Condos vs. Apartments: What Are the Major Differences?


 

Living on your own can be an incredibly freeing experience, whether you’ve been at it for five minutes or five years. But when it comes time for the next big move in your life, you may have a choice to make: apartments or condos?

If you’re wondering whether there’s a difference, we can safely tell you there is. Actually, there are a few! Keep reading to learn what makes condos so different from your average apartment.

Ownership

The most obvious difference between condos and apartments is that you can own a condo. That’s right! If you’re ready to settle down and stay in one place for a while, condo ownership just might be for you. Of course, it’s important to make sure you’re financially ready for condo ownership. If that’s the case, then you should start the hunt for the perfect gates condominium community as soon as possible.

Community Rules

When you rent an apartment, your rules are typically set by your landlord. In a luxury condominium community, your community’s rules will likely be set forth by the Homeowner’s Association (HOA). These community guidelines include instructions on when to place your garbage outside and other similar home maintenance tasks that affect the greater community.

Amenities

When you live in a condo community, you’ll have access to more amenities than you would in an apartment. Features like a wellness or fitness center, community pool, and other activity-based areas are fairly common in these communities. Not only that, but if you own a condo, you’ll be able to renovate it to your liking. Apartment buildings rarely even let tenants hang art on their walls for fear of nail holes.

Maintenance

Living in a condo typically means you have more control over how your maintenance is handled. If you’d rather not worry about doing this maintenance yourself, your HOA may ask for a small fee in return for both in-home and lawn maintenance coverage. Say goodbye to dealing with pesky landscaping issues!

Whether you’re one of the 92% of people who use the internet in their home search or you prefer to do things the old fashioned way, there’s no denying that a condo is the way to go. If you’re ready to make the next big move in your life, don’t count a condo out!