Anonymous
07/19/2025 17:29
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Anonymous wrote:I have owned two condos in my life, and both have had expensive special assessments, plus of course the condo fee. In my current building, the condo fees are often used for things that I don't think we should be spending money on. Also, the building is getting old and I'm concerned the fees will keep going up and up. I'm tired of living somewhere where my monthly cost is so affected by how others vote, and where I feel like I'm wasting a lot of money on fees. I'm thinking about leaving the DC area and buying a TH in the new area. Will I end up feeling the same way about a TH (which obviously has an HOA)? Or is that better? I can limit my search to SFHs if I need to, but I'm disabled, so a TH (or condo) is actually better for me.
I don’t want to make assumptions about your disability, I suppose stairs isn’t an issue? TH is vertical living and often has more than 2 floors if wanting something of a decent size unlike SFH.
The advantage of a TH is not having neighbors above and below, which reduces noise. But you are still sharing walls and your patios are close together to hear one another if one is having a gathering. You can insulate walls pretty well, so it’s easier to get quiet in a TH vs. a condo, plus no need to deal with elevators and shared common spaces if you do not like this or are a germaphobe or have a dog that gets stressed
Anonymous
07/19/2025 17:24
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Anonymous wrote:If you are disabled I’d think a one floor condo would be the best.
I loved my condo. It felt so luxe having a doorman. There was always tons of parking close by. The HOA fees weren’t insane but were like $550 a month. It included a lot though and my insurance was very cheap. Great construction because it was a high rise. I never heard neighbors ever. I had a nice gym.
Couldn’t stand my townhouse. No one maintained their yard. Mostly because who would own a lawnmower for a tiny patch? So everyone’s yards looked awful and were cut with weed wackers. I heard my neighbor at all hours of the day. Zero parking. My guests had to park like half a mile away or I had to move my car a half mile away so they could park in my driveway. I still have visiting town house people due to the parking situation. Neighbors didn’t maintain anything at all.
If you use your car daily and care about manicured everything then urban living isn’t for you anyway. You are better off in a suburban TH HOA community for sure. They have ample street parking and usually come with garages, and there are definitely standards owners have to abide by when it comes to maintenance. Some love this, others hate it.
Urban parking is always a PITA even in condo buildings with parking. It’s either navigating narrow parking spots in a maze like underground garage or worse, having valet as only option and paying through the nose. THs in the city usually have no parking.
Anonymous
07/19/2025 17:14
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Anonymous wrote:You should have rented the condo, not owned.
I sold three properties (all mistakes now looking back and doing the math), put the money into market where it went 4-5x in very short time. I'm now simply renting in the same building.
With the amount of money in the bank, I get landlords attention. I get this 'you have money , why don't you buy' all the time. I have money because I got out and invested it instead. Now I know how investing works.
Old one asked me to come back any time. Told her to buy a 2-bedroom as I may need one in few years.
I would rent if I were you, specially because you have other things to consider.
Renting is not for everyone and not always ideal if you want to have control of the unit, like relocate walls, change kitchen equipment, bathrooms, floors, etc. You cannot do any of this in a rental, so you have to make sure you like it, if you plan to rent for the rest of your life. Also LL would only replace stuff that’s broken and cannot be repaired, not because it’s dated or less aesthetic or there are new things with better functionality. if you want to “upgrade”, then good luck, you have to move. You cannot even custom paint your place or hang anything without being charged at move out. My friend had been patching holes and repainting to get her deposit back. Renting is awesome for shorter term living like a few years or if you have a rent control unit and your price if fixed enough and it will make for an affordable retirement.
Anonymous
07/19/2025 17:09
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Anonymous wrote:Not all townhomes have HOA's. Older communities w/ rowhouses don't have HOA's.
Which, of course means that you have to do all the maintenance yourself. And you might live next to a neighbor with a pink door.
I've had a condo before and our fees weren't bad, but I hated all the squabbling. Some people constantly objected to upgrades that would have increased our property values, and then sometimes you get special assessments for things that don't affect your unit.
Very happy to live in a non-HOA townhouse neighborhood. Although as we get older,, that may change.
This, I just posted the same. non-HOA townhomes are managed like SFHs, you maintain them to your standards as long as you don’t violate some city ordinances. DC proper and older towns around DC have plenty of them.
Anonymous
07/19/2025 17:07
Subject: Re:Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
DC has small townhomes that don’t have any fees or HOA. They pretty much act like SFHs where you have to pay to maintain them however you want unless you violate some city ordinances (if it’s a historic property and you change the facade or you leave the bulk trash out, etc). These townhomes are everywhere in DC, why move to suburbia where you WILL have HOA, because townhomes in suburbia are master planned communities and not stand alone builds.
Anonymous
07/19/2025 06:20
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Not all townhomes have HOA's. Older communities w/ rowhouses don't have HOA's.
Which, of course means that you have to do all the maintenance yourself. And you might live next to a neighbor with a pink door.
I've had a condo before and our fees weren't bad, but I hated all the squabbling. Some people constantly objected to upgrades that would have increased our property values, and then sometimes you get special assessments for things that don't affect your unit.
