News and Real Estate Trends For Coconut Grove & Coral Gables Luxury Real Estate

Having Pets Potential Obstacle to Condo Living? September 20th, 2011

How Important Is A Pet Friendly Condo Association?

So, you are excited to begin the fun task of renting a new apartment.  In your mind, you have already moved into that totally cool building you selected while driving through town  hundreds of times noticing that particularly cool building already home to some of your friends and collegues.  They are loving home life, weekend life, night life, and let’s not forget “date night”!  Well, before dashing out to sign up to be like one of them, you better find out what the rental restrictions are before you start looking and making an offer to rent that new place you’ve been dreaming about, especially if you can’t live without your precious pet.  Many condo associations do not allow tenants to have pets, while it is perfectly acceptable for owners to have them.  And to make matters worse, many buildings have pet weight and other restrictions.

For example, a dog weighing up to 20 lbs. is typically fine, but don’t be surprised if the association approval board has a scale in the room at the face to face interview.  Many times they will require you to bring the dog along for a physical look to confirm the size, breed and weight or even how friendly the dog is around strangers.

Also, you should be prepared for to pay additional deposits and requirements associated with having a pet.  There may be a non-refundable pet deposit required of the owner, the condo association or both.  This could be costly in upfront deposits before you can turn the key in the door.  For additional information or questions, please send your reply.