Condominiums vs. Houses

January 24, 2013

Buying a home in El Paso or thinking about buying a home in El Paso?  Maybe you are looking to downsize or perhaps split your time between two different cities;  then  a condo or town-home might be better suited for your needs.  If you are a family of 4 and are looking for space, then a freestanding house is probably the route you want to take.

Before we begin, lets take a look at the definitions of what condominium and house really mean.  Definitions courtesy of realestate.about.com 

A condominium is one of a group of housing units where each homeowner owns their individual unit space, and all the dwelling share ownership of areas of common use.  Usually, the exterior maintenance is paid for out of homeowner dues collected and managed under strict rules. The exterior walls and roof are insured by the condominium association, while all interior walls and items are insured by the homeowner.

A house is when you own the entire structure and the land that it sits on.  Depending on the subdivision, there may be certain restrictions…this is common with private gated communities.

Let’s take a slight peek at some differences between condo/home ownership.

Do you like lawn maintenance?

If cutting grass, trimming hedges, and fertilizing is an activity that you enjoythen a buying a home is what you should do, but if not, then maybe a condo or townhouse would better suit you.

How many people are there?

Depending on the number of individuals who will occupy a property, that can determine what kind of space is needed.  For example, an 1100 sq ft. condo would be tight for a family of five but two people could live in that space in relative comfort.

Do you mind paying HOA Dues?

These can be present in both condo associations and home owner associations but are almost always present in Condo units…main reasons are for maintenance/insurance/common areas

Pets

Depending on the association, there may be restrictions on whether pets are allowed, and if they are, the maximum size they can be.  With a home that offers a private backyard, that can make it easier to have pets.

The above are just a few of the criteria that come into play when deciding what type of property would suit you best.  If you are ready to begin your search or just have general questions, please contact Century 21 APD, we would love to help you!

-The APDetails