| For many people considering condo life for | | | | areas'. Because it is able to be used by |
| the first time, having to 'obey rules' may | | | | anyone, it must be kept clear and free of |
| sound intrusive to personal liberty. It is | | | | other people's clutter. There may also be |
| interesting therefore, to note that the large | | | | fire laws involved, for the safer passage of |
| majority of condo residents approve of living | | | | fleeing residents in an emergency. |
| under management rules and even think that | | | | |
| their lifestyle is enhanced by doing so. A | | | | It may sound unreasonable not to be allowed |
| recent study shows hat 74% of condo residents | | | | to put an umbrella stand outside your own |
| like living by the rules. | | | | front door, but if the rule were relaxed it |
| | | | may be difficult to draw the line. |
| Perhaps it is not so surprising that condo | | | | |
| owners prefer to live by rules. They are | | | | Imagine if there was no rule, and your |
| designed to enhance the lifestyle of everyone | | | | neighbor then stacked his kids' bikes outside |
| in the building. Many of the requirements are | | | | his front door, plus his big sack of bird |
| simply the type of rules that once used to be | | | | feeding seed and the wife's shopping buggy. |
| the norm in society, for instance, no noise | | | | You may feel embarrassed if friends came to |
| after eleven at night. | | | | visit you and had to get past all that |
| | | | clutter to reach your front door! |
| The secret of choosing a condo that lists the | | | | |
| type of rules that you can live with, is to | | | | Sometimes in condos, especially units built |
| choose a condo where the people have a | | | | at ground floor level, even the patio is |
| similar lifestyle to you. If you are a person | | | | considered to be 'common but exclusive'. This |
| who is naturally considerate of your | | | | means that other people can walk through your |
| neighbors, then you probably already | | | | patio area if they need access through it to |
| self-impose the type of rules that you will | | | | move large items etc. |
| find in a condo block. | | | | |
| | | | All condo units should have a committee or |
| For instance, many people keep their music | | | | board which has a fair, unbiased mechanism |
| quiet after ten o'clock as a matter of | | | | set up for receiving complaints. Even without |
| courtesy. The same people probably make sure | | | | complaints the board should be meeting once a |
| that if they get up early one morning, they | | | | month or so, to check on any rule enforcement |
| make as little crashing and banging noise as | | | | and related issues. |
| possible. | | | | |
| | | | Sometimes the condo environment changes and |
| However, there are also sections of society | | | | agreement may be needed to adjust a rule. |
| who just do not think this way. They often do | | | | Boards are usually selected from the |
| not realize how noisy they can be. These | | | | residents and are elected once a year, though |
| people need to have rules so remind them to | | | | even this is optional and different condos |
| be considerate of others. | | | | will have their own arrangements for board |
| | | | appointments. |
| Some rules can be very complex and puzzling | | | | |
| in their origin, for instance in many condos, | | | | Having rules in place makes condo life sound |
| you cannot put anything outside your front | | | | very trouble-free and civilized, but even the |
| door. But, you may put what you like on the | | | | simplest agreement over barking dogs, parking |
| balcony! | | | | or late night parties can turn into nasty |
| | | | disputes. Choosing a condo where the rules |
| The front door is often in a corridor which | | | | suit your lifestyle will avoid much of this. |
| is considered to be one of the 'common | | | | |