Comparing a unit-floor-plan description with recorded boundaries
Understand how to compare your unit floor plan with official recorded boundaries to ensure accurate marketing and legal compliance in your Illinois condo sale.
The short answer
Comparing your floor plan to the official recorded declaration is essential for preventing misrepresentation. Illinois law requires that the unit's legal description be recorded in the condo declaration. Your marketing floor plan is illustrative, while the recorded survey defines the actual boundaries. You must ensure your unit description does not claim space that is technically defined as a common element.
Identifying the Legal Description
The declaration contains the legal description of your unit. This document is the ultimate authority on what you are actually selling. Always refer to this document for legal questions.
Worksheet: Locate the specific legal description paragraph in your declaration. Contrast it with your marketing floor plan: where do they match, and where do they differ?
Visualizing vs. Defining Boundaries
Marketing floor plans are for visual context. They are not legal surveys. Do not use them to argue boundaries with a prospective buyer during a dispute.
Worksheet: Label your floor plan as 'Illustrative only.' Keep your official plat survey handy for any serious discussions about unit footprint or balcony usage.
Addressing Balconies and Patios
If you have a balcony, it is likely a limited common element, not part of your fee-simple unit interior. Describe it as an 'amenity with exclusive use' rather than part of your unit's square footage.
Worksheet: Check if your balcony is listed in the declaration as a 'limited common element.' Update your listing to avoid calling it 'private interior space.'
Professional Accuracy in Listings
Use professionals to verify your marketing content. If you use a listing service like SQFT IO, provide them with the accurate documentation to ensure your marketing is as precise as possible.
Worksheet: Create a 'Disclosure Check': Ask your agent, 'Does our current floor plan depiction align with the recorded plat description regarding exterior spaces?'
Checklist
- Obtain a copy of the recorded declaration and unit plat.
- Verify your unit’s legal boundaries in the declaration.
- Mark marketing floor plans as 'Illustrative' in all listings.
- Distinguish between unit-owned space and common elements.
- Keep the official survey available for buyer review.
Common questions
Is the square footage on my floor plan legally binding?
Marketing floor plans are rarely binding. The legal description in the declaration and the physical plat survey are the definitive sources for the unit's boundaries.
What if my floor plan shows space I don't legally own?
If your marketing materials show space that is actually a common element, you must correct the materials to avoid misleading the buyer and causing potential legal issues.
Sources
- CFPB — Closing Disclosure explainerChecked October 12, 2026
- Illinois Residential Real Property Disclosure ActChecked October 12, 2026
- Illinois Condominium Property Act — 2025 editionChecked October 12, 2026
- SQFT IO — Listing plans and termsChecked October 12, 2026
This guide is general educational content from SQFT IO, prepared with AI assistance. It is not legal, tax or loan advice. Talk with a licensed attorney, tax professional or lender about your situation. SQFT IO Illinois license 478.027617.