Do freestanding condos typically cost less per sq ft than a single family house?

[Jerry1]

Get a cat

Can't. Couple of people in the family are allergic to cats. Used to have them as a kid and all things being equal, I wouldn't mind one today. Just not an option.

 

[MC Rider]

There are so many permutations of condominiums. In El Lay we had the usual high rise, mid rise, townhouse style condos. There were detached condos usually with a tiny yard, and 2 unit projects. There were places with legal use SFR that were attached with an HOA, and some detached with an HOA, maybe in the same project. Some said Condo in the legal description, and but were shown as legal use SFR.

I got the impression builders picked how to set up that legal stuff to let them cram the most units into the project.

 

[pb4uski]

^^^ in a we'll run condo association new roofs should be a non-event. The association should have reserves to cover the cost other than perhaps estimating error.

 

[Koolau]

^^^ in a we'll run condo association new roofs should be a non-event. The association should have reserves to cover the cost other than perhaps estimating error.

Our HOA has been in existence for over 50 years and has never had a special assessment. We keep our reserves at levels that our planned and unplanned maintenance is covered. We do have a roughly 30K charge coming for sprinklers but that will be borrowed and the payment included in our HOA dues.

 

[Badger]

To me, having a dog equals opening the door and letting them run. On the properties I’ve owned, that’s no big deal. In the properties I’m looking at, a fenced in yard is necessary for what I want. We all have our quirks and one of mine is that I’m not walking around with my dog picking up its poop. I don’t mind scooping it up with a tool I have but not going to do the walk and scoop thing.

I have a neighbor across the street that has a service that comes in at least once a week to do that job. What a job description to put on a resume.

 

[SomedaySoon]

Our 55+ gated community is all SFH's with Condo ownership. You own the inside of the house, and 1/x ownership of all the other elements, where x is the number of homes. HOA fees pay for the ClubHouse Cleaners, Shoveling, Mowing, Pool Guy, etc., as well as the Insurance coverage of the community, and a large bit goes into reserves to replace roofs, fix internal roads, etc. My "HomeOwners" insurance is very minimal as it only covers the insides. Value of the house is a combination of the amenities, the fact the house is all "Senior Friendly", as well as the square footage. Taxes are more reflective of the market value of each house.

 

[Badger]

It's not about "liking" the downsides of HOAs - it's about liking the "upsides" while minimizing the downsides. Upsides such as "reasonable rules" that keep your neighbors from blaring music at 3AM or the fact that you never have to touch the lawn or pool or roof or a paint brush (unless you want to). Like most of life, HOA/CONDO life is a compromise. So is SFH living. Either can be a reasonable compromise or a nightmare.

I can make a case for either type of dwelling. I've lived in both and have seen their upsides and downsides. At this stage of my life (having done a lot of research on our specific building) I chose HOA/CONDO life. I certainly understand not wanting that life but just don't kid yourself that one way is always better than the other. There are trade offs and ways to deal with the downsides.

Now, if I were infinitely rich (or just less tight with my money ) I'd likely have a big ol' SFH on the beach and hire everything done. But even that's a compromise.

So far after 40 yrs in my SFH in my town the upsides you mentioned are covered by city ordinances for noise pollution, and lawns, pools, house painting, etc can be done by small businesses that could be the same ones as the condo hires. You can choose and pay for the service yourself (or do it yourself) or pay the HOA. As a SFH owner you may even come out ahead in the cost. So I see those as non-issues. Maybe there are others that can be better addressed by HOA. I don't consider one better than the other. As I said at the end of my post that it is just not for me. HOAs can change and board members come and go. Just like in business when you get a new boss. There is no guarantee that it will be favorable.
I'm not rich, and don't have a SFH on the beach but I am 2 blocks from the ocean in my small house in a stable neighborhood (a few McMansions) where folks are particular about their curb appeal w/o and HOA. I guess I made a good choice years ago or just got lucky.

 

[Crewer]

It depends on too many factors around here to compare $/sqft. I live in a free-standing condo, which seems to be a home with the HOA. Turns out it's a great place for me - widow, 75 yo who travels a number of weeks a year. When we were looking I preferred a single family home, no HOA but DH preferred this place. Both were single-story and I've been glad we took this one.

The SFH was larger, was less money, and had a bit lower property tax rate even though schools were just as good (because subdivision with condo has almost no business). The SFH also had an acre lot. I told DH it was easy to hire landscapers to mow and snow-plow but it turns out that may not be the case.

