Pros and Cons of a Condo

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.

-Cicero

When I first started thinking of moving out, I quickly ruled out renting and was looking to buy a house. I was not considering condominiums at all, but I’m so glad I stumbled upon the condo I ended up buying. So far, it has been the perfect fit for me. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages I was evaluating for my specific condo and Home Owners Association. Keep in mind that there may be different policies in a condo you are considering.

Pros of a Condo

1. The HOA takes care of the grounds. Before I moved, I had loved having people over into my family’s back yard for a relaxed gathering or bonfire. I love beautiful flowers and gardening. However, as I work full-time, realistically I am not going to have much time to work on the garden and I’d probably have ended up having to hire someone to cut the grass. The only time I even tried to mow the lawn was once in high school to help my dad when he wasn’t feeling well. I must have tried to start it two dozen times before he told me to give up! Fortunately, my condo does have a beautiful garden behind the main building, including some nice grassy spaces and seating. I’ll still be able to entertain and enjoy the garden without having to worry about its upkeep on busy weeks.

2. The HOA takes care of the exterior of the building. When your building is over a hundred years old, it sure is nice that someone else is responsible for repairs and maintenance. I actually did have a leak in the roof this week, which is not fun anytime, but I was so pleased that the system worked. The HOA sent the roofers out to do repairs within a few days and they are also hiring painters to fix the damage inside.

3. The close living of condos creates the potential for a neighborly community. Of course, this will depend in part on the people who already live there, but it also depends on you! Sometimes taking a few steps to show you care for your neighbors can go a long way. In my case, I am so thankful for the little community here. I was even getting Christmas cards from some of them, before I moved in!

4. I love having full reign of the interior. I can paint whatever color I want, remodel, renovate, etc. and improve the value of my home.

Cons of a condo

1. Cookie cutter houses. This was the biggest reason I was not considering condos originally. This may not bother some people, but I just couldn’t stand it. I’m so thankful for my little one-of-a-kind carriage house.
2. Sharing walls with neighbors. My situation is unique, with the carriage house standing alone, but you may want to consider how important peace and quiet is for you and what you would do if you have noisy neighbors beside or above you. Even if you don’t think you’ll be bothered by neighbor’s noise, will you feel restricted in what you can do in your house, especially during late hours?
3. The HOA fees. There is really no way around the fact that you are paying more monthly that is not going directly to your mortgage, but I decided in my case that it was worth it. The things my HOA fee covers would have to be paid for anyway and as a working single, it truly is much more convenient to have someone else take care of trash, yard work, exterior repairs, insurance, utilities, etc.

I hope you happy hunting if you are looking for a home. Be willing to consider options you hadn’t looked into before.