Real estate Q&A: Pets in condos
By CHARLES CARTER
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
QUESTION: We bought a condo in the Miami area recently. Prices are much lower than they were several years ago, interest rates are low, and we think prices could start going up any day now. We brought our toy poodle with us and then later realized that the homeowners' association rules don't allow pets. So for now we hide the dog from our neighbors. I heard somewhere that some states have laws forbidding such anti-pet rules. Is that right?
-Patrick, Miami
ANSWER: Yes, this is happening. Federal law for some time has prohibited discrimination against disabled Americans who need "service and support" animals, such as seeing-eye dogs for the blind. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a deaf person's right to keep a service or support animal in the home in Bronk v. Ineichen in 1995.
California enacted a law effective January 2001 that permits each owner in common interest developments, such as condos and mobile home parks, to keep at least one pet, subject to reasonable rules of the homeowners' association. Efforts are under way in Florida to adopt similar legislation, led by a group called Citizens for Pets in Condos.
The idea is that pets generally provide emotional support for homeowners. I recently gave a paper that was co-authored with Tim Allen, professor and director of the real estate center at the College of Charleston, which found allowing pets in condos has a positive effect on condominium prices in the South Florida condo market.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Charles Carter, Ph.D., specializes in real estate analysis after years of experience as a professor, real estate lawyer and appraiser. He is a consultant at Haint Blue Realty in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Readers may send questions to cccarter2010@yahoo.com.Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/01/2056350/real-estate-qa-pets-in-condos.html#ixzz0sRB9LaKW
No comments:
Post a Comment