Lakewood Gardens III, Boca West: 36 units in Buildings G-16 to G-20, with sale approval and a Village estoppel

By building and unit number together. The legal description reads "Gardens of Lakewood III Cond Unit G16-1", but the Property Appraiser's address is the building's street number followed only by the unit, such as "7671 Lakeside Blvd 1". Five buildings share units numbered 1 to 8, so an address alone can point to the wrong deed.

The phases are from Article IV.A (pp. 3–4) and the street numbers from the Property Appraiser.

The association's approval comes first, then the master's Certificate of Compliance and the Club's approval of the buyer. The declaration bars any sale "without approval of the Association except to another Unit owner" (Art. XVI.A(1), OR 2931/1524, p. 20).

• The seller's notice names the buyer and gives the information the association reasonably requires. It may demand a substitute buyer, and then the signed contract goes with it (Art. XVI.B(1)(a), p. 20). If no notice is given, the association may approve or disapprove whenever it learns of the transfer (Art. XVI.B(1)(d), p. 21).
• A 20-day answer. The association approves or disapproves within twenty days after it receives the notice and information. The approval is a certificate "in recordable form", delivered to the buyer and recorded (Art. XVI.B(2)(a), p. 21).
• Refusal with a buyer. If the seller demanded one, the association must produce a contract from itself or an approved buyer at the refused price, in cash, closing within 30 days. Failing that, the sale counts as approved (Art. XVI.C(1), pp. 22–23).
• Occupants of entity-owned units. For a corporation or trustee, approval also requires approval of the "Primary Occupant" (Art. XVI.B(3), p. 22).

"Any sale, mortgage or lease which is not authorized pursuant to the terms of this Declaration shall be void unless subsequently approved" (Art. XVI.F, p. 24). An institutional lender acquiring through its mortgage, and a buyer at an execution, foreclosure, judicial or tax sale with open bidding, need no approval (Art. XVI.E, p. 24). A mortgage to anyone other than a bank, life insurer, federal savings and loan association or real estate investment trust needs the association's approval (Art. XVI.D, pp. 23–24).

Yes. Arvida's 1976 Village declaration covers "all of Lakewood of Boca West PUD" (Plat Book 30, Pages 199–203). It makes every record owner of a residential unit there a member, with membership that "may not be separated from ownership" (Arts. II § 1, IV § 1, OR 2512/220, pp. 1–2). The Village levies annual and special assessments, and "any condominium maintenance assessment" for exterior work it chooses to do. Each is a lien and a personal obligation (Arts. V § 1, VI, pp. 2–5).

This declaration lets the association collect the Village's assessments and pass them on. Its clause names the Village declaration at "Official Records Book 2512, at Page 220" (Art. XVIII.F, OR 2931/1524, pp. 26–27). The master's roll lists the Lakewood condominiums but not the Village (master's adopted 2026/2027 budget, not recorded; see the master page). Residential Management Concepts, in Deerfield Beach, manages Gardens III, so we order the Village estoppel from Lakeside Boulevard on its own.

Nothing extra to Gardens III: the declaration has no capital contribution or transfer fee. The buyer pays the master's capital contribution and the Club's Joining Fee.

The master bills the association $36,145 for 2026/2027, up 9.18% (master's adopted 2026/2027 budget, not recorded), plus the master's per-unit charges. The estoppels give the Gardens III and Village assessments. A grantee by voluntary conveyance shares liability for the seller's unpaid assessments, with a claim back against the seller (Art. XVIII.M, p. 29).

Whole units may be leased "after approval by the Association" (Art. XV.E, p. 19). The owner gives notice with the signed lease, and the association answers within 20 days (Art. XVI.B, pp. 20–21). If it refuses and the owner demanded it, the association supplies a tenant on the refused lease's rent and terms.

The declaration sets no minimum term and no limit on how often a unit is leased. The master's restated declaration does: nothing under four months and no lease in the first 12 months of ownership (the master's leasing rules).

• The developer had to add Phase II, Buildings G-18 to G-20, by an amendment recorded "Prior to April 1, 1980" (Art. III.C, p. 3). We did not find it, though all 36 units are on the Property Appraiser's roll. Until it is found, we check the unit's percentage share against the recorded phases.
• The instrument's opening line leaves the day blank ("MADE , 1978"). It is otherwise executed, and the recording stamp is 26 September 1978. DBPR's list gives 27 February 1976, which is the Village declaration's date.
• Gardens III's lien attaches when a claim of lien is recorded, behind any mortgage recorded first (Art. XVIII.K, pp. 27–28). The Village's lien needs no recording, since an unpaid assessment becomes "a continuing lien on the Unit" (Art. V § 8, OR 2512/220, p. 4). It is subordinate only to a first mortgage amortized over at least ten years (§ 9). Chapter 718 and Chapter 720 now decide what a foreclosing lender owes each.
• The Clerk links a 1981 association "Notice" (OR 3495/1276) to the declaration. We did not read it.