There are lots of reasons to love condominiums ("condos"). People at both ends of the home buying cycle often find condos are perfect for their needs. Young, first-time buyers often buy condos (I am including townhomes and lofts for the sake of simplicity) because condos are generally more affordable than single family homes at the entry level.
At the other end of the spectrum, are those folks who have raised their families and are ready to embrace the concept of "easy living," leaving the hassles of home maintenance to somebody else. Indeed, the maintenance-free lifestyle also appeals to just about everybody who is too busy working long hours and spending their spare time socializing, etc., no matter what stage of life.
But, it is sometimes hard to know what your temperment and preferences are as they relate to condo living. The following is a quick and easy set of unscientifically designed questions, quite possibly errant in their presumptions and conclusions, to help you determine if a condo is right for you.
Tennis courts and pools are:
____ an absolute must.
____ nice, but no big deal.
____ exercise and sun are not my thing.
Urban living is
____ excellent, exciting ... I love it!
____ ho hum....traffic and parking tickets are a real bummer.
____ for the birds.
My living environment should be:
____ whatever ... I don't care.
____ I like to have some things a certain way.
____ exactly as I say (people tell me I am a control freak).
Privacy, to me, is:
____ not a big deal (I don't even plan on buying curtains).
____ somewhat important.
____ HUGE! Look away, please.
Home resale value is important because:
____ I'm gonna move again in a couple years.
____ Over time I would like to see my equity grow.
____ Whoever inherits my property may need the money.
Meeting people and having frequent interactions is:
____ Great! I love people!
____ OK. So long as they smell good.
____ I really hate people and their boring chit chat.
My willingness to do annual maintenance chores is:
____ Maintenance? Huh?
____ I do my Spring cleaning the next Fall, as necessary.
____ My yearly maintenance routine is on the calendar.
If someone asked you, "Do you like to mow the lawn and pull weeds?", your likely response is:
____ No.
____ I don't mind.
____ LOVE it! And I want fruit trees too!
Now, for each question, give yourself one point for each first answer, two points for each second answer, and three points for each third answer. Add them up.
8 to 12 points: Go out and buy a condo immediately--you will soon be on the Board of the HOA.
13-21 points: You will be happy in a condo.
22-24 points: Maybe you should think about buying a house.
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