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Buying a condo or co-op: the documents that matter

When you buy a condo or co-op, you also buy into the building and the association that runs it. The building's documents matter as much as the unit itself.

The unit inspection covers less

An inspector can check the unit: its electrical, plumbing, appliances, windows and visible damage. The roof, structure, elevators and shared systems usually belong to the association, so the unit inspection says little about them. Some co-op buyers skip a full inspection or get a limited one.

The documents to ask for

Ask for the association budget and financial statements, the reserve study, recent board meeting minutes, any special assessments planned or under discussion, and the rules. For a co-op, the offering plan and the board application. In Florida, many condo buildings three stories or taller now need milestone structural inspections and a structural reserve study, so ask whether the building has them.

How Joysts helps

Upload whatever you have: a unit inspection, the reserve study, meeting minutes. Ask plain questions, like "are any special assessments mentioned?", and Joysts answers from your documents with the page cited. It does not judge the building's finances or replace your attorney or inspector.

ExampleA Brooklyn co-op: what the building documents say

Board minutes
Facade repairs under the city inspection law discussed; an assessment is possibleMinutes from March, page 3
Reserve study
Roof replacement planned for 2028Page 14
Unit inspection
No GFCI protection at the kitchen counter outletsPage 6
Before you sign
Ask the board about the possible facade assessmentBring it to your attorney before the contract
Example with made-up findings, to show how Joysts lays these reports out. With your own reports, every item is your inspector's, with the page it came from.

Start your own home record.

Upload your inspection report. Joysts puts your inspector's safety items first, links each finding to its page, and answers your questions from the report. Free to start.

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Common questions

Do I need an inspection for a condo?

It is usually worth it for the unit itself. For the building, the association's documents tell you more than a unit inspection can.

Can Joysts read a reserve study or meeting minutes?

Yes. Upload them as PDFs or photos and ask questions. Answers come from the documents, with the page they came from.

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