A DC condo resale package can shape a buyer's decision, but its meaning depends on the specific building, unit, contract, and law in effect. Use this document-led checklist to organize association, financial, insurance, litigation, rule, lender, and deadline questions, then direct unresolved issues to the appropriate legal, lending, insurance, inspection, or real estate professional.
Start with the exact transaction and package
Record the property address, unit, association name, contract form and revision, package delivery details, and every stated decision date. Preserve the original files and delivery record. Do not assume that a document label, seller summary, prior transaction, or general article establishes which materials control or when a buyer must act.
Build a document index before interpreting the file
Create a list of every item received and note its date, reporting period, author, approval status, and any referenced attachment that is missing. Useful categories include governing documents, budgets, financial statements, meeting materials, insurance information, disclosures, assessments, litigation notices, rules, management correspondence, and other transaction records. Mark each entry received, missing, superseded, unclear, or awaiting professional review.
Use official DC sources as legal-research starting points
Consult the official DC Code condominium resale provision, the broader DC Condominium Act, and the District's condominium resource. Save the version and access date reviewed. These sources identify research paths; they do not determine an unnamed buyer's deadline, remedy, or legal result. Ask qualified counsel which law and contract terms apply to the exact transaction.
Review governance, rules, and planned work together
Compare the declaration, bylaws, rules, amendments, meeting materials, notices, and available project information. Track questions about voting, use restrictions, leasing, pets, renovations, move procedures, maintenance responsibilities, approvals, and planned capital work. Treat any conflict, omission, or informal explanation as an open question until it is reconciled with the governing record and the appropriate adviser.
Organize financial and assessment questions
| Review area | What to locate | What remains building- and transaction-specific |
|---|---|---|
| Operating information | Budget, financial statements, income and expense categories | Present financial condition and the significance of any variance |
| Reserves and capital planning | Reserve information, studies, project lists, meeting discussion | Adequacy, timing, funding, and likely owner impact |
| Assessments and obligations | Notices, schedules, balances, payment terms, seller statements | Amounts owed, allocation, responsibility, collectability, and closing treatment |
| Delinquencies and disputes | Disclosed balances, collection information, litigation or claim notices | Materiality, exposure, legal effect, and lender or insurer response |
Ask the appropriate financial, legal, lending, and real estate professionals to evaluate the record for the exact purchase. A checklist does not establish an association's financial health or predict a future assessment.
Coordinate insurance, litigation, and lender review
Provide the available master-policy information, claim or litigation disclosures, project details, and other requested association materials to the buyer's insurance professional and lender. Ask each reviewer to identify missing information, underwriting conditions, exclusions, unresolved questions, and required follow-up in writing. Do not infer coverage, insurability, project eligibility, or loan approval from the existence of a policy or document.
Keep the unit review and fair-housing safeguards separate
Reconcile the package with seller disclosures, inspections, title materials, contract terms, and observable unit conditions. Compare properties using buyer-selected criteria such as price range, property form, intended use, documented restrictions, condition, professional findings, financing requirements, and transaction timing. Avoid protected-class targeting, steering, or subjective neighborhood suitability claims; the HUD Fair Housing Act overview provides the federal framework.
Turn open questions into a deadline-aware decision plan
Summarize the documents received, missing attachments, conflicts, association and financial questions, insurance and lender requests, professional assignments, and contract dates in one working file. Confirm applicable deadlines and legal options with qualified counsel using the exact contract and current law. Liz Lavette Shorb can help coordinate the property and transaction workflow while each specialist addresses matters within their scope.