What is the difference between a detached condo and a house

The main difference between buying a condominium and a single-family home is the type of ownership you receive. With a condominium you get the exclusive right to the interior space of your dwelling unit, but the land, walls, grounds, fences and facilities are owned in common with the other owners in the complex.

With a single-family home you are the sole owner of the building and the land it sets on. This is called "fee simple" ownership. A condominium is usually attached to other similar units by a common wall, while a house is detached. However, a recent trend is to develop detached condominiums, where the land and improvements are owned in common. There are also some attached houses where the land is individually owned.

Condominium owners usually can't remodel at will, while single-family house owners are relatively free to make changes to suit their personal needs and tastes. This means that the homes on either side of any given detached condo are in close proximity.

Make no mistake though, that there are no connecting walls to the main structure of any detached condo. So this does give more privacy and is quieter than a traditional condo or townhome.

Another difference is that with most detached condos the association is responsible for common area maintenance like landscaping for example. For example in the Potters Bend tract the HOA in responsible for the landscaping in the front and sides of the units but inside the backyards the owner is responsible.

Exterior building maintenance, such as painting, grass cutting and roof repairs, in a detached condominium community is often the responsibility of the condo association. However, some detached condo communities may require each condo owner to see to her own exterior maintenance issues. Like traditional condominium communities, detached condo communities require monthly fees as well.

The size of a detached condominium also varies widely. Some detached condos may be small, two-bedroom cottage-style homes.

Other detached condominiums may be large luxury homes of 2, square feet or more. Many detached condo communities feature individual units that appear identical on the outside, while others allow a great deal of stylistic variation. Detached condos are also similar to traditional condominiums in that they're less expensive compared to actual single-family homes. Like all other types of housing, detached condominiums come with advantages and disadvantages.

Most condo associations are created as corporations. For example requiring that your lawn is mowed, or restricting the color that you can paint a building or fence. This may be repairing or replacing a roof, the landscaping of common areas, driveways or parking lots, insurance, or garbage pickup. In order to pay for the maintenance of the common areas, the HOA sets monthly dues that each owner of the complex must pay.

A well maintained HOA should carry a surplus of funds in case of emergency. Your searching for homes on our website, or some other website and find a house you like with a yard and a fence.

Then you look at the category and see that it is a condo. In most cases, it is because the city has a very specific requirement for lot sizes in order for a home to be classified as single family detached. If a developer wants to build more units in a space they can build them as condos. As the seller of the Condo vs House the motivation is additional profit. But before you get to upset remember there is an upside for you as well. The detached condo is more affordable.

People will pay more money for a detached condo that resembles a house as opposed to an attached condo or townhome and the builder can build more units. As a buyer of a condo vs house, you can get a nice size home with a small yard for less money because it is a "condo".

Often with these types of developments, the monthly HOA dues are minimal. Generally, with this type of detached condo, the owner will be responsible for the maintenance of everything within the border of the lot. Giving it the feel of a house, with a slightly lower price tag. When trying to decide between buying a Condo vs House I think the most important factor is Price. The HOA does not really increase the price of home ownership as it often includes utilities you will pay more for as a residential home owner.

It also generally includes maintenance of big ticket items such as; roof, siding, windows, and balconies and decks. Which brings us to the 2nd most important factor when deciding, Maintenance and Upkeep. Generally speaking a residential home will include a yard that will need to be maintained along with all the big ticket items previously mentioned.

I think the most motivating factor is Privacy.