1 “Understanding the Condo Docs”

1.1 Hello. Welcome to the "All About Condos Channel" brought to you by IKBEN’S
International Realty. We specialize in condominiums, and our goal is to be "Your
go-to source for all things condos" Hi, I’m your host and condo consultant,
Octavio Rueda.
1.2 In this video, I will share with you the essential information you need to know
about condominium documents which can provide valuable insights into your
rights and privileges as a condo owner. As a professional Condominium
Association Manager, I know the importance of the Condominium Documents to
address and resolve the many issues that can arise in condo associations. However,
I find that these documents are often underrated because many condo owners don’t
see them as essential documents that have everything to do with the use and
ownership of their condo and how to use them to get the most out of their condo
ownership experience.

1.3 In fact, the Declaration of Condominium, which one of the condo documents will
be discussing, is the most important document a condo owner can have, coming
second only to the deed of the Unit.
1.4 By the end of this video, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to find all the
important information you need to get the most out of these important documents.
Therefore, whether you're a current condo owner, a prospective buyer, or simply
interested in learning more about condominiums, this video is for you.
1.5 Just a quick note… I’m not an attorney, so I’m not giving any legal advice about
condominium documents or giving legal opinions regarding the use or
interpretation of condominium documents I'll be discussing. That being said….
LET'S GET STARTED!
2 Condominium Documents
2.1 Condominium Documents, also known as "Condo Docs," consist of a collection of
legal documents that outline the building, ownership, and operations of a
condominium. These documents serve as the governing documents of the
condominium project and its corresponding condo association. They include
important information about the ownership rights, privileges, and duties of unit
owners, as well as the limitations and restrictions on the use of the condo and
common areas. The Condo Documents detail the powers and responsibilities of the
association and its board members, unit owners' membership rights, duties, and
financial obligations, and the policies and guidelines for the operation of the
association.
2.2 The Condo Documents consist of several legal documents, such as the Declaration
of Condominium, By-Laws, Articles of Incorporation, Rules, and Regulations, just
to name a few. ... The types and contents of the documents that fall under the
category of condominium documents vary depending on the state where the
condominium is located. However, in the majority of states in the US, these four
documents are the primary ones used. ... Therefore, in this tutorial, I will give a
general overview of each of these documents, show examples of them, and explain
how they are used specifically in the state of Florida.

2.3 Here in the US, individual states possess the authority to establish laws that govern
the creation and operation of condominiums. These laws, known as condominium
statutes, outline the parameters under which a condominium can be constructed and
sold, as well as grant the condo association the necessary powers to manage the
property. In Florida, the condo laws can be found in Chapter 718 of the Florida
State Statutes.

2.4 The Declaration of Condominium is one of the principal requirements for

establishing a condominium project, without which the project cannot exist.
According to condo statues, “A condominium is created by recording a declaration
in the public records of the county where the condominium is located. Upon filing
the declaration, the condominium and its association become a legal entity with the
powers and responsibilities outlined in the documents, and thereafter the condo
documents become the official governing documents of the condominium.

2.5 To ensure the protection of unit ownership rights, condo laws limit the power and
control that the developer, the board of directors, and the association have over the
condominium and unit owners. The greatest strength of condo laws in safeguarding
unit ownership rights is that state statutes and federal laws always supersede the
Declaration of Condominium and any other condo document in terms of hierarchy
and authority.

2.6 This means that the Declaration can grant additional rights and privileges to unit
owners, but it cannot take away any rights and privileges established by state and
federal laws. For instance, if the Declaration has a restriction on dogs over 25
pounds, it cannot be applied to a disabled person with a 50-pound seeing-eye dog,
as it would infringe upon the rights and privileges guaranteed by state and federal
laws for disabled persons with service animals.

2.7 You can think of the condo documents like a huge contract that involves four different
parties: the developer, the condo association (represented by the Board of Directors), the
unit owners, and any first lien holder, like a bank. These documents set the terms and
conditions that are legally enforceable for anyone who owns a property within the
association. So, each party with an interest in the condominium can rest assured that the
standards and rules set forth in the condo documents are binding and can be relied on to
protect their interests and investment.
 2.8 As a unit owner, I like to think of the Condo Documents as a kind of manual for
condo owners. I mean, they have all the information you need to know about living
in the condo and the instructions on what you can and can't do with your unit.
Frankly, I think they should call them the "Condo Owner's Manual" instead of just
"Condo Documents." You know, like any other manual, you should keep it with
you as long as you own the unit and refer to it whenever you need it.

