Amenities?
Condominiums are becoming the home of choice for people looking for no to little maintenance, no lawns to cut and no snow to shovel. they may want more neighborhood amenities such as a club house or pool. They do not realoze is the condo fee, association fee or HOA fees as they can be known does increase with teh amount of amenities. A good buyer agent can heklp you to break down teh fees, costs, pros or cons.
When your agent talks about a subdivision's amenities, he/she is talking about the community pool, tennis courts, and green space. Some subdivisions are what I like to call amenity rich, and others have no amenities at all.
When you are looing at homes to buy, it is smart to pay attention to what the community has to offer for several reasons. The first is cost. When a subdivision boasts large amenity packages, it will come with a yearly fee. I have seen the fees top $800 per year. With smaller packages fees of $300-$500 per year are normal. Even in subdivisions without pools, tennis courts and playgrounds, fees of $100-$250 are normal. These fees go to the upkeep of the front entrances and signage.
Second, is whether or not you and your family will use these resources. With my kids out of the house, I live in a community with two pools, a bunch of lighted tennis courts, and large playgrounds that costs me over $700 per year and I don't use any of them. But I know that my resale value of my home is enhanced by the community features.
So, when you are looking at potential homes, check out what each community offers, decide if you want these features and determine if the yearly costs are worth it. Once you know these facts, you will be better able to make an informed decision when buying that next home.
I write about daily life as a Realtor in the Towne Lake Community in Woodstock Georgia.
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