Now HOA covers lawn mowing, snow-plowing (we're know for snow here) and even shoveling the walk, as well as other items. I don't think HOA covers roofs but they do paint as needed. Turns out I'm in a hot area so I guess a number of others want the condo, small lot, HOA and all. Every home on my street - all single story - that has come up for sale since we moved in 11 years ago has sold immediately - some before listing was apparent and some for over asking. My neighbor who lives in a condo very much like mine has a friend who would like to buy one so I guess I've even had a legitimate offer though I do not want to sell.

The answer to OP's question is "it depends," a common answer.

 

[Out of Steam]

But things may not be equal. Living in an HOA area can help keep your neighborhood from looking run down. Ours has never been intrusive like some have posted about. We don't have people who store boats, motorhomes, cars in need of repair sitting in the driveway or lawn area. We have no homes painted in purple and yellow. We still joke we live on the rental side of the road as someone who lives in the bigger fancier homes down the road said to us. Lots of homes could use a refresh but the HOA isn't that pushy.

We're living in a non-HOA neighborhood that could probably use one. Once an area is dominated by HOAs, the older houses without HOAs tend to collect people who simply don't want to maintain their property. While three badly deteriorated houses within a block of us have been fixed up in the last year, and another is being improved slowly, there are still two more, both on our street.

 

[Qs Laptop]

We all have our quirks and one of mine is that I’m not walking around with my dog picking up its poop. I don’t mind scooping it up with a tool I have but not going to do the walk and scoop thing.

I have a neighbor across the street that has a service that comes in at least once a week to do that job. What a job description to put on a resume.

Saw this in our local Nextdoor posts.

 

[Jerry1]

When I lived on more acreage and in the country, I didn't bother to clean up after our little dog. After a day or so, I probably wouldn't have been able to find it anyway. Where I'm at now, I clean it no less than once per week. This mostly from the daughter's dog visiting and then there's the deer which are basically big dogs. I clean up before I mow. If I had a small yard, I'd probably clean up every couple days. There's no way I wouldn't clean up once a week and dispose of on garbage day.

 

[Koolau]

I have a neighbor across the street that has a service that comes in at least once a week to do that job. What a job description to put on a resume.

I guess it's a living and someone has to do it.

 

[SVHoper]

Sorry I did not read all the answers. Simple reason is that $/sqft of house includes the land value. Land value is what can appreciates, structure always depreciates. Same lot of land might have 4+ condos or single family house. From developer point (real numbers) of view buy SFH $750k and builds 4 condos (mix standalone and 3 in one building) and sells each condo for $550... developer prob makes $. I'd still recommend small lot single family home vs possible HOA headache. Just google HOA issues. The only contra to this is on a large known well run development (friend lives there and study HOA reserves and minutes) where issues can be spread across a lot of units, but if you have the $... I'd trade 100% my problems vs management by committee (incompetent).

 

[meleana]

We live in an HOA community in an 1100 sq ft one level cottage bought brand new in 2019 for $274,400. On leased .2 acre lot, but no monthly lease fee and it renews every 99 years in perpetuity. HOA fee is $180 monthly. Includes pool, clubhouse, garbage pickup, private road plowing, lawn care and mulching.

When some of the homes here go up for sale sometimes they are listed as condos. But they are all free standing houses- just close together and on “leased” land.

 

[Badger]

That HOA fee easily covers the cost of lawn care, The road plow, garbage service, pool and clubhouse is icing on the cake. Not a bad deal.

 

[Venturer]

We live in an HOA community in an 1100 sq ft one level cottage bought brand new in 2019 for $274,400. On leased .2 acre lot, but no monthly lease fee and it renews every 99 years in perpetuity. HOA fee is $180 monthly. Includes pool, clubhouse, garbage pickup, private road plowing, lawn care and mulching.

When some of the homes here go up for sale sometimes they are listed as condos. But they are all free standing houses- just close together and on “leased” land.

We hae been looking at the possibility of moving to a condo for all the reasons listed here. But nothing around here comes with a $180.00 hoa fee,if it did we would sell out and move in a heartbeat. We will keep looking!

 

[Music Lover]

I have a neighbor across the street that has a service that comes in at least once a week to do that job. What a job description to put on a resume.

I respect people that identify a need and then create a business to fill that need.

Scooping poop isn't glamorous but it has to be done. I used to have a neighbor that rarely cleaned up after his dogs and every spring melt more and more poop was uncovered and the smell was horrible.

