# Condo buying advice **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 19, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condo-buying-advice/720367 "2015-05-19T15:23:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condo-buying-advice/720367/21 "2015-05-21T00:57:57Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > There is a condo association in VA where a suit was filed over political posters in the yard (rather, about the measures the HOA used to try to stop it) that ended up bankrupting the HOA. [Here’s a thread I did about it.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=681888) 😕It sound like it was a HOA not a condo association - they are two significantly different things. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condo-buying-advice/720367/22 "2015-05-21T04:51:00Z")
I have owned three condos and two houses (I’ve moved a lot). The condo life is for me because I like living in the city and owning my place. \*Would you buy the same place again? I’ve liked all my condos. Love the current one. \*What should I consider around the HOA? Are there questions I should ask about that? The only think I looked at was the monthly fee and what it covered. Perhaps I’ve been lucky but I’ve had only minor issues. \*What do you like about condo living? What do you dislike? I love not having to take care of the outside (snow shoveling, gardening, etc.). I have absolutely no interest in taking care of the grounds and it was a major chore when I owned a home. The only bad thing I’ve had with condos (and this is true for apartments as well) is what kind of neighbor is above you? Depending on the construction you may be able to hear your neighbors walk around. I wish my condo was larger but again I live in the city and more space would have been more money. ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condo-buying-advice/720367/23 "2015-05-22T21:38:27Z")
I lived in a condo and currently live in a townhouse that’s similar to a condo association. I never thought about checking the reserves for replacement items. That is really good advice. I guess other things to consider: - Do you want a garage or otherwise have your car covered? Condos with one-car garages usually have steps from the garage to the first floor - Of note, if resell value is important, you may not make a profit with a condo as you normally would with a house. I did only because I was in the middle of the housing bubble when I sold - As mentioned, you have to watch the age of the buildings. As the buildings aged in my association, they deferred maintenance on big items like balcony issues. Or you might get a big assessment to cover stuff they didn’t set aside with the reserves - With a house, you can always hire someone to do your lawn and shovel snow or get a house with a low-maintenance lawn. The cost could probably end up being similar to what you end up paying in your monthly condo fees. The thing to keep in mind is that you are at the mercy of the condo board and who they hire to do stuff. You may not agree with those decisions Would I own a condo again? Maybe. I’m retiring in about 4 years and I’m a bit torn over whether to buy a small one level home with a garage or a condo. The condo would have to be on the first floor because I’m foreswearing stairs in the future and it would have to have some cover for my car, but I don’t really like having someone over me or stairs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condo-buying-advice/720367.md?page=1)