Dogs and Homeowner Associations

I love dogs.  Especially big dogs.  Unfortunately, big dogs and Homeowner Associations don’t always mix.

Especially those condo and townhouse homeowner associations.

It’s fairly common to find pet restrictions in HOA governing documents.  If you’ve got a large dog – say 50 pounds or more, you need to make especially sure you’re reading through those association documents carefully.  Often, the HOA will limit you to a certain number of pets, or to pets only under a certain size.

Typically, when you buy a condo or townhome here in Tucson, you get a copy of the association documents.  What normally happens is that the HOA moves very slowly, and you don’t get those documents until you’re nearly through with the home purchase.  So you could be well through your inspections, ready to close, and find out your 75 pound Fido isn’t allowed to live in your soon-to-be-new condo.

To add to the fun, those governing documents aren’t especially easy to get when you’re in the pre-contract stage.  Some of the larger HOA management companies in Tucson will provide you a copy – for a fee of around $250.  Sometimes, you can hunt down the person who does the association management and ask them directly.  Sometimes, the listing agent knows, or can get a copy of those documents from the Seller – assuming the seller kept their copy.  Often, they don’t have one anymore, and there’s no guarantee the rules haven’t changed in the meantime.

So just tread carefully, you Tucson condo buyers with large dogs.  And do your due dilligence carefully.

photo courtesy of the Digital Muzzle

Equal Housing Opportunity Realtor