Concerned with the HOA Board Before Condo Purchase

E.P. from New Haven County, Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Hi, Mr. Condo! I am trying to purchase a condo, but I cannot get any of the board members of the HOA to speak with me. The unit has some water damage on the ceiling that the HOA is supposed to repair. Is this unwillingness to communicate normal?

Mister Condo replies:

E.P., congratulations on your condo purchase attempt! An unwillingness to communicate with a potential unit owner is a cause for concern but does not completely surprise me. Board members are volunteers from within the community and are not involved in the resale process. Additionally, it is possible that the repair is being overseen by the Property Manager if the condo has one. Your primary point of contact should be the realtor(s) involved, unless you are dealing directly with the current owner. There really isn’t too much a Board member could tell you that the realtor wouldn’t be able to find out, namely, if and when the water-damaged ceiling would be repaired and whether or not the association will be handling the repair or if it is the responsibility of the current unit owner. If the damaged ceiling is a deal-breaker for you, I would ask the realtor for the information and I would want the repair clause included in the purchase and sale agreement. Otherwise, you could find yourself on the short end of the stick after the sale. Also, in this current market, you have many condos to choose from, you might wish to consider one that doesn’t have any damage. I know I would. All the Best!