3 PROSPECTUS & OFFERING CIRCULAR

3.1 Let me now tell you a little bit about a PROSPECTUS AND OFFERING CIRCULAR: In Florida,
developers are required to file a Prospectus or Offering Circular with the state before
selling any units in a condominium project with over 20 units. The prospectus must
include the condo documents, amendments, exhibits, and other relevant documents and
information about the property, such as details on amenities, purchase agreements, floor
plans, engineering reports, financial statements, and other legal documents. The
purpose of the prospectus and offering circular is to provide prospective buyers with a
thorough understanding of the condominium and its association before buying a unit.

3.2 Developers in Florida must follow a specific format and content guidelines outlined in the
condo statute when preparing a prospectus or offering circular. These guidelines ensure
consistency in the information presented for different condos, and developers must
include the required information as specified in the statute. ... As a result, the format
and content of condo documents do not change, so when reviewing a prospectus or
offering circular for a condo in Florida, you can expect to see the same types of
information as in any other condo document.

3.3 By the way, throughout the rest of the video, I will use the word Prospectus to include the
Offering Circular as well since the legal requirements are the same for both.

3.4 So, let’s start by taking a look at a sample Prospectus so you can see how they are set up
and the different documents that make up their various sections. Then, I’ll show you
some sample condo documents.

3.5 This is a copy of the original Offering Circular for Countryside Village, a condominium
project built by Lennar Homes, a national residential development firm based here in
Florida.

3.6 The first thing the developer is required to make known is that…. "This offering circular
contains important matters to be considered in acquiring a condominium unit."

3.7 As mentioned earlier, the prospectus and offering circulars are meant to provide potential
buyers with information about the property and the condominium association.
Developers are required to disclose all relevant facts about the property. Let's take a
quick look at some of the disclosures:

3.71 1. The condominium will be created, and units will be sold in fee simple interests, "Fee
simple refers to absolute ownership and distinguishes full ownership from timeshare
condos where the sale is a percentage or partial ownership.
3.72 2. There are two property owners association memberships associated with this
condominium. - This is important to know since it means there are two assessments to
pay.

3.73 3. Membership in both property owners associations are mandatory for the unit owners.
This is always the case with condo ownership. When a unit is purchased, the new owner
automatically becomes a member of the association.

3.8 4. There is a lien or lien right against each unit to secure the payment of assessments or
other exactions coming due for the use, maintenance, upkeep or repair of the common
areas. The unit owner's failure to make these payments may result in the foreclosure of
the lien. This is important to know, particularly for first-time condo owners. I know of
situations where the unit owners were current on their mortgage payments but were
foreclosed by the condo association for failure to pay the maintenance fee.

3.82 8. The developer has the right to retain control of the condominium association after a
majority of the units have been sold. "This is definitely worth digging into a bit more if I
were buying a unit to see how long the developer plans to retain control.

3.9 Next, ---- We have a table of contents… which is a standard component of a prospectus or
offering circular and is a helpful tool to quickly locate and review specific information
within the circular. As you can see… the first document is the prospectus, Note that the
developer could have prepared a Prospectus or an Offering Circular. However, in this
particular case, the developer decided to prepare both and included the prospectus as an
exhibit within the Offering Circular."

3.91 Following the prospectus are the condominium documents we’ve been talking about,
starting with the: (2) Declaration of Condominium….
(3) Legal description of the condominium property….
(4) Percentage of ownership in common elements and percentage of share of common
expenses and surplus
(5) Plot plan, site plan. And graphic description
(6) Articles of Incorporation of Countryside Village
(7) Bylaws of Countryside Village
(8) Rules and regulations
(9) Declaration of covenants, restrictions, and easements for common areas.

3.92 (10) Articles of incorporation of Countryside Village Property Owners Association.

