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Question
Hello Jessica:
Is it cheaper to live in a condominium or a house? I am single and a first time buyer, and how can I determine which one would be better to buy.
I thank you for your reply and answer.
Dear Kenneth;
The answer is not a clear one. It depends on the neighborhood. A condo has shared expenses and an association fee. A home sometimes does not have the same amenities and therefore no additional association fees. A home sometimes has no HOA dues and other times has a homeowners association with a wide range of dues and related costs. If the home you buy has a pool or expensive upkeep, landscaping, etc and/or a homeowners association or a shared pool, playground and other neighborhood amenities it can be even more expensive. In addition, it is more expensive to maintain the exterior of a home that is a single family home than one shared exterior. Again, so much depends upon the size of the association and how many condo owners share expenses. I would say that overall a condo is probably less money than a single home but make sure to do your homework to compare what you get with each.
~Jessica Bryan
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Jessica Bryan
Expertise
buying and selling process such as:
General questions from first time buyers
How to market a home
Why choose a REALTOR
