[Kiltema]

So I've read extensively about the perils of buying a condo in Florida, but I can see some positives e.g. if it is above the ground floor then it should be better protected in a hurricane than a house, no grass or grounds to personally maintain, less costly to buy etc.

Then there are the negatives of the monthly fees and the lack of complete control over your own property.

But what say you City-Data forumers; for a 40-something single person, is a condo a better option than buying a house in Florida?

[kyle19125]

It depends upon your level of interest in maintaining a home versus a condo. Many choose condos because they don't want to deal with the upkeep of a house. The condo's monthly fees in fact aren't extra costs incurred versus owning a home as you're paying for common area maintenance and insurance, as well certain utilities in some instances. I always find the premise of condo fees as extra expense humorous...are you expecting to not pay costs for upkeep or have insurance coverage on your house? Lastly you should do some reading about the perils of owning a single family home in Florida, particularly the very long chapter involving insurance and the chapter regarding HOAs if you're concerned about lack of control of your own property.

[beachmouse]

The one thing you really have to be careful about down here is not the monthly fees but the special assessments. There were a number of complexes in 2004-05 who discovered that their insurance was inadequate only after a hurricane had gone through, and then had to charge a special assessment of $20K or more per unit in order to get the complex habitable again.

If you do decide to go the condominium route, I'd look for a realtor that specializes in those types of ownership situations who can give you an idea of who does and doesn't have adequate cash reserves and insurance coverage.

[doggiebus]

It really depends. I can see the plusses and minuses for both. I think it really depends on the persons lifestyle and budget. I have a cousin that has lived in a condo for years and loves it, I could live in a condo, my mother forget get could never deal with the condo boards. She wants to be in control of here space. You could also go the townhome route.

During a hurricane the higher you go from ground level the higher the wind speed is, fyi. So if a hurricane is coming and they say the windspeed is at 80mph on the news, the wind speed will be much higher at the 10th floor. The higher you go from ground level then the less you will have to worry about flood if you will be near the coast.

[theredsnowman]

Originally Posted by Kiltema

So I've read extensively about the perils of buying a condo in Florida, but I can see some positives e.g. if it is above the ground floor then it should be better protected in a hurricane than a house, no grass or grounds to personally maintain, less costly to buy etc.

Then there are the negatives of the monthly fees and the lack of complete control over your own property.

But what say you City-Data forumers; for a 40-something single person, is a condo a better option than buying a house in Florida?

There is no question, if you have to ask, renting will be your best option in Florida.

[Coconut1]

Doggie is right, it all depends on many factors. What's your lifestyle, what's your budget, what's your view on home maintenance, what area are you looking in, etc, etc.

There are pros and cons for both but it all depends on the person and what they're looking for.

[vacoder]

When I relocated to Florida a year ago I first rented a condo. Prior to this I always lived in a house. When I went to buy a permanent place I looked at both condos and houses and ended up in a house simply becuase I could not find what I wanted in a condo. I did learn some things that I liked/disliked in a condo. The condo I rented was in a three store building and I was on the top floor. While it was nice not having ceiling neighbors I hated walking up and down two flights of stairs to get outside, tote up groceries or get rid of garbage. There was an elevator but it was unbearably hot. First floor became a requirement in my search.

[boxus]

The condo fees and special assessment are what I dislike, they can come out of no where. Condo fees pay more than just insurance and upkeep, they also pay for items you would not normally have in your house (like security and valet parking). The condo fees where I live are almost $900 a month, many houses will not have those sort of extra costs on top of the house payment. There are cheaper condo fess, the cheapest in my area I think run around $350 a month.

It depends on you and what factors you feel are important. The plus of living in a condo is I do not have to worry about taking care of anything, especially that I am renting it. The down side is that I actually do like doing things to a house and would like things like a garden and garage to do my hobbies. Plus the walls are paper thin it seems on every condo built after 2000, it is a bit ridiculous, my friend has a condo in which the walls are so thin they can hear a person as if right next to them, no privacy at all.

HOA fees can be high as well, but I would not ever purchase in an HOA area, or at least one that had some over exceeding rules (like how many trees you can have and color flowers to plant). Heck, no, I will not cede control of my property to an HOA, so no HOA's for me. At least a condo association does have a purpose since everyone shares a common structure.

[chopchop0]

Depends on where you are living too. Condo living may be better suited to downtown/urban environments.

[marcopolo]

I could never afford the beautiful, well-maintained pool, or waterfront property with a park, or the beautiful landscaping, or a maintenance staff--but paying 1/400th of the cost of all that is a piece of cake. Personal preference, but a well-run HOA in a seasoned complex with strong financials beats the heck out of a single family home...for us.