Over the past ten years or so I have looked at tiny homes, park model homes, even mobile homes as well as cabins and smaller homes. Recently I had to sit down with myself and have a reality check. I’m not thirty years old anymore (the age I apparently think I am in my head) and I’m not going to get younger anytime soon. I have to be realistic with my plans, especially if I want to age in my own home.
After all of that research and contemplation I’ve come to the conclusion that a condo makes the most sense for me. I want a small one bedroom, one bathroom (I only want to have to wash one toilet) unit with a nice kitchen that I can cook my meals, do a little home canning and bake in. I will take care of the inside and allow someone else to take care of the outside.
I also had to come to terms with the fact that I’m no landscaper, I wholeheartedly admit I am terrible at it. And! I don’t enjoy working in the yard or gardening either. The last thing I want to do is go outside and plant stuff or pull weeds. Who have I been kidding?! It just isn’t my thing. Give me a little patio or a balcony with a flower pot where I can put a few flowers and a little bistro set where I can sit and have my morning coffee or watch the rain fall and I’d be just fine. I don’t need a yard or a garden.
My BFF has lived in a condo since 2020 (when Covid hit) after living in a house. He hasn’t regretted that decision one bit. He lives in a secure building so it allows him to come and go without worrying about his home while he is away. He never has to worry about a leaky roof or fallen gutter. He doesn’t have to mow or weed & feed the grass. He doesn’t have to paint the exterior or make any outside repairs because the HOA fees cover that.
He is only responsible for the interior. As he told me if his water heater fails or an appliance stops working he just goes to Home Depot or Lowes and makes arrangements. Same thing if the carpet wears out. The hardest decision he has to make is what replacement item to choose. He has it delivered and installed and they haul off the old stuff. Done! And it isn’t like those types of things happened all the time, in fact they are very infrequent. It is definitely an easier and more carefree lifestyle.
Even though there are monthly HOA fees if I do the math I will actually be saving money in the long run. A lot of money! I won’t have to save up for a roof replacement or to have someone come and paint my house. I won’t have as many expenses either. Depending on where I live my property taxes, homeowners insurance and utility bills will all be lower. In many condos the water sewer and trash is included with the HOA fees. I like that! I certainly won’t have to spend another $3,000 having my trees trimmed/removed like I did last fall.
Have any of you thought about or lived in a condo? What are your thoughts?
My husband is interested in a condo. We’re not sure if we’ll continue where we are. Raleigh is quite expensive especially since they keep rating it one of the best places to live. We may go further west towards the mountains
ReplyDeleteMountain views sure sound nice.
DeleteI think a condo is a wonderful idea for all of the reasons you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lori.
DeleteI think that's great! We have many friends/family with condos for the same reasons you are describing. Sometimes there is a clubhouse type thing where you can host parties or baby showers. There are also built in events sometimes like book clubs or bingo. We have a few friends whose complex has a pool and that's great for entertaining or just relaxing. Before we bought our home we rented a condo type apartment with a pool and really enjoyed the carefree lifestyle!
ReplyDeleteI'd like a place with amenities like you mention. :)
DeleteI lived in a townhouse style condo when I was single. I loved it. It had a small fenced in patio with some small shrubs & a small tree. I could plant annuals in the ground and there was plenty of room for pots of veges & flowers plus a small table & chairs. It was just enough to have a taste of gardening, but not too much. Being a townhouse style, it did have stairs which I wouldn't want now that I'm older. I definitely would recommend a condo.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteA condo seems like a great decision. My dream is to move into a tiny home community. The only reason is to make friends and be a part of something very special. I am lonely now being at home. I want to go out and start living again. But I am only 53. I have a ways to go, but it is a very attainable goal.
ReplyDeleteI've also thought about tiny home communities. I hope you find one. :)
DeleteHi. This is Ellie in AR. :)
ReplyDeleteMy hubby and I owned a 20 + year old condo in the Atlanta suburbs for 14 years. We loved the community. Here are some things to research before buying your condo.
Make sure to check out the management company the condo board uses. Who owns it? The condo board is usually a voluntary postal and sometimes they go with a management company that has a relationship to a board member. They may charge terrible fees when "fix" something.
Look @ the residual funds. This is a bank account where funds are supposed to be set aside for future repairs to things like roofs, windows and pools.
We did not know to do this and the condo association had not set aside money over the years. As a result EVERY owner had to pay thousands in a special assessment to fix the building.
Another issue was my upstairs neighbor 's plumbing and A.C. leaked and damaged my ceiling every year.
I would never buy an older condo again. Perhaps one in a brand new building, or a townhouse style condo where no one is "over" you.
One needs to be especially careful in places that have many old buildings and lots if hurricanes.
Things like no exterior maintenance or yard work are a draw to condo living, but do your research. ;)I know you are always thoughtful and do lot's of research. Best wishes as you plan your next phase of life.
Thank you Ellie. Yes, all of these are real concerns to look into and inquire about. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your condo. Thankfully, my BFF has a lot of experience with condo living. We are both big into research and have no problems asking questions.
DeleteI know you will give this your due diligence and come up with a great plan. I myself will be on the hunt for a smaller house, once interest rates come down. I envision a no fuss yard, a place to sit and sip my morning coffee, and space for all of my peeps to join me for family celebrations. Eventually, I will aim for a senior apartment!
ReplyDeleteI like your plans. :)
DeleteMy son and his family have lived in a town house for 20 years. He loves it as he hasn’t had to worry about any of the outside work. His biggest issue has been the steady rise in HOA fees over the years. They are a lot higher. Water is included and he feels bad that everyone pays the same amount whether they are a single person or a family of 5. He moved in when the building was brand new and the builder did’ t do the best job on some things. The roof has already had to be replaced as I was not installed correctly and homes were having leak issues. He doesn’t like some of the rules for their courtyard. The kids could not leave anything on the front porch without him being fined. He also now has to grill near his garage as he can’t have the grill o the porch. He no longer girlls on his deck since the first time he used his new grill he had to explode and set the outside of the building on fire. Oops! The upside was he got to meet all his new neighbors. They are now having to think about making some improvements as it is looking dated. They have already replaced all the appliances at least once. With the kids almost grown they really will not need a 4 bedroom town house so are thinking about finding a new place. They are not sure yet what they will move to they like the convenience of the town house and the freedom it gives them to do other things on their weekends instead of home maintenance and yard work.
ReplyDeleteI wish your son all the best. :)
DeleteIts seriously worth finding a honest realtor w answers the HOA fee can go from 200$ A month to 400$ and you can't do anything about it. Move or pay it.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to find and honest and reputable realtor no matter what I end up buying. ;)
DeleteNo condo for me. I love my flower gardens too much to leave them. Although at 67, my gardening takes longer, I still enjoy it and the exercise I get from doing it. I also would not like neighbors with just a wall between us. We do have a split level home, so stairs to consider in the future as we age, but hoping those stairs also help in keeping us young with using them. We'll see what the future holds.
ReplyDeleteI imagine it isn't for everyone. :)
DeleteNever lived in a condo, but my first move to the suburbs found us in a condo like apartment complex with a lovely balcony. It was a bit more expensive than some places, but I lived being able to simply make a phone call to maintenance when something went awry, and know that when I came home from work the next day, I would find it repaired. I also liked have amenities, like a pool, gym, playground, tennis courts dry cleaners and small convenience store on the grounds. It enabled us to squeak through our entire time in that part of the country with just one vehicle, even after we started having kids.
ReplyDelete-Meg B.