"If you have been renting for years, you may want to purchase your own so that you can build equity and start making your money work for you. If you are thinking about buying, you have the option of buying a home or buying a condo. These five signs may indicate that you would be happier in a condominium community:
1) You are in a transition stage of your life. If you want to make the transition from renting to buying, a condo is a good way to ease into ownership. Similarly, if you are in retirement and want to scale back without renting, condominium communities can offer a great way to do so.
2) You want more home or more amenities than you can afford. Condominiums offer plenty of bonuses, such as spacious common areas, workout facilities, swimming pools, underground parking, valet or maid services, and other amenities. While the extras offered vary from one community to the other, in general it is less expensive to enjoy these communities as part of a condo community than pay for them yourself.
3) You have a lifestyle that includes lots of entertaining or plenty of travel. If you are entertaining often, condos offer the front-door security you may want as well as the open space designs that are great for group gatherings. If you travel a great deal, a condo may be more secure than a home that is obviously left empty. Condos are also great for meeting new people, as many communities today really do foster a community spirit. Certain lifestyles just fit well with condo living and if you lead one of these lifestyles you may want to consider a condominium.
4) You don't want to - or can't cope with - home maintenance. While renting helps someone else become wealthy, owning a home involves raking the leaves, maintaining the property, painting, and other common chores. If you are unable to keep up or don't want to bother, a condo offers hassle-free living.
5) You want some control over neighbors. The condo homeowners' association will generally make sure that no resident allows common areas or private residences get too sloppy or unattractive. This ensures that everyone's property values remain high and quality of life doesn't take a nosedive because of one bad neighbor. This is a level of control simply not available with apartments or homes.
Do these five signs apply to you? If so, you may want to start combing the ads for condo deals in your area!"