(11) By-laws of Countryside Village Property Owners association.
(12) And these 14 other condo documents pertinent to this offering circular.

I want to point out that these two documents and a couple of other ones over here
(pointing into the list of the other docs) are included in the circular because they pertain
to Countryside Village Property Owners Association, the 2nd association mentioned in the
disclosures… **flip to disclosure #2.
3.93 ((Flip back to the last page of the table of contents))….: Once you have familiarized
yourself with the table of contents, you can then flip to the corresponding page to locate
the information you need or want to know ((Flip quickly through the pages)) By the
way…I have a video where I show you a quick and easy way to review condo
documents… please be sure to check it out after you're done with this video. …

4 Alright, now that we have a better understanding of how developers are supposed to
create a prospectus or offering circular, let's dive into what happens after the developer
no longer owns units in the condominium or has control over the association.

4.1 First of all, once the association has taken full control of the condominium and the
developer is no longer selling units, … the prospectus is no longer required. In these
cases, the condo association may choose to amend or revise its condo documents to
reflect any changes in the association after the developer has left. Once these documents
are amended, the Amended or Revised condo documents take over as the primary and
official documents of the association. Let me show you an example.

4.2 This is what became of the Countryside Village Offering Circular after the condo
association had full control of the condominium.
4.3 We can see from the document that on July 30, 2003, the board of directors in
accordance with the provisions of Article 6.1. (c) of said Declaration and Florida Statutes
Section 718.110 (1) (a), unanimously approved the following amendments to the
Declaration of Condominium and Bylaws for Countryside Village Condominium
Association. New language is indicated by underscore ____type, and old deleted
language is indicated by line- through type. As you can see, the developer was the first to
go… and the changes are substantial.

4.4 Let me show you another example. This is the post developer condominium documents
of Hollybrook Golf & Tennis Club Condominiums, located in Pembroke Pines, ((flip to 5
pages.)) In this example, the condo association took a more moderate approach to their
post-developer amendments, “Termination of builder’s rights. On October 29, 1999, the
builder sold his last apartment unit. All builder’s rights terminate as of that date. All
references to these rights have been removed from this document for ease of reading.”

4.5 “Persons wishing to view these rights should contact the general manager and request
the recorded copy of the Declaration which contained these rights." Quit a difference!
Right? These documents are clear and simple.

4.6 However, there are some condo associations that have not updated their Declarations
long after the developer has left and thus continue to use the Prospectus as the main
source of the condo documents. Let me show you an example…
 4.7 This is the prospectus for The Alexander Towers, a condominium located in the city of
Hollywood. This is a rental high-rise building that was converted into a condominium in
1993. Although the building is about 50 years old, it attracts and appeals to local and
foreign investors because the backside of the building faces the ocean. The association
took control of the condo more than 20 years ago, however to date, the condo
association has not made any amendments to the condo documents since taking control,
except for amending the Rules and Regulations in 2000.

4.8 As a Condo Association Manager, it's always interesting to come across situations like
this. From my experience, there are a couple of reasons why a condo association might
not revise or amend their condo documents for a long time. Firstly, it could be to avoid
the hassle and expenses associated with updating the Declaration. And secondly, it might
just be convenient for the association to leave things as they are, you know…"leave well
enough alone."

4.9 Regardless of the reasons, it's important to check with the association for any updates or
amendments to the condo documents. You never know what changes might have been
made since the original documents were created. So, be sure to do your due diligence
and check with the association to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

4.91 Let me show you the last set of condo documents from 100 Hidden Bay Condominiums, a
luxury Highrise condo in the city of Aventura. I downloaded these from the Miami-Dade
Clerk of Courts website:

4.92 As you can see, in Miami-Dade County, the clerk records the main documents I
mentioned earlier, the first of which is the Declaration of Condominium, followed by the
By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, and ((flip to)) Articles of Incorporation. By the way, the
order of the documents may differ depending on the county.

4.93 It is important to note that if you obtain the documents directly from the condominium
association, you will receive the original prospectus or an updated version of the
condominium documents.... However, if you download the documents from the local
county's Clerk of Courts website, you will typically only get the Declaration of
Condominium, By-Laws, Articles of Incorporation, and Rules and Regulations." ….
Amendments and corresponding exhibits are filed separately.