Very happy to live in a non-HOA townhouse neighborhood. Although as we get older,, that may change.
Which, of course means that you have to do all the maintenance yourself. And you might live next to a neighbor with a pink door.
I've had a condo before and our fees weren't bad, but I hated all the squabbling. Some people constantly objected to upgrades that would have increased our property values, and then sometimes you get special assessments for things that don't affect your unit.
Very happy to live in a non-HOA townhouse neighborhood. Although as we get older,, that may change.
Anonymous
07/19/2025 06:09
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
You should have rented the condo, not owned.
I sold three properties (all mistakes now looking back and doing the math), put the money into market where it went 4-5x in very short time. I'm now simply renting in the same building.
With the amount of money in the bank, I get landlords attention. I get this 'you have money , why don't you buy' all the time. I have money because I got out and invested it instead. Now I know how investing works.
Old one asked me to come back any time. Told her to buy a 2-bedroom as I may need one in few years.
I would rent if I were you, specially because you have other things to consider.
I sold three properties (all mistakes now looking back and doing the math), put the money into market where it went 4-5x in very short time. I'm now simply renting in the same building.
With the amount of money in the bank, I get landlords attention. I get this 'you have money , why don't you buy' all the time. I have money because I got out and invested it instead. Now I know how investing works.
Old one asked me to come back any time. Told her to buy a 2-bedroom as I may need one in few years.
I would rent if I were you, specially because you have other things to consider.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:35
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Anonymous wrote:If you are disabled I’d think a one floor condo would be the best.
I loved my condo. It felt so luxe having a doorman. There was always tons of parking close by. The HOA fees weren’t insane but were like $550 a month. It included a lot though and my insurance was very cheap. Great construction because it was a high rise. I never heard neighbors ever. I had a nice gym.
Couldn’t stand my townhouse. No one maintained their yard. Mostly because who would own a lawnmower for a tiny patch? So everyone’s yards looked awful and were cut with weed wackers. I heard my neighbor at all hours of the day. Zero parking. My guests had to park like half a mile away or I had to move my car a half mile away so they could park in my driveway. I still have visiting town house people due to the parking situation. Neighbors didn’t maintain anything at all.
$550 per month is a lot to spend on condo fees. A whole lot.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:34
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Anonymous wrote:If you’re disabled what would be wrong with a house? One floor houses exist, but one floor townhomes don’t. Lawn services are pretty cheap if that’s the issue.
There's more maintenance with everything in a house, plus yard, shoveling snow, etc.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:29
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
If you’re disabled what would be wrong with a house? One floor houses exist, but one floor townhomes don’t. Lawn services are pretty cheap if that’s the issue.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:27
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
If you are disabled I’d think a one floor condo would be the best.
I loved my condo. It felt so luxe having a doorman. There was always tons of parking close by. The HOA fees weren’t insane but were like $550 a month. It included a lot though and my insurance was very cheap. Great construction because it was a high rise. I never heard neighbors ever. I had a nice gym.
Couldn’t stand my townhouse. No one maintained their yard. Mostly because who would own a lawnmower for a tiny patch? So everyone’s yards looked awful and were cut with weed wackers. I heard my neighbor at all hours of the day. Zero parking. My guests had to park like half a mile away or I had to move my car a half mile away so they could park in my driveway. I still have visiting town house people due to the parking situation. Neighbors didn’t maintain anything at all.
I loved my condo. It felt so luxe having a doorman. There was always tons of parking close by. The HOA fees weren’t insane but were like $550 a month. It included a lot though and my insurance was very cheap. Great construction because it was a high rise. I never heard neighbors ever. I had a nice gym.
Couldn’t stand my townhouse. No one maintained their yard. Mostly because who would own a lawnmower for a tiny patch? So everyone’s yards looked awful and were cut with weed wackers. I heard my neighbor at all hours of the day. Zero parking. My guests had to park like half a mile away or I had to move my car a half mile away so they could park in my driveway. I still have visiting town house people due to the parking situation. Neighbors didn’t maintain anything at all.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:23
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
generally speaking, HOA fees are must less than condo fees. i'd never buy a condo.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:23
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Some townhomes will legally be condos so do watch out for that.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 22:21
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
Townhouse HOAs vary in terms of cost and amenities but they are generally less than condos.
Anonymous
07/18/2025 21:32
Subject: Tell me about owning a TH versus a condo
I have owned two condos in my life, and both have had expensive special assessments, plus of course the condo fee. In my current building, the condo fees are often used for things that I don't think we should be spending money on. Also, the building is getting old and I'm concerned the fees will keep going up and up. I'm tired of living somewhere where my monthly cost is so affected by how others vote, and where I feel like I'm wasting a lot of money on fees. I'm thinking about leaving the DC area and buying a TH in the new area. Will I end up feeling the same way about a TH (which obviously has an HOA)? Or is that better? I can limit my search to SFHs if I need to, but I'm disabled, so a TH (or condo) is actually better for me.