Looking to buy? A Condo may be the option for you.

Let's face it. The beautiful New Hampshire home with the white picket fence and neatly manicured lawn is not the ideal home for everyone. If you are twenty-something, or even a thirty-something, affordability may be an issue. Or you might be an empty-nester who doesn't need all the room or hassles of yard work and other maintenance. Or maybe home ownership just doesn’t suit your lifestyle. For you, a condominium may be a great option.

When you own a condo, you own the title to the space within the walls of your living quarters. Common areas such as hallways, roofs, parking lots and pools are shared with the other owners in the complex. The more common type of condo is the apartment-style in which you will have units on either side of you and above and/or below. However, there are other styles. There are units that are designed more like townhomes with multiple levels. You can even find a condo in a building that was a multi-unit apartment converted to single-level units.

New Hampshire Condos: Affordability and Convenience

New Hampshire condos are attractive to many buyers because they offer them a chance to own their residence at usually a lower cost than a single-family detached home. Of course there are exceptions, such as the luxurious condominiums that many developers are building in downtown and affluent neighborhoods.

If you would rather spend your free time doing something else besides mowing the lawn, painting the outside of your home, or waiting at home for the pool maintenance person, then a condo may be for you. As part of your monthly community association fee, you will usually pay for the services of a property management company. That company will be responsible for maintenance of the common areas.

Other advantages of owning a condo are the amenities that may be part of your complex such as a pool, tennis courts, fitness center or clubhouse. These are some of the perks you might not be able to afford or even have room for if you were to purchase a single-family home.

Of course, there are some disadvantages to owning a condominium, such as reduced privacy compared to a single-family, detached home. You are also confined to the rules and laws of the community association, which can run the gamut from how to display a satellite dish to the type of animals you can keep.

Is a condo the right living arrangement for you? Make an informed decision by weighing the pros and cons. We encourage you to talk with the real estate professionals at Prudential Spencer-Hughes, who are familiar with condominiums and the laws that govern them.

We also recommend that you preview the various condos in your area to get an idea of how the properties are run. If your real estate professional has sold condos in any of these complexes, find out the type of feedback he or she has received from clients.

Remember, condo living isn't for everyone, but can be an attractive option for those who want to own instead of rent.