4.94 Oh and by the way, after you finish watching this video, I recommend checking out my
video on how to review condo documents in less than 20 minutes. In that video, I'll show
you a simple and effective method for finding the information you need within the
documents. The method I show will save you time and effort in your search for specific
details about the condominium.

5.0 SCENE 5: “THE CONDOMINIUM DOCUMENTS”

5.10 Ok, now let’s take a quick look at each of the documents individually. I will now
provide you with a sample of each condo document and give a brief overview of each
and explain their Format and content. For this purpose, I will use the Hollybrook Gulf &
Tennis condo documents (flip 2 pages) as an example, as they are well-organized and
contain the four primary controlling documents: the Declaration, Articles of
Incorporation, By-Laws, and Rules and Regulations. If you need to review a prospectus,
the process will be the same now that you know where to find the other required
documents.

5.20 The DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM provides a thorough explanation of the ownership

structure and all the real estate components that make up the condominium, including
the land, building structure, and amenities, as well as the common areas. It also outlines
the operations, maintenance, and finances of the association. The declaration establishes
the terms and conditions of owning a unit (flip) in the condominium and defines all the
relevant legal terms related to the authority, rights, and responsibilities of the developer,
(flip 2 pages) condominium association, and unit owners. (flip back to Table)

5.30 The format and content of the Declaration must comply with the requirements of the
condo statute, as with the prospectus and other condo documents. Typically, the
Declaration and other condo documents are prepared with a standard format in which
each section has a specific title or header to clarify the subject matter within that section.

5.32 The main articles in the Declaration are usually numbered with Roman numerals, while
any subparagraphs are numbered using whole numbers or letters. (flip) This standard
format for labeling and numbering the articles helps to keep the sections of the condo
documents organized and easily searchable for reference. (flip) For example, this
declaration has twenty-one articles.

5.40 While I won't go through every article in the declaration to avoid boring you, I
highlighted several articles and sections about topics that I will touch on because they are
related to issues that, as a Condo Manager, I've dealt with and had to address with Unit
Owners in the past. Let’s get started-(Nexp)….

5.42 All declarations will have a section on the Definition of terms , although we may already
know what basic terms like assessments,… (flip) association, condominium, and unit
mean,it’s always good to be clear on how the terms are described and defined. (Nexp)

5.43 Identification of condominium units… this article gives a detailed description of the
number of buildings and units within the condominium complex or community. (flip)

5.44 Interest in “common elements” and (Nexp) “Common element expenses and surplus.” By
the way, “common elements are also referred to as common areas, these sections
describe the ownership of the percentage of the undivided shares of the common
elements in the condominium complex.

5.45 Voting rights – establishes that each unit is entitled to “one” vote regardless of size or
type of ownership.
5.50 The Amendment to Declaration of Condominium article requires an affirmative vote of
80% of all unit owners in the Condominium Association or 100% of all the unit owners if
the proposed amendment changesa unit's share of common elements, expenses, surplus,
or voting rights. (flip)

5.52 Under the section of miscellaneous rights and powers, paragraph #4 is worth pointing
out that, “the association shall have the irrevocable right to have access to each unit at all
times during reasonable hours as may be necessary for the maintenance, repair or
replacement of any common elements there in”. (Nexp)

5.53 Permanent Occupancy Rights in Condominium Units. This article outlines the regulations
for permanent residency in condominium units, detailing who can live in the unit
depending on the titleholder and how many people are allowed to reside in the unit
based on its size and their relationship with one another. (flip)

5.54 The article about Assessments – establishes the Association’s authority to collect
assessments (Nexp).
5.55 and describes The Non-Payment Penalties, and the association’s right to lien and collect
attorney fees (flip), and what would happen in the case of foreclosure. (Nexp)

5.56 Compliance with Governing Documents. This article requires Unit owners to comply with
the condo documents and the condo statute, as failure to do so may result in legal action
by the Association or an affected unit owner. (flip)

5.60
Under "Use restrictions," we find the two “usual” requirements: Private Dwelling and
Lawful Use. There is also a requirement under Regulations that, in my opinion, is not very
common. For example, it is common to find that the unit can only be used for residential
purposes. This means that operating a business out of the unit, such as a retail store, is
not allowed. Additionally, unit owners must abide by legal standards in their use of the
unit, particularly with regard to respecting the right of other unit owners to peaceful
possession and enjoyment of their unit.

