Michigan guide
Michigan assessment / lien statement review
Michigan does not use the term "estoppel certificate," and no statute requires the association to issue one on resale. The functional equivalent is a written statement of the unit's unpaid assessments, fees, late charges, and any recorded lien under MCL §559.208 — the figure escrow uses to clear the unit's balance at closing.
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Because no statute compels this statement, you must request it by contract, and there is no fee cap or delivery deadline like other states impose. A critical Michigan twist: the association's assessment lien has no super-priority — it sits behind tax liens and behind a first mortgage of record — so a high association-wide delinquency rate is a budget-health warning rather than a title risk to the incoming buyer.
What the assessment and lien statement covers
Under MCL §559.208(1), unpaid assessments, interest, collection and late charges, advances for taxes or other liens, attorney fees, and fines constitute a lien on the unit. The written statement you request states what is currently owed on the specific unit and whether any lien has been recorded. In escrow this certifies the balance so it can be cleared at closing. Confirm the figure is current and reconcile it against the seller's representations — an unexpected balance, a fine, or a recorded lien is exactly what this statement exists to surface. Because no statute mandates the statement, obtain it through the purchase contract.
Pending or approved special assessments are the load-bearing line
The most consequential item is any approved or pending special assessment not yet reflected in routine dues. No Michigan statute compels disclosure of pending or approved special assessments on resale, and a buyer who closes can inherit an approved-but-unbilled assessment. Michigan's distinction matters here: an additional assessment is typically a board-only budget top-up, while a special assessment typically requires co-owner approval under the bylaws. Demand a written statement of any pending or approved assessment and read the recent minutes — assessment discussion there often precedes a formal levy by months. Clarify in the contract who bears any approved-but-unbilled assessment.
No super-lien — delinquency is a budget signal, not a title risk
Michigan grants associations no super-priority lien. The association lien is junior to tax liens and to sums unpaid on a first mortgage of record; it only beats a first mortgage if the notice of lien was recorded before that mortgage — ordinary first-in-time priority, not a UCIOA-style carve-out. A foreclosing first-mortgagee therefore wipes the association's junior assessment lien, which protects lenders and incoming buyers but leaves associations absorbing bad debt. So request the association-wide delinquency rate: a high rate is a budget-distress signal that can foreshadow special assessments, even when your specific unit's balance is clean.
Read the statement against the broader picture
A one-unit balance is not a reserve study or an insurance summary. Read the assessment statement alongside the reserve balance (and any study, if one exists — none is required), the master-insurance premium and deductible trend given Michigan's hardening market, and the special-assessment history in the minutes. A unit with a clean balance in an association whose reserve sits at the 10% floor, whose master premium just spiked, or whose minutes describe a looming roof or parking-deck replacement still carries real out-of-pocket risk the balance alone will not show.
Michigan legal references
- MCL §559.208 — Assessment lien; priority; foreclosure; no super-priority
- MCL §559.154 — Annual financial statement to co-owners
- MCL §559.205 — Reserve fund (drives capital-funding adequacy behind the balance)
Informational only. Not legal advice. Always confirm against current statute and counsel.
Need help applying these Michigan statutes to your specific situation? We can connect you with state-licensed counsel and specialists familiar with this exact regulatory environment.
Find a Michigan specialist →Reviewer's checklist
- Request a written statement of unpaid assessments, fees, and liens on the unit (MCL §559.208)
- Confirm the statement is current and reconcile it against the seller's representations
- Read the pending-or-approved special-assessment line as a near-term cost preview
- Distinguish board-only additional assessments from owner-approved special assessments
- Confirm no recorded lien sits on the unit (and its recording date if one exists)
- Request the association-wide delinquency / aging report (a budget-distress signal)
- Remember Michigan grants no super-lien — delinquency is a budget, not title, concern
- Cross-check the balance against the reserve balance and any study
- Check the master-insurance premium and deductible trend that could drive an assessment
- Clarify in the contract who pays any approved-but-pending assessment
Want this same review on your actual documents? We do it free, with page citations you can verify.
Get My Free Risk Report →Source documents
- Declaration & bylawsthe rules
- Budget & financialsthe money
- Reserve studythe big repairs
- Meeting minuteswhat the board fears
Cross-reference
The risk lives in the contradiction between documents.
An assessment in the minutes but not the estoppel; a reserve the budget never funds.
Risk report
Severity-graded across 8 categories.
Every finding cites the document, page number, and quoted text.
How CondoSignal reviews this
We read the reserve study, operating budget, and 24 months of meeting minutes together — michigan assessment / lien statement review risk usually lives in the contradiction between documents, not in any single one of them. Every finding cites the source document, the page number, and the quoted text behind it.
See our 8-category framework →Risk Intelligence
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Related reading
Guides for Michigan buyers and owners
What Is a Condo Estoppel Certificate? A Buyer's Guide
The estoppel certificate is the one document an association is legally required to provide before closing. Understand what it says, what it omits, and how to read each line before you sign.
Special Assessment Red Flags: How to Spot One Before You Buy
A special assessment rarely arrives without warning. The clues show up in the reserve study, budget, and meeting minutes months before the vote — here are the red flags to check before you buy.
Should I Buy a Condo With a Pending Special Assessment?
A pending special assessment isn't always a dealbreaker — it depends on whether it's approved, disclosed, and priced in. See what to check, plus a free review.
Already own in Michigan?
Owner guides for the notice you just got
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Reviewed by Kirk Hasley, Founder. Every claim here is checked against current Michigan statute and primary sources, using the same documented review framework we run on every file. Last reviewed June 13, 2026.
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Risk Intelligence
Review the documents before your contingency ends
Most buyers get 7–14 days to review condo documents. Upload the packet — we read the reserve study, budget, minutes, and insurance summary and flag the risks, every finding linked to the exact page. Free.
Expert Matching
Need a real estate lawyer or mortgage specialist?
We can connect you with vetted real estate lawyers, mortgage brokers, and insurance brokers familiar with the specifics of condo and HOA transactions.
- HOA lawyer