subject: Your Options For Condos [print this page] When you are moving and need a new place to live, there are many options to consider. What you need depends on whether you desire to live in an urban or suburban setting, whether you want to care for your property yourself or have it maintained for you, and how large your family is.
When you are considering a new home, condos are an excellent option. These are typically a form of housing similar to an apartment, but you own it yourself and have use of facilities, such as a pool, playground, clubhouse, and other amenities that may come with the association membership that you share with other property owners in your community.
When you are comparing apartments to condos in the United States, the main difference is legal ownership. You don't know whether a building is an apartment or condo just by looking at the outside. Often times a building can be built as either. However, property developers usually don't build apartments up to the highest of standards due to the difference between those who rent property and those who own it.
Condos come in all shapes and sizes and can be both multi-family homes ore single-family homes. What you need depends on your lifestyle needs. The different types are detached family homes, town homes, row houses, or multi-family homes.
The first style is the detached family home. This style sits on a lot that is individually owned by the property owner and is usually a single-family home in a housing development. There is not a common wall, but there may be a parking area, pool, and clubhouse that is shared by all tenants.
Another form is a townhouse. This type is a single building with several single-family homes each attached to another by a single wall. These are usually multi-level and often have a basement as well as a common parking area, play ground, and clubhouse. Owners are usually required to be members of the community homeowners association. Row Houses are a type of townhouse, but are not attached.
Finally, the most common type of condo has several units in one building that are owned by multiple people. These are usually on one level and there may be many levels to the building. These are often the type that you would use a timeshare vacation home and would offer you a common parking area, playground, pool, clubhouse, and maintenance, but not always a homeowners association membership.
Once you have toured several different types of condos and have done your research on the different homeowners associations fees and what they include, you will be able to make an educated choice on your next place of residence. Contact a real estate agent in your area to help you find the right one for you.
