ËTIPS: BUYING A CONDO

Not all Realtors are cut from the same cloth. Ideally I would suggest doing business with a realtor and a loan officer that has a background in purchasing condos/townhomes. However, if you connect with the realtor and they seem motivated, do not be afraid to make that commitment. Just know, like  in any relationship, there could be bumps along the road to ownership.

Like many buyers, I am totally not the girl that enjoys digging through pages of real estate jargon. However, it really is important that you understand what you are committing yourself to.  If you don’t know you can’t ask! Buying a condo is an investment and you will be managing this asset with quite a few people. Do a google search for Home Owners Associations (HOA), condominium insurance and FHA approved condos.  Have your realtor seek out information about the potential HOA and if possible try to contact the president of your future HOA for more information. Those HOA bylaws may not be as glam as the new issue of VOGUE but they are a tad bit more important. Getting your hands on minutes and financial information from the HOA board is a great way to learn more about the health of the condo community.   *Don't forget to ask about any city ordinances that may apply to property owners. Two months after I purchased my condo, I found out I was responsible for a yearly city imposed fee!

I transitioned straight from residential hall living to real world living. Who knew that there is a reason you don’t leave all the lights on and that a chill in the air just requires fuzzy socks and a nice cashmere blankie! Lol! Still, these past five years have been an awesome learning experience for me. Sure sometimes I self-diagnose the ticking sound the fridge is making and frantically crunch the numbers on the cost of a new one, only to realize I have my gelato container leaning on the lever of the ice maker. Yes, it is nerve-racking to sit in the yearly HOA meeting and hope that the wealthy owner of the penthouse does not vote for a HOA fee increase.  It is the comfort of coming home, hanging up a picture wherever I would like and being a part of a cities revitalization  that really makes everything worth it!

OMG, you guys! Thanks so much for helping me celebrate my CONDOVERSARY! If you have any questions about condo ownership, I’d be happy to try to answer them for you! Leave me a comment and make sure to follow me on all of my social medias!