[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Broncosap

As a likely future resident, i am simply not understanding the demand for single family homes vs Condominiums, and yes im well aware that there are simply no Condo's or HOA's in TV.
Please convince me that, as a resident of TV, your choice of a home, at age 55+, with the burden of maintenance (roof, painting, grass, sprinklers, cable, etc) has been a good decision, vs what a condo may similarly provide, with an HOA fee.
I feel that you either pay for your amenities through a CDD, and home maintenance by check book, or both of these through an HOA, the total costs being a toss up.
I would love to get feedback to help me figure this dilemma out.

Freedom of choice. A condo as I understand it is an apartment. I've lived over my lifetime in both. When, first married we lived in a rented apartment in a three story building. My point is only difference with a condo is you own it vs paying rent to the owner. At the time there was a TV ad where the guy goes into the bathroom opens the medicine cabinet and sees his neighbor on the other side. We had a neighbor below us that would blast the stereo at 3 am. Above us they got the kid one of those inexpensive electronic keyboard kind of things and would play with it starting at 7 or 8 am.

It a properly run condo, you pay into a fund for stuff like a new roof etc. If, you decide to buy a free standing home you can do the same thing. Set up an account for repairs.
A roof for example does not last forever in a condo or in a free standing home.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by crash

Look at Lakeside Landing the fees are $303 a month this includes all landscaping, pest control, landscape water, all exterior maintenance (painting, roof), trash, and your amenities. Add this up and you will see it is a lot less expensive. The Villages, $129 a month for landscape and pest control, $248 a month for water, trash and amenity fee, $7,000 every 7 years to paint, $25,000 every 20 years or less for a new roof.

For me, it's not about the cost. It just seems very inefficient that, if you live in a villa section, every homeowner needs to hire separate contractors to maintain the lawn, irrigation system, pest control, etc. And, some people get ripped off. It would be nice if you at least had the option to allow a larger Villages contractor to provide these services. Other single family communities do these things as part of the amenities.

[virtue51]

Look at The Lofts near Brownwood -- the units are not condos but rentals.

[stebooo]

I own a small condo in mn minnesota. My asoc fee is more than double what it is here in tv.and I get 1 pool for that nothing else. The house here also can accomadated children visiting. The condo doesn't. If you want a condo, you have either coastlines for 100's of miles have fun.

[stebooo]

All of those services are available now

[Jimlee2004]

I am 75+ and would not even think about condo living. Buy a house and call Massey. They take. Of everything including sprinklers lawn cutting , shrubs. Try it. Get out of your condo and live. However your comments tell me yo u need to stay where you are.You would be very unhappy here.
+

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by Broncosap

As a likely future resident, i am simply not understanding the demand for single family homes vs Condominiums, and yes im well aware that there are simply no Condo's or HOA's in TV.
Please convince me that, as a resident of TV, your choice of a home, at age 55+, with the burden of maintenance (roof, painting, grass, sprinklers, cable, etc) has been a good decision, vs what a condo may similarly provide, with an HOA fee.
I feel that you either pay for your amenities through a CDD, and home maintenance by check book, or both of these through an HOA, the total costs being a toss up.
I would love to get feedback to help me figure this dilemma out.

Try googling Condo Association abuses. That may help you with your decision.

[allenpegg1@gmail.com]

Spanish Springs has townhomes and condos.

[Suzieque]

Originally Posted by Garywt

Amenity fees vs condo fees and what you get for that fee is the question. As for your items, if buying new you are most likely good on the roof, painting you hire someone, lawns do yourself or hire someone, sprinklers are mostly carefree, cable would be the same at either. In a condo you would not have the pools, golf courses, restaurants and miles of golf cart paths that the Villages offer.

If the condos were in The Villages, you would. I think this would be a good option for widows especially.

[Broncosap]

As the OP, i thank you all for your responses and input. As some of you indicated, i think this just becomes a matter of personal choice.

[sallyg]

If you buy a new, or nearly new villa your maintenance will not be as bad as you think. Yards are small, but you get privacy and no shared walls like in a condo. As "some" of us age, "some" of us tend to turn the TV up very loud, speak loud etc. A free-standing home provides a sound barrier as well. Hire out lawn care, and periodic exterior cleaning, house washing etc. You can always move to a condo or an apartment later if it seems like you are doing more upkeep than you care to.

[lennythenet]

We have a condo up north and I would take a single family home any day. You have to everything approved by the board. A ring doorbell. Picky about how many flower pots I have. Only one shepherd’s pole. I understand it is to keep things nice and uniform but ...Come on man! 😝😝

[fgaba1949]

totally agree with you..

[butlerperkins@gmail.com]

2021 0429 Thursday @ 15:21
My condo was Unit 1300. I was thirteen floors up with a gorgeous view of downtown (to the west) and the college's "forest" (to the east). Had the unit been in New York, it would have been a million dollar listing.The fourteen story building had 24/7 "manned" front gate security for the entire community (condos, apartments and townhomes). The building required key access. Cameras caught all comings and goings.

Here are some of my complaints:
+ elevator issues - elevator waits / elevator maintenance (Note: I was only trapped once inside the elevator for about two hours. :-))
+ elevator issues II - construction workers only allowed between the hours of 9-4
+ elevator issues III - moving furniture (e.g. a sofa) requires reserving an elevator in advance
+ HVAC switch over from winter to summer / summer to winter (those periods during which you haven't HVAC control)
+ water maintenance (those periods during which you haven't hot water / any water at all)
+ grocery hiking - there is nothing like a covered garage >within feet of your kitchen<, which you have in a home with a garage
+ amenities limitations - we had a basketball court, two tennis / pickle ball courts, a large family pool and a playground
+ parking regulations - example: no backing into your space
+ maintenance issues, exterior - those leaf blowers can sure soil your vehicle (I'll overlook snow removal issues)
+ vehicular damage - my building was largely senior citizens who weren't the most accurate drivers
+ parking "rights" - it was common courtesy to allow the seniors the prime parking spots, but that meant every outing started with a hike and finished with a hike
+ wind - blowing so hard that it grabs the car door from your hand and damages the hinge!
+ rain - there is simply no way to avoid it (unless you have a garage)
+ BBQ - forget that, you'll have to visit a local park
+ high rise hazards - 10th floor owner left propane tanks on his/her balcony; one exploded blowing out his entire sliding door and setting the unit on fire [Good News: we learned that a ladder truck can reach the tenth floor!]
+ water "accidents" - numerous times we experienced water disasters with the lower floors experiencing the most frequent damage
+ package delivery - if allowed to your specific unit, it may make it - or not (it may be left just outside the building; it may be left inside the mailroom)
+ noise - being downtown, the fire department was very active; do not think that being up high gets you away from that, it was <bad>
+ visitor issues - quests had to navigate the "manned" front gate, the locked down building and my neighbors "stares and questioning"

I believe that our condo board was terrific. During my life in 1300 (Unit), the entire envelope of the building was completely overhauled. Believe me when I say that building was re-covered, top to bottom. Every condo owners balcony was stripped to cement, their railings removed, everything re-sealed, windows and sliding doors replaced (at the owners' expense). The building literally changed color from old to "brand new"!

I concur with the others here who mentioned noise from other condos. I still believe that my neighbors on the fourteenth floor played marbles on their tiled floors! ;-) Good News: My immediate neighbors were generously quiet. Personally, I used headphones.

Condo: You will get to know your neighbors. They will recognize you and greet you. They will also talk about you. They likely do that in TV as well. :-P

I am so happy to have chosen TV. While I am frequently away, I miss my little home in Florida. :-(

[allenpegg1@gmail.com]

Spanish Springs have single level townhomes and condos but all single levels are 2-br, 2-ba.