Why Lake Barrington Shores Inspects Upper-Level Condos Before Closing

Lake Barrington Shores' resale guidelines describe a pre-closing inspection for upper-level condos. Drain pans are part of that inspection. The reason for that rule is an insurance figure.

The $25,000 number behind the drain pans

Each condominium association at Lake Barrington Shores carries its own master property policy. The 2026 fact sheets for Condos 1 through 13 are posted on the community's insurance page. The Condominium One fact sheet covers October 1, 2026 to October 1, 2028. It says the building policy, placed through The Baldwin Group, "is subject to a $25,000 deductible for covered losses that may be the responsibility of the unit owner." It also lists a separate $25,000-per-unit deductible for ice damming, which may also fall on the unit owner. The fact sheets for Condo 10 and Condo 12 run on a shorter term, October 1, 2026 to October 1, 2027.

In a stacked building, a washer hose or water heater that lets go upstairs ends up in the unit below. With a deductible that size, a leak like that costs someone real money even when the master policy covers the loss. So the inspection is how the association confirms that a unit with plumbing over someone else's ceiling is set up to catch water before ownership changes.

The same concern shows up elsewhere in the community's rules. Section VII.B of the LBCHA Rules and Regulations says water softener, appliance and other equipment discharges must connect to the sanitary sewer, not the sump pit, and it recommends a battery backup. Section VII.C requires outdoor hoses to be disconnected before frost and calls for frost-proof sillcocks with anti-siphon devices. All of these rules are aimed at keeping water where it belongs.

The upper-level inspection

The resale guidelines discuss drain pans and kitchen flooring as part of the upper-level inspection.

What the Condominium One fact sheet says about upgrades

The Condominium One fact sheet describes the master policy as covering units "up to the standard builder's grade for anything installed by the builder, excluding upgrades or additions." It names better carpeting or padding, different kitchen cabinets, fireplaces, wood floors and upgraded painting.

This post is general information, not legal, insurance or financial advice. Please confirm your coverage and your contract terms with your own insurance agent and attorney.

The resale page still links an older 2018–19 insurance memo. The October 2026 fact sheets on the insurance page are the current ones.

The closing calendar, counted backward

The community's guidelines also cover closing, orientation and moving day.

1. When closing documents are ordered. The buyer's attorney orders them through HomeWiseDocs, and the Transfer and Document Fee is collected at that point. The community's realtor page also says to confirm the correct condominium association before ordering, because there are 13 of them.
2. At closing. The buyer pays the Operating Reserve Fee, which funds operating reserves and start-up costs.
3. After the closing is scheduled. The buyer calls the Management Office at 847-382-1660 to book a 45-minute New Homeowner Orientation and brings the Master Settlement Statement and HO-6 policy to be copied. Car transponders for owners and primary residents cost $35 each, paid by check, and gate access for permanent guests is set up on a smartphone during the session.
4. Moving day. Call the Main Gate with the moving company's name and the truck's arrival and departure times. A POD needs approval through the association's request form.

Two boards, two budgets

Who's responsible for what makes more sense once you see how the community is governed. Under the LBCHA Rules and Regulations, adopted February 12, 2020 and later amended, a master board oversees shared parts of the community, and 13 condominium boards each run their own buildings and budgets.

The utilities line is unusual for a suburban association. Illinois EPA lists Lake Barrington Shores as its own community water system, IL0975520, supplied by groundwater from wells. The association's Public Works Department works with Strand Associates, Inc., an engineering firm whose retainer the master board renewed this fall, on wastewater and potable water treatment.

That proposed 2027 budget appeared in the October 21, 2026 Shores Weekly, with the final vote set for the board's November 11 meeting.

Quick answers

Who sets pet limits? The master rules require dogs and cats to carry a valid Lake County registration and to be registered with the Management Office, and owners bringing an animal into the community must register it within 15 days of ownership. The rules point owners to their condominium's own rules for other restrictions. The resale page asks buyers to confirm pet weight restrictions with the Management Office.

Does the ice-damming deductible matter in November? The Condominium One fact sheet lists it as a separate $25,000 deductible per unit, apart from the general $25,000 deductible, and either one may be the unit owner's responsibility.

If you own an upper-level unit at Lake Barrington Shores and plan to sell this winter or spring, Kate Fanselow and our team can talk with you about your next move.