Can I run a business out of my house?

No. The covenants are short and direct on this point, and they are the same in all nine subdivisions:

> "All lots shall be used for residential purposes only, and no business, commercial or manufacturing enterprise shall be conducted on said premises."

In July 2025 the Board of Directors issued written guidance confirming how this is applied. That document states that the Board will instruct current and future residents to comply with the restriction, and that it serves as notice that **all commercial use of residential properties within Lake of the Pines is prohibited**.

**This is stricter than the township's rules, and the stricter rule governs.** Freeman Township's zoning ordinance does allow "home occupations" in the residential district under certain conditions. But your covenant does not, and where the two differ, the higher standard applies. So a home business that the Township would permit is still prohibited by your covenant.

**What the Board's guidance says about scope.** It reports that legal counsel advised that, because the covenants do not define "business" or "commercial use," a court would apply the plain meaning of those words — and that **any business operating to sell a product or provide a service for profit** would violate the restriction.

**Working from home is not the same thing.** The restriction is about conducting a business enterprise on the property. If you are unsure whether a particular arrangement falls inside it, ask the office rather than guessing. Situations differ, and that is a conversation worth having before you invest in something.

The Rules & Regulations carry a separate rule for the common areas: no business may be conducted in Association facilities or on common ground, except Association business, without prior Board approval.

*Source: Restrictive Covenants, Article VII, Section 1; Restrictive Covenants Commercial Use Guidance (7/12/2025), paragraph 1.*