5.61
What's interesting is that the regulations specify that if more than 75% of the unit owners
object to any rule or regulation made by the Board of Directors, that rule or regulation
will become inoperative. This is a valuable condition in the declaration because it limits
the types of regulations the Board can implement. As I said, it's not a common
provision to find in declarations. (flip 4 times)

5.62
Another important article in condo documents is the "Sale of Condominium Unit" section.
This section establishes the conditions that unit owners must meet when selling their
unit. For instance, it requires the unit owner to give notice to the association of the sale
of the unit and requires the prospective buyer to undergo an investigation or screening
process. By the way, there are some sections in the By-laws that deal with the sale of the
units as well.

Ok, we are done with the declaration, let’s proceed to the Articles of Incorporation.
5.62
6 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
6.1 I think of the Articles of Incorporation as the birth certificate of a corporation. By law,
corporations are required to file and record Articles of Incorporation with the
corresponding department of corporations in the state where they are created. The
Articles of Incorporation are important documents because the Florida Condo statute
requires that if an association is created after 1977, it must be incorporated. Therefore,
the Articles of Incorporation must be included in the condo documents if the association
is incorporated. The articles generally include:

6.2 Powers and purposes of the corporation (Nexp), such as Right of access to all common
elements. The power to Collect assessments, enter into Contracts, and to acquire by
purchase, units within the condominium and the power to make and enforce regulations.
(flip)

6.21 Membership deed – This article establishes that the membership is automatically upon
transfer of title. (Nexp)
6.22 Officers’ Term, this article sets the term of office of each officer as two years; however,
the most common term is one year.
6.23 Board of directors. This section of the Articles of Incorporation will name the first board
of directors of the association chosen by the developer. (flip)
6.24 And this article specifies how Amendments to the Bylaws and articles of incorporation are
to be made.
6.25 Ok, we’re done with this section! As you can see, there’s not a lot to the Articles of
Incorporation, but since they are part of the condo documents, it is good to know what
they’re about. Next, we have the By-Laws. STOP

7 BY-LAWS
7.1 The BY-LAWS of a condominium are policies and guidelines that govern the operation of
the condominium association and its members. They are a legal document that outlines
the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the condominium association's board of
directors, the process for electing board members, and the procedures for conducting
association meetings.

7.2 By-laws also outline the process for adopting and amending the by-laws themselves. Flip
3 pages
7.3 Let’s go over some of the Articles included in these By-Laws:
7.31 Condominium documents – This article simply reiterates that the condo docs are the
governing documents.
7.32 The Members Article defines how membership in the association is established (Nexp)

7.33 Meetings - This article defines the meetings, one of which is the Statutory required
annual meeting
7.34 Quorum – this section establishes the requirements for there to be a quorum at the
meetings to conduct business or vote. (flip)
7.4 Vote of the Majority – this section establishes that the majority of votes decides the
outcome of anything voted on, and the Voting Procedure section defines how the voting
process is to be done, although the procedure is verbatim of the condo statute’s voting
procedure. (flip)
7.41 The article Board of directors grants the Board the power to Manage the affairs of the
condominium and the association and specifies its composition with regard to the
number of members to be on the board and their terms in office. (Nexp)

7.42 Calling of Special Meetings specifies who can call the meeting and where it’s to be held,
and
7.43 Election of officers – specifies the qualification and procedure to become an officer. (flip 2
times), and,
7.44 the Officers section gives the title of the officers and the duties and responsibilities of
each officer. (Nexp)
7.5 Under the Article of Finance, we have how the Budget is to be adopted (flip) and the
financial records of the association Audited. (Nexp)
7.51 Under Maintenance and repairs of the condominium property, we have: Owner's
responsibilities to maintain and repair their unit. (flip), Restriction of owners to make any
changes to the exterior of the buildings, Rental Restrictions, Sale of condominium units –
must be approved by the Board of Directors and other conditions that apply. (Nexp),
Default - This article explains what happens if a unit owner is in default of the condo
documents. (flip 2 times)

7.5.2 We’ll end the By-law review with the Parking article. This article covers important details
like how many parking spots each unit is assigned, whether they are deeded or common
areas, and what the rules are for using them. If a spot is deeded, it means the unit owner
owns that spot and can always park there. But if it's part of the common areas, the
association can reassign the parking spot if needed, for example, to make room for
handicap parking.

8 RULES & REGULATIONS

8.1 Next, we have the dreaded "Rules and Regulations," which is perhaps the most common
of all condo documents. This is where we can find the list of all the activities that are not
permitted within the Association, as well as any conditions or exceptions to these rules. It
is also important to note that the Rules and Regulations are often the easiest documents
to revise or amend, and it is common for them to be updated every 10 years or so.
Therefore, the Rules and Regulations are the documents that will vary the most from one
condominium to another. Below)As you can see, these Rules and Regulations were last
revised in November 2012. So if I were reviewing these documents, I would check with
the management office to see if there have been any revisions recently.

8.2 Note that in the case of Hollybrook, the Rules and Regulations are 57 pages long, (flip),
but that's because it's a large community with several recreational and common area
facilities, such as two golf courses, a clubhouse with a restaurant, and an auditorium. So,
in general, the length or volume of the Rules and Regulations will largely depend on the
amenities in the condominium. The larger the condominium complex, the more facilities
and amenities it will have, and as a result, the greater the number of Rules and
Regulations. Each facility and amenity will have its own set of Rules and Regulations. (flip)
8.3 Some of the most common Rules and Regulations are:
Procedures for Units that are vacant for more than 30 days.
8.32 Obstruction of common elements, like the walkways, corridors, and stairs, is obviously
not allowed. (Nexp)
8.33 Specifications for soundproofing ceramic tiles. “There’s nothing more annoying than to
live underneath a unit where the floor tiles were installed without soundproofing to
eliminate noise.” (flip)

8.34 Association’s access to units and Required door key to be held in deposit. this regulation
is not well received by many unit owners; myself included, particularly those who reside
permanently in their units and don’t leave them vacant for more than 30 days. (Nexp)

8.35 Hurricane shutter specifications. very important, particularly here in Florida (flip)

8.36 Garbage/Waste Rubbish. If I were to put together a list of the 10 Rules and
Regulationsleast likely to be followed by unit owners, this is one of the rules and
regulations I would rank as one of the top 5 in the list, particularly in terms of properly
disposing of bulk items, like furniture or large boxes when new residents are moving into
the condominium or after the holidays. (Nexp)

8.37 The next section, Contractors, requires all contractors to be registered with the
association. This helps ensure that the contractor is insured and any work done in the
unit is up to code and done within reasonable hours. Another section worth mentioning
is the one about washers and dryers inside units. To install these appliances, unit owners
must comply with city permitting ordinances and obtain the association’s approval. These
are also a couple of rules that can often be ignored, especially in older condominiums.
Both of these sections would also rank in the top 5 in my list of rules and regulations
that are least likely to be followed by unit owners. (flip)

8.4 Under the Vehicle traffic and parking rules and regulations – the article defines Passenger
Vehicles, (flip) the conditions vehicles must meet to be authorized to park, (flip) and
defines the use of handicapped parking spaces (Nexp) and

8.41 The procedures to enter into the Community – under the Security entrance procedures
(flip 14 pages) And Pet and Animal Restrictions.
9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
9.1 (from page of Pets & Animals...flip 9 pages).The next and final document I want to go
over with you is the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Sheet, particularly for those of you
who own or are planning to buy a Condo in Florida. The Florida Condo Law requires that
the FAQ Sheet be made available to all prospective buyers of new or pre-owned
condominiums. The FAQ Sheet can be included in the Prospectus or as part of the Condo
Documents.

9.12 As the name implies, the Frequently Asked Questions is a list of questions and the
corresponding answers pertinent to topics that are of interest specifically to unit owners.

9.2 The statute provides a sample of the questions that should be included in the FAQ sheet,
but the association can include its own. Hollybrook’s FAQs are the following:
9.2 What are my voting rightsin the condominium association?
9.2 What restrictions exist in the condominium documentson my right to use my Unit?

9.2 What restrictions exist in the condominium documentson the transfer or leasing of my
Unit?
9.2 How much are my assessments to the condominium associationfor my unit typeand
when are they due?
9.2 Do I have to be a member in any otherassociation?
9.2 Am I required to pay rent or land use fees for recreationalor other commonly used
facilities?
9.2 Is the condominium association or other mandatory membership associationinvolved in
any court cases in which it may face liability in excess of $100,000?

9.3 The FAQ sheet serves as a summary of the essential limitations and requirements that are
detailed in the Declaration of Condominium. Reviewing this document can be a time-
saver for unit owners and potential buyers, as it highlights the key aspects of the condo
rules and regulations. In Florida, sellers of condos are obligated by law to provide buyers
with the FAQ sheet together with the Condo Docs. However, some sellers might overlook
this requirement, so it's important to ask for these documents if they are not provided.

10 Well, that concludes our tutorial on the review of the Condo Documents.
10.1 If there's anything you don't understand after reviewing the Condo documents, don't
hesitate to ask questions. Send an email to your real estate agent or the management
company with your questions. Note that I did not say call. I strongly recommend that you
put your request in writing so that you get the answer in writing as well and you can save
it for future reference. Ultimately, if you feel any concern about the documents, the best
advice is to consult with an attorney knowledgeable about community association law to
review the documents and answer any questions you may have.

10.2 If you currently own a unit but have never received a copy of the Condo documents, or if
you have lost the copy you had, you can request a PDF copy from the management office.
The Condo document in PDF format should be provided free of charge. However, if there
is a fee associated with obtaining the document, you may want to consider downloading
the documents from the county clerk's website where the condo is located.

10.3 If you're interested in learning more about how to obtain a free copy of condo
documents, please check out my video entitled "How to Get Condo Documents for Free."
Although, in the video I search for the condo documents of properties in Miami-Dade and
Broward counties in Florida, the process that I show in the video can also be used to
obtain condo documents from other counties in Florida and possibly even in other states.

10.4 And don’t forget, make sure you check out my video on how to review condo docs in less
than 20 minutes. It's a real time-saver!
10.5 Thank you for watching, and I hope you found the information useful. Please share your
thoughts and comments, and if you want to know more about condos, please subscribe
and stay tuned as I develop more content soon.
► Understanding the Condo Docs
Arial Condo/City Green Screen image with Logo &
► "Octavio Rueda"

► Condominium Documents
• "Condo Docs"
• Governing Documents: Building, Ownership & Operations
• Unit Ownersship: Rights, Previleges & Duties, Obligations and
Restrictions
• Association: Financial Obligations, Board Member Responsibilities
Operations Policies and Guidelines
• Declaration
• By-Laws
• Articles of Incorporation
• Rules & Regulations

► Condominium statutes
• FL: Chapter 718

► A Condo is created upon the recording of the declaration with the local
goverment.

Get image - (legal balance/scale with statute/law outweiging the docs)

► State Condo Statutes & Federal Laws Always Supersede Condo Docs

Get image

Get image of large contract

► Condo Docs = Contract
• Developer
• Association/Board of Directors
• Unit Owners
• First Lean Holders/Banks
► Condo Owner's Manual - Get image

► PROSPECTUS & OFFERING CIRCULAR

• Provides prospective buyers with comprehensive information about
the condominum and its associatoin.
• Florida: Required for Condos 20 + units

• The Format and Content of the Prospectus and Offering Circular

• Statute Text = Prospectus/Offering Circular Text

► PROSPECTUS = OFFERING CIRCULAR

A roll & Reviewing the Prospectus

• CSV images
• OPEN Original CSV Prospectus - (B roll)

B roll

B roll
B roll

B roll

A roll & B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll
A roll & B roll

A roll & Image of the word Prospectus crossed out

BR Open CSV Amended Docs

B roll

B roll - Open HLYBK

B roll
B roll - OPEN Alexander Towers

A roll & 100 HB image

B roll

A roll &
► Associatoin - Prospectus/Revised Condo Docs
► County Clerk - 4 main condo docs, amendments & exhibits are filed
separately.

A roll &
► Review condo documents in less than 20 minutes

► THE CONDOMINIUM DOCUMENTS

A roll &
B roll - OPEN HLYBK Declaration

A roll &
• Explains ownership structure, real estate components, and common
areas.
• Outlines association operations, maintenance, and finances.
• Establishes terms and conditions of unit ownership.
• Defines authority, rights, and responsibilities of developer, association,
and unit owners

B roll

B roll

A roll & B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll
B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll & A roll

B roll

► ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

► BY-LAWS
Consist of:
• Policies and guidelines governing the condo association
• Oulines powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Board of Directors
(BOD)
• Procedures for election of BOD & conducting association meetings

B roll

B roll
B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll
B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

► RULES & REGULATIONS

A roll & B roll

B roll & images

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll

A roll & B roll

A roll & B roll

B roll

B roll

► FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

B roll
B roll

B roll

B roll

B roll
B roll

B roll

► Suggestions and Recommendations

• Ask questions
• Summit in writing
• Save for future reference
• Consult with attorney

• Request PDF copy of Condo Docs

or
• Download from County Clerk's of Courts website

► How to Get Condo Documents for Free

► How to Review Condo Docs in Less Than 20 Minutes

5.10
5.20
5.30
5.32
5.40
5.42
5.43
5.44
5.45
5.50
5.52
5.53
5.54
5.60
5.60
5.5.5
5.5.6
5.6.2
5.6.2.2
The best way to provide a visual image of a Declaration of
Condominiums is to create an illustration or diagram that shows the
components of a condominium, such as individual units, common
areas, and the management structure, and label it with the title
"Declaration of Condominiums." Alternatively, a flowchart or
infographics can be used to explain the steps involved in creating and
operating a condominium under a Declaration of Condominiums.

A picture of a stack of legal documents with the title "Declaration of

Condominium" at the top and an arrow pointing towards the stack,
accompanied by a diagram or an illustration that shows the different
components of a condominium project (e.g., individual units,
common areas) could be used to visually convey the idea of the
Declaration being a combination of legal documents that govern the
condominium project and association.
Create an illustration or diagram that visually represents the
components of a condominium, including individual units, common
areas, and the management structure. Label each component clearly
and include the title "Declaration of Condominiums" prominently in
the illustration or diagram. The illustration or diagram should be
visually appealing and easy to understand, making use of shading
and other design elements as necessary. The final product should be
saved or printed for use in a presentation or publication.

An illustrated image of a towering stack of legal documents shaped

like a skyscraper, with each floor representing a different component
of the Declaration, could be used to creatively convey the idea of the
Declaration being a comprehensive combination of legal documents
that govern the condominium project and association. The image
could also include an illustration of a person standing next to the
stack, looking up in awe, to convey the idea of the Declaration being
all-encompassing and important.

Let me now tell you a little bit about a PROSPECTUS AND OFFERING
CIRCULAR: In Florida, ____ developers are required to file a
Prospectus or Offering Circular with the state ____ before selling any
units in a condominium project with over 20 units. ____ The
prospectus must include the condo documents, amendments,
exhibits, and other relevant documents and information about the
property, ____ such as details on amenities, purchase agreements,
floor plans, engineering reports, financial statements, and other legal
documents. ____ The purpose of the prospectus and offering
circular is to provide prospective buyers with a thorough
understanding of the condominium and its association before buying
a unit.
Create a flowchart or infographics that visually represents the steps
involved in creating and operating a condominium under a
Declaration of Condominiums. The flowchart or infographics should
clearly label each step and include descriptions or annotations as
necessary. The final product should be visually appealing and easy to
understand, making use of symbols, images, and color. Label the
flowchart or infographics with the title "Steps involved in creating
and operating a condominium under a Declaration of
Condominiums". The final product should be saved or printed for use
in a presentation or publication.