Do Your Due Diligence When Buying a Condo

Condo apartment building overlooking the ocean.

If you’re thinking of buying a condo, the condition of the building and its finances will have a direct impact on you, so it’s important to research both. Here’s what you need to know.  Basic condo facts  All condo buildings have a homeowners association. The owners of the building’s unit are its members, and they […]

Golf Course Communities: Are They a Good Value?

Beautiful pink stucco home located in one of many golf course communities.

Owning a stately home alongside a lush golf course radiates prestige. Who wouldn’t love a house beside an emerald oasis? But there are pros and cons to living in a golf course community. Would life in one be an eagle or a bogey? The positives Golf courses are manicured isles of landscape perfection. Living beside […]

How to Interact with Your Homeowners Association

A happy female neighbor with glasses smiling at the camera during a homeowners association meeting with other members of the community.

Homeowners associations, or HOAs, provoke strong feelings in some residential developments. Avoid conflicts with goodwill gestures such as these. Understanding the HOA’s purpose and structure An HOA is an organization of the owners in a condominium complex, townhome development or subdivision. These organizations allow property owners to govern their neighborhood in a way that protects […]

Homeowners Associations: Love ‘em or Hate ‘em?

Homeowners associations provoke strong emotions. Depending on who you ask, they are viewed as either the neighborhood’s protector of home values or, in some cases, a small group of residents who take community rule enforcement to the extreme. What is an HOA and why do they exist? Simply put, an HOA is a private regulatory […]