 

[meleana]

We hae been looking at the possibility of moving to a condo for all the reasons listed here. But nothing around here comes with a $180.00 hoa fee,if it did we would sell out and move in a heartbeat. We will keep looking!

When we moved in 2020 it had been $150 per month like forever! It only went up 2 years ago. lol!

I’ll add that it’s a fairly small community of 85 homes. The HOA is resident run (so the board lives here), as are any events/ parties we have, like pot lucks, book club, holidays, etc.

Some of us volunteer to do stuff. For example, one year the HOA bought the paint and we painted the inside of the clubhouse. Things like that help to save some money here and there.

 

[Koolau]

We hae been looking at the possibility of moving to a condo for all the reasons listed here. But nothing around here comes with a $180.00 hoa fee,if it did we would sell out and move in a heartbeat. We will keep looking!

The ones we have seen with low HOA fees leave most of the maintenance (like mowing, snow removal, etc.) to the owner and only cover things like building exterior. YMMV

 

[meleana]

The ones we have seen with low HOA fees leave most of the maintenance (like mowing, snow removal, etc.) to the owner and only cover things like building exterior. YMMV

Yes. We were very lucky to find this place. Hopefully it will stay this way.

Most HOA communities have high fees for what we get here- and some don’t even have a pool and/or clubhouse.

True- we aren’t directly on the big lake, but we can walk to it and the public beaches on it are nice. I spend a lot of time in the water during the summer and my husband fishes.

 

[SJhawkins]

Around here we call those detached townhouses or villas, a few names come to mind.

Square footage cost wise housing will very fair bit too depending on the build, with a single level ranch with a basement generally the most expensive vs a two story as it cheaper to build up then out.

Growing up on city lot to living on a few acres the 30 years I think having the larger lot maybe easier to maintain in some ways. Do I spend more time at it, maybe but it's nothing all to physical or does not have to be. As an example we don't water the back of the property, it gets mowed about 6 times a year with a rider, snow removed with a blower and or tractor. It acceptable around here to let the back yards be more "natural". A one acre lot this may not work, not sure.

Have/had one neighbor who had is oxygen tank bolted on his series 7xx JD tractor for many years, point being dont think that would have been possible with a city lot.

Sure at somepoint this place will be to much to take care of or a anything else for that matter but going to stay here as long a I can. I love my shops and enjoy being outside as much as possible, not retired yet but this one of those things I can't wait to retire too, hopefully soon!

Maybe I'm just weird, I still enjoy futzing in the yard and garden, your mileage may vary.

 

[meleana]

Around here we call those detached townhouses or villas, a few names come to mind.

Square footage cost wise housing will very fair bit too depending on the build, with a single level ranch with a basement generally the most expensive vs a two story as it cheaper to build up then out.

Growing up on city lot to living on a few acres the 30 years I think having the larger lot maybe easier to maintain in some ways. Do I spend more time at it, maybe but it's nothing all to physical or does not have to be. As an example we don't water the back of the property, it gets mowed about 6 times a year with a rider, snow removed with a blower and or tractor. It acceptable around here to let the back yards be more "natural". A one acre lot this may not work, not sure.

Have/had one neighbor who had is oxygen tank bolted on his series 7xx JD tractor for many years, point being dont think that would have been possible with a city lot.

Sure at somepoint this place will be to much to take care of or a anything else for that matter but going to stay here as long a I can. I love my shops and enjoy being outside as much as possible, not retired yet but this one of those things I can't wait to retire too, hopefully soon!

Maybe I'm just weird, I still enjoy futzing in the yard and garden, your mileage may vary.

I totally get it. In our community there are ranches and there are two story homes- all have small square footage. We are on a .2 acre lot. lol! We used to own 10 1/2 acres. To put it into perspective: where we live now there are 85 homes on 10 1/2 acres, whereas our former single family home was on 10 1/2 acres!

The land our current community is on used to be a tent and trailer park actually until it was sold to the builder. That’s why the lots are so small.

Anyway, one reason we left the former lifestyle was due to not wanting to be so isolated in retirement and not having the 700 foot driveway and all the trees to deal with. ( just before we moved we had a big expense getting rid of trees infected with the emerald ash borer). During storms some would come crashing down. We also lost power a lot living where we did. Winters were tough living way back in the woods like that.

Plus we had a 2 story colonial. And we wanted to leave NY and also to be closer to our only child. And- I was wanting to be near a big body of water.

I’m not a gardener, but a lot of our neighbors enjoy it. It’s just easier/ different on a small lot.