Flipping Fixer Upper Homes

When you grow interested in becoming a homeowner, you may decide that you would prefer living in a condo over a townhome or single-family house. While this means that you will need to pay an HOA fee, you will save money in other ways. If you want to maximize your savings on a monthly basis, you should take certain things into consideration before making a purchase.

Property Taxes

One of the main expenses that will come with owning a condo is property taxes. This is something that you will need to pay regardless of whether you buy a house or condo. For the most part, you will find that condos cost less than single-family homes because when you have a condo, you only own the inside, but when you have a single-family home, you own an entire plot of land as well as the whole house.

As a result, you will gain an easy opportunity to keep costs down on property taxes. But your tax rate will also be determined by where you choose to live. This makes it worth figuring out the tax rates for every neighborhood because things such as schools can have a huge impact on taxes.

HOA Fees

Another expense that you should expect to pay every month is an HOA fee. If you are looking at luxurious condos with indoor pools, rooftop decks, and gyms with a view, you should expect to see a costly HOA fee. But, you should also be able to find basic condo communities that offer simple amenities such as a pool and laundry facilities without costing a lot of money every month.

Finding an area to live that does not require much landscape upkeep is also helpful for saving money. For instance, buying a condo in a desert where the landscaping is often low maintenance will save you more money compared to a community with lots of demanding plants and trees.

A desert will not cause much wear and tear to condo exteriors due to dry conditions, but areas that get a lot of snow and rain throughout the year will demand more upkeep.

Utilities

Saving money on utilities should not be a challenge when you look for energy-efficient condos. These are the ones that have thick and well-insulated doors along with double-pane windows. By picking a mild climate to live in, you also will not have to use your air conditioner or heater often.

Following these tips should make it easy to buy a condo and keep your monthly costs down. Reach out to a Realtor, such as Steve Cohn - Keller Williams Realty - Petaluma, for more information.