Are Condo/Townhouse HOA fees really this high?

[DistrictSonic]

It depends on the community and what is covered. So they are not always that high. For the DC area, that is closer to the median, I have seen MUCH higher.

[FCNova]

Condo fee will be that high, because it literally includes all the maintenance associated with the building, and as well as amenities you may have there(pool, doorman, etc). Townhouse HOA dues shouldn't be that high, unless it's one of those condo townhouses that also covers everything.

My townhouse HOA is $75 a month but only covers trash/snow removal/landscaping/parking lot. We're responsible for all home maintenance.

[dating_houses]

Yes, that's normal...keyword here being ARLINGTON...

[acgood]

We are more like 150/month in Fairfax, I would say that is slightly towards the high end, largely because we have a pool.

[Zack]

Originally Posted by scavok

I've been living in Arlington for about 7 months, and I really want to buy a place here, but reasonably sized houses in good condition are a bit out of my price range. So I figured a condo or townhome would be the obvious sacrifice, where I'd be able to get a little more space for a bit less money.

But the HOA/Condo fees look absolutely killer. Are these numbers from realtor.com actually what people are paying in this area every month? On realtor.com these seem to be very typical. However, I have come across some some townhouses in Alexandria with more realistic $80-$150 fees, but they're the exception. For the monthly amount I'd pay on a $500,000 mortgage with a $500 monthly HOA, I could get a $615,000 mortgage for a house with no HOA fee. That makes me think that their numbers are off - who would be willing to pay that sunk cost? Why wouldn't people just rent?

Here's a no-thrills condo in what looks like a bland 30-40 year old 10 story building:

1016 Wayne St S Unit 404, Arlington, VA 22204 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

Condo
Price: $499,900
HOA Fee: $573.16

Seriously? An HOA fee would be 25% of my mortgage payment? I always thought one of the blessings of a Condo or townhouse is that you don't need to worry about major unplanned maintenance costs, and it's often cheaper due to shared interest. Roofs, HVAC, plumbing, etc. However, having owned a large house for 5 years in Colorado, I could never imagine spending $6800 per year on maintenance. I could get a new roof and hot water heater every 2 years, and pay for someone to cut my grass and shovel my driveway/sidewalk to boot. What could they possibly spend $6800 on per unit every year?

A few more examples:
2270 S Garfield St Unit 4, Arlington, VA 22206 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

Townhouse
Price: $524,500
HOA Fee: $595

3805 9th Rd S, Arlington, VA 22204 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

Townhouse
Price: $449,000
HOA Fee: $504

A fee simple townhouse should be well under $200/month in Arlington, unless there are a number of extras being included.

The first townhome you are looking at is actually a condominium that looks like a townhome. The $500+ fees are covering external maintenance and overall building maintenance at that point.

The second one looks like the HOA is covering exterior maintenance which is a pretty healthy expense for any home, particularly depending on how that is defined.

Both those places go for less than comparable size townhomes nearby to compensate for the higher monthly fees associated with them.