I have set up an independent living facility owned by the nursing home which conveys “occupancy units”  to the residents. There is a buy-back provision.

The residents are not entitled to mortgage interest deduction, nor homestead real estate tax deduction.

It isn’t set up as a condominium, though.

 

From: realestate-owner@iabar.org [mailto:realestate-owner@iabar.org] On Behalf Of Fadness, Ronald D.
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 10:09 AM
To: Craig Hastings; Brown, Roger K.
Cc: realestate@iabar.org
Subject: RE: Condo

 

I would question the legality of conveying a condo unit without including the appurtenant interest in the common and limited common elements.  Even if it were legal, I wouldn't wouldn't suggest buying such a unit. 

 


From: realestate-owner@iabar.org [mailto:realestate-owner@iabar.org] On Behalf Of Craig Hastings
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 9:40 AM
To: Brown, Roger K.
Cc: realestate@iabar.org
Subject: Re: Condo

I don't think the situation is quite the same. I get the impression that Cindy's client wants to sell the units but continue to own the common areas and structures.

 

In the typical "property tax" condo conversion the owner continues to own all of the units.

 

And, I would just say that the ones we have done generally result in a significant decrease in property taxes. The Assessor will usually increase the value of the property by the capitalized increase in the cash flow due to the decrease in property taxes, but the residential rollback still reduces the taxable value significantly.

 

Craig R. Hastings

Hastings & Gartin LLP

409 Duff

Ames, IA  50010

 

515-232-2501

 

craig.hastings@amesattorneys.com

 

 

On Jul 27, 2008, at 5:53 PM, Brown, Roger K. wrote:



The situation you describe has been tried by a number of apartment building owners who seek to gain the tax benefits of having each residential unit taxed as residential property and thereby gain the benefit of the residential rollback.

 

Mr. Wilson is correct in identifying that the conversion of an existing apartment building will trigger a requirement that the building be upgraded to satisfy current building codes.  That may  require an apartment building to have a sprikler system, depending upon the height and number of units.  The cost of installing a sprinkler system may offset any tax advantages.

 

Your client might also be suprised to learn that the value of 50 separate condominium units will likely add up to a total which substantially exceeds the value of the building as a 50 unit apartment building.  Ask Mr. Wilson about the Park Fleur Apartment building.  The increased taxable value may more than offset the residential rollback.

 

Roger K. Brown, Assistant City Attorney

City of Des Moines - Legal Department

400 Robert D. Ray Drive

Des Moines, IA 50309

515/283-4541

RKBrown@dmgov.org<mailto:RKBrown@dmgov.org>

 

 

 

________________________________

From: realestate-owner@iabar.org [realestate-owner@iabar.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Wilson [JonathanWilson@davisbrownlaw.com]

Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 1:15 PM

To: Cynthia Hanna Castelletti; realestate@iabar.org

Subject: Re: Condo

 

If the client contemplates selling condo units, what you're describing won't work.

 

The client could convert to condo ownership of an apartment project (assuming the property satisfies current building code standards -- see code section 499B.20, which is probably unconstitutional but is the law until changed or so declared by a court), retain ownership of all units and (1) effectively eliminate an association for all practical purposes --i.e., the client would be meeting with himself -- the building occupants would not be involved; (2) turn all the occupants into tenants of the owner of the units (rights and liabilities between then would continue to be governed by 562A).  The singular owner of all units would also own 100% of the common elements -- i.e., the cumulative total of all the undivided unit ownership interests.  The total value of the apartment building might increase based on FMV of the condo units collectively (as contrasted with the existing FMV of the building), potentially offset in whole (or more) by the reclassification of the property to residential (with resulting RE tax roll back) rather than commercial.

 

Jonathan

 

Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts, P.C.

Jonathan C. Wilson

DavisBrown Tower

215 10th Street, Suite 1300

Des Moines, Iowa 50309

phone: 515-288-2500

fax:      515-243-0654

web:   http://www.DavisBrownLaw.com<http://www.davisbrownlaw.com/>

e-mail:  JonathanWilson@DavisBrownLaw.com

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"Cynthia Hanna Castelletti" <channa@elderkinpirnie.com> 7/25/2008 12:34 PM >>>

One of my colleagues posed the following question:

 

We have a client who is interested in developing a condo but wants to retain ownership of all the common areas and also retain ownership of the structure by not having a condo association.  Has anyone ever done that before? If so, what have been the disadvantages, if any? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Cindy Castelletti

 

Cynthia Hanna Castelletti

Elderkin & Pirnie, P.L.C.

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Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-1968

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Fax: 319.362.1640

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