Why do condo listings usually fail to list the Condo fee? (sale, HOA fees)

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by FCNova

If you're happy in your condo then great, that's all that matters. Your statement that condos provide a more comfortable lifestyle is silly though.

Well I'm explaining the COA fees, I dont think its silly that the COA covers site landscaping and common area maintenance. Something that if each person owned a pool, gym, and landscape they would have to upkeep themselves with money and time.

I agree if you want a lawn, or your own pool, or your own gym, then I would say condos arent for you. But I would most certainly state its a fact that you have less to do for site maintenance on a condo (last time I checked my fellow condo owners don't go around cleaning up the building and mulching around the site).

[FCNova]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

Well I'm explaining the COA fees, I dont think its silly that the COA covers site landscaping and common area maintenance. Something that if each person owned a pool, gym, and landscape they would have to upkeep themselves with money and time.

I agree if you want a lawn, or your own pool, or your own gym, then I would say condos arent for you. But I would most certainly state its a fact that you have less to do for site maintenance on a condo (last time I checked my fellow condo owners don't go around cleaning up the building and mulching around the site).

No, it's not silly for a condo assocation to pay for landscaping. It's silly to make the statement that condos provide a more comfortable lifestyle. Even if a house/townhouse owner has to deal with landscaping(which I don't FYI), there are still many comforts they have that condo owners don't. How about being able to pull right up to your front door and walk inside with groceries? Comfort is a subjective thing anyways.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

But I would most certainly state its a fact that you have less to do for site maintenance on a condo (last time I checked my fellow condo owners don't go around cleaning up the building and mulching around the site).

I own my own home (with yard) and don't do any site maintenance. Why? Because i pay someone else to do it; which is exactly the same as paying someone else to do it through a condo fee. Only difference is that single-family home and townhouse owners get the option of doing it themselves or paying for someone else to do it. Condo owners don't get the choice.

[tysonsengineer]

I'll give you that. Did your real estate agent denote the cost to hire a landscaper and site maintenance person for your house?

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by FCNova

No, it's not silly for a condo assocation to pay for landscaping. It's silly to make the statement that condos provide a more comfortable lifestyle. Even if a house/townhouse owner has to deal with landscaping(which I don't FYI), there are still many comforts they have that condo owners don't. How about being able to pull right up to your front door and walk inside with groceries? Comfort is a subjective thing anyways.

You can't do that at my townhome, cause of the way this development is arranged, and where the parking spots are. OTOH in a condo you don't have to decide what to do when someone has surgery or is on pregnancy bed rest (but if you have one of those rare THs with a room suitable to be a first floor BR, you dont have to worry about that either).

I don't think theres any general rule for comfort. Its not only that its subjective, but all these TH and condo developments are different (there are developments in DC where you can go straight from the elevator into a supermarket without going outside - I'd say that beats driving to your front door with groceries.)

[FCNova]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

You can't do that at my townhome, cause of the way this development is arranged, and where the parking spots are. OTOH in a condo you don't have to decide what to do when someone has surgery or is on pregnancy bed rest (but if you have one of those rare THs with a room suitable to be a first floor BR, you dont have to worry about that either).

I don't think theres any general rule for comfort. Its not only that its subjective, but all these TH and condo developments are different (there are developments in DC where you can go straight from the elevator into a supermarket without going outside - I'd say that beats driving to your front door with groceries.)

I agree, but I didn't make the statement that one was more comfortable than the other.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by FCNova

I agree, but I didn't make the statement that one was more comfortable than the other.

he said its a lifestyle change, which is true. IE a condo isnt just a TH with a condo fee attached. The lifestyle differences are complex - I would guess for a very large number of the folks choosing condos, its more comfortable, since the people who most value the lifestyle advantages of THs are more likely to choose townhouses (though of course there are many exceptions to that)

[FCNova]

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

he said its a lifestyle change, which is true. IE a condo isnt just a TH with a condo fee attached. The lifestyle differences are complex - I would guess for a very large number of the folks choosing condos, its more comfortable, since the people who most value the lifestyle advantages of THs are more likely to choose townhouses (though of course there are many exceptions to that)

It's a different lifestyle, not a more comfortable lifestyle. He didn't say it was a more comfortable lifestyle for him, he said it was a more comfortable lifestyle. Which isn't true. There are many comforts a house/townhouse provides that a condo can't match, and vice versa. This is a really stupid thing to even spend time debating about, I'm not going to talk about it anymore.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by FCNova

It's a different lifestyle, not a more comfortable lifestyle. He didn't say it was a more comfortable lifestyle for him, he said it was a more comfortable lifestyle. Which isn't true. There are many comforts a house/townhouse provides that a condo can't match, and vice versa. This is a really stupid thing to even spend time debating about, I'm not going to talk about it anymore.

in all fairness, your "Townhouse you get the best of both worlds" didnt sound like "There are many comforts a house/townhouse provides that a condo can't match, and vice versa. "

The benefit of discussions like this is we learn about the different advantages of different things.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

I'll give you that. Did your real estate agent denote the cost to hire a landscaper and site maintenance person for your house?

Of courses not, because it is an unknown. I could choose to do all of the work myself (material cost only), or I could choose to hire someone as a salaried employee to take care of everything. Every option in between those two extremes would be a different cost. (I could also choose not to do anything, at a cost of nothing.)

When buying any property, there are always additional costs to ownership. Most of these costs can only be estimated and can vary based on the intentions of the owner. None of these can really be documented in a real estate listing, because the number varies for each owner.

A condo fee, like an HOA fee, is a known amount, something the buyer is required to pay. This can easily be disclosed, because it is the exact same amount for every buyer.