The First-Time Buyers' Guide to Massachusetts Condominiums: Master Deeds, Association Budgets, Reservations, Special Assessments, and What You Actually Own

Under the Massachusetts Condominium Act, M.G.L. Chapter 183A, a condominium unit is real estate. Section 3 of the act says the unit owner owns the unit itself plus an undivided percentage interest in the common areas and facilities. In plain language, a condo buyer owns the airspace of the unit and a share of everything shared: the hallways, the roof, the foundation, the grounds, and the amenities.

That percentage interest is what makes a condo different from a house. You do not own the roof outright, and you do not own the parking lot outright, but you own a piece of them, and you share the responsibility for keeping them up. The percentage is set out in the master deed and reflects your unit's share of the whole condominium.

It is also why the association exists. The owners, working together through the condominium association, manage and maintain the common areas, and the cost of that work is shared through common charges.

The master deed is the recorded document that creates the condominium. It defines the units, the common areas, each owner's percentage interest, and the restrictions and rules that apply to the property. It is recorded at the registry of deeds, which means it is a public record.

Every buyer should review the master deed before purchase. It tells you what you are buying beyond the four walls of the unit: what is shared, what you are responsible for, what the rules are, and how the condominium is structured. Your attorney will typically order and review it as part of the purchase.

The master deed is one of several documents your attorney reviews. The others include the association budget, the reserve study, the bylaws, and the 6(d) certificate described below.

Under c.183A section 6, the association must budget and assess common expenses at least annually. Your common charges fund the operating budget, which covers the routine costs of running the building: utilities, insurance, maintenance, management, and the day-to-day repairs that keep the property in shape.

A healthy operating budget covers routine costs without relying on one-time charges. When you review the budget, look at whether the numbers are realistic for the building's age and condition, and whether the association has been funding reserves rather than deferring maintenance.

Ask how the common charges are allocated, whether they have been stable, and what the association expects them to cover. The 6(d) certificate will show the current assessments and fees.

Under c.183A section 10(i), every Massachusetts condominium is required to maintain an adequate replacement reserve fund, collected as part of common expenses and held in an account separate and segregated from operating funds. The reserve fund is the money set aside for major capital work: roofs, siding, elevators, parking lots, and other big-ticket items that wear out over time.

Massachusetts law does not precisely define 'adequate', so the word means different things in different buildings. That is why buyers should ask for the association's reserve study and its current funding level, and how much of the reserve is actually set aside versus planned.

An underfunded reserve is the classic setup for a special assessment. When the reserve cannot cover a major repair as it comes due, the association has to collect the money from owners, often as a one-time charge.

Under c.183A section 6(d), sellers and associations provide a certificate showing current assessments, fees, and any unpaid charges. This certificate is a key document for buyers and lenders, and the buyer's attorney typically reviews it before closing.

The certificate tells you what the current common charges are, whether there are any unpaid charges against the unit, and what fees are owed. It is your window into the unit's financial standing in the association, and lenders rely on it too.

Ask your attorney to review the 6(d) certificate before you close, and ask the association for the most recent version. It is a small document that answers big questions about what you will owe from day one.

A special assessment is a one-time charge levied on unit owners, typically for major capital work or to cover a budget shortfall. Unlike common charges, which are budgeted annually, a special assessment is an extra bill on top of your regular payments.

A buyer should ask whether a special assessment is pending or likely. An underfunded reserve raises that risk, because when the roof or the boiler needs replacing and the reserve cannot cover it, the association may assess owners for the difference.

Ask the association and the seller directly: has a special assessment been voted, is one being planned, and how healthy is the reserve fund? The answers belong in your decision, not in a surprise bill after closing.

Several changes in the last few years are worth knowing if you are buying a condo in Massachusetts. Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024 amended c.183A section 10 and added section 10A, effective February 18, 2025. It establishes rights for unit owners to install electric vehicle supply equipment, or EV charging, with the cost potentially assessed as a special assessment.

The Affordable Homes Act, Chapter 150 of the Acts of 2024, added provisions to c.183A allowing condominium boards to hold meetings by phone, video, or other electronic means and to vote electronically. If you buy a condo, you may find board meetings are easier to attend than they used to be.

Finally, lender standards, not Massachusetts law but directly affecting condo buyers: in March 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac updated their condominium project standards. They are retiring the streamlined Limited Review for loan applications dated on or after August 3, 2026, so most condo loans will now get a full review of the association's budget and reserves. Reserve contribution requirements are also increasing from 10% to 15% of the annual budget, effective for the 2027 budget. For a first-time condo buyer, this means the association's finances will matter even more to your loan approval.