develop a condominium project. The type of review the development is subject to depends on the local government's ordinances. Site condominium documents are not reviewed by the State for conformance with the Act.
There is another type of residential subdivision development in Michigan that is regulated in accordance with the Land Division Act. Subdivisions developed pursuant to the Land Division Act are subject to state review for conformance with the Land Division Act."
The principal advantages of site condominium developments include a faster and more efficient development process, more stringent condominium disclosure laws, association control of common area maintenance and over-all appearance and maintenance of the community. Homeowner participation in the Homeowners Association generally occurs at an earlier date in a condominium. Interested homeowners can become involved sooner in managing and controlling the maintenance of community amenities to their own standard. In a condominium, assessments must provide for a reserve fund under the Michigan Condominium Act. In a subdivision such a reserve is not required and at turnover of control, there may be a shortfall of funds to operate the association.
Below is re-printed from a Delcor handout:
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
- Even though all of the engineering work, including water, sewer and drainage systems, are approved and inspected just as with a platted subdivision, the site condominium method avoids many of the delays associated with state, county and local agencies which are inherent in traditional platted subs.
- As is the case in higher quality platted subdivisions with home owner associations and bylaws, site condominium residents are members of a condominium association. Association fees are charged to cover the maintenance of common areas in the subdivision, including landscaping, lighting and signage at entrances, and snow removal form the community roads.
- As is typical in a site condominium project, all of the owners within the community actually own, with the other owners, the common areas.
- There are also rights and protections provided to the homeowner by way of deed restrictions. All of these rights and protections listed in the Master Deed allow for the homeowners to control the community through the condominium association. If a homeowner is not complying with the Master Deed and does not react to neighborly persuasion, the association may invoke the rights granted in the deed to enforce compliance. This helps keep the community beautiful, and enhances property values and the enjoyment of property owners.
- Buyers receive a warranty deed for their own property. Owners are responsible for the maintenance for their own properties and may landscape as they wish, subject to the Master Deed protections which often provide for architectural and landscape guidelines just as in any platted subdivision of quality homes. In order to enhance the value of all the homes, it is the developer's goal to ensure that those kinds of controls, particularly landscaping, will be followed as stated in the Master Deed.
Please call or e-mail for a copy of "The Condominium Buyers' Handbook." You can reach us toll free at (800)401-1444 or e-mail us at Jackie@JackieHawley.com.
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