<p>*Maintenance fees for condos can be much higher (especially in HI). Some of them run significantly higher than our property taxes–have heard of them for $1000/month JUST For the maintenance fees!
*</p>
<p>Can not agree more.</p>
<p>My mom, had a 5 bedroom split level house in a very nice small development in a suburb of Seattle wa- darkroom, full finished basement, mature native landscaping.
It was paid for, (by my father life insurance), but she didn’t like the bi-monthly cost of having someone come mow her lawn. ( you also pretty much had to drive most places & while it was within walking distance of elementary, middle & high schools- I did not want to live there)</p>
<p>She bought a brand new condo, in a schmancy part of Bellevue. As soon as the builders warranty expired, the outside siding/finish needed to be completely redone.( this took over a year) Plumbing needed to be redone as did the wiring. Not only did she incur her portion of these costs, but every time someone decided they needed to redo the carpets ( which was every year or so), she had to pay that, " maintenance costs that included hiring " landscapers" to blow leaves around, rip out the plants that the previous company had installed & put in something else that was going to be needed to be ripped out because they weren’t appropriate for where they were planting them.</p>
<p>But most of the people in the building, had much more money than my mom did, so they just paid up.</p>
<p>We only now have sold it- over a year after her death, I have no idea what price my BIL got for it. They are building condos so much in our area, that some developers are having to drastically cut prices & even try & rent them out.</p>