Condominium Terminology

In the United States, most people have a pretty clear idea of what a condominium is but unit owners travelling outside the country who are interested in learning about condominium living will need some new vocabulary.  For instance, Australian and Canadian (Except for the Quebecois, of course, who say copropriété divise or divided co-property) owners refer to their form of condominium ownership as “strata title”.  This is a reference to multiple levels, typically of an urban apartment-style building the term first applied to but now denotes single and two story associations in small towns and suburbs. The name will also apply in parts of Asia, Africa, Oceania and even the Middle East.  Other names for condominiums include commonhold in the UK, defined property in Spanish speaking regions and sectional title in South Africa.