I've lived in condos, I love condos, and I have experienced the pros & cons of condo living first hand. So, let's talk.
Living in a condo affords us the ability to be in the exact location I want, for almost a quarter of the price as a single family home would cost and minimize many of the time consuming requirements of home ownership. By paying to be a part of a Home Owners Association, the HOA management hires a contractor to care for the building maintenance and yard work.
Condo Living isn't for everyone, but for those who travel extensively, want a turn-key home, are concerned for safety, want to be in an urban location, or simply like the idea of a close knit community; condos, town homes or garden homes are an excellent ownership alternative to the "single family home with a yard." Many times, condos or town homes are much more affordable home ownership options in urban city centers than the high price of land.
Personally, I wanted the location possibilities that condo ownership allowed, as opposed to taking my hard earned salary and purchasing a "big home in the 'burbs" that would require an hour or more commute per day, prime location was our first requirement for our home purchase. We wanted to be close to downtown, walking distance to restaurants and shops and to enjoy a more active urban lifestyle than we could have in the suburbs. So, we sacrificed square footage and a yard to have a town home in the city, and we have loved every minute of it.
Condos and Town Home HOAs are sometimes overly restrictive, overly expensive, underfunded or scary for lending reasons for some new home owners. I would love to be able to personally help walk you through the purchase or selling process of your condo.