Living in a house surely has it’s benefits. Everyone wants a house of their own. Especially if you have lived in an apartment for a long time. No one really thinks about condos except in the realm of vacation rentals. So, think of those beachfront condos; what if you could also live in one of those? Here are a few benefits to living in a condo complex compared to an apartment or even a single family house.
- No Pool Maintenance
You get to have the benefit of having a pool but not having the pay the water bill for it or even take care of it. That’s the best way to own a pool. Making sure that it’s taken care of can be left the property owners or the Homeowner’s Association and you can just enjoy all the benefits of it without the headache that pools can bring. - A Community Atmosphere
The great thing about living in a condo complex is that usually, there is a great spirit of community. The neighbors know each other from bumping into one another when going out to their cars, hanging out at the pool or checking the mail. This makes for a very safe area as well as a friendly atmosphere. Everyone looks out for one another and takes care of each other. It is not uncommon in a condo complex to have a neighbor show up and ask to borrow a cup of sugar or flour. - No Grounds Maintenance
When you live in a condo, you won’t have to be responsible for the upkeep of the surrounding area. Generally speaking, you’ll only be responsible for your own patio and the inside of your home. The grounds will be taken care of by the whoever the HOA hires, just like the pool. - Not a House, Not an Apartment
A condo is really a perfect mixture of the two. It’s not so much house that’s hard to clean and keep up with but it’s not just an apartment with limited space and storage. You will probably still be connected to neighbors on most sides but sometimes, a condo complex will be in blocks of housing. For example, maybe on two upstairs condos and two downstairs ones are connected so your outer walls are not shared walls.
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As great as this all sounds, there are some downfalls to living in a condo complex. They are as follows:
- Lack of Privacy
Because there are so many people around and there are no yards, it’s not uncommon to have someone walk right across the end of your patio. There may be a three or four foot wall separating your patio from the grounds but people can still see into your home. Generally speaking, if you look out any window you might be able to see into the home of someone else, or they could see into yours from their home. - HOA Fees
A condo complex will usually have an HOA that takes care of the grounds which is great but you will likely be responsible for an extra fee that will rise each year. If you don’t pay that fee then you will not be allowed to use the amenities and facilities that are offered to most owners. - HOA Regulations
Many times, the Homeowner’s Association will have a set of rules and regulations that must be followed. Even your back patio will have to be up to code, even though it is your own. You will not own the outside of your condo so if the property owner wants to change the color and paint, you will not have a say in that decision. Some HOA’s have very strict rules that prohibit things like have a pet on your patio or hanging laundry outside.
As with everything, there are pros and cons to living in a condo complex. It really depends on what your preferences are and how you like to live. If you are a very private person who doesn’t like to interact much with other people, then a condo is just not for you. But if you are pretty social and like the idea of being around other people, as well as not having to take care of a yard, you might want to look into buying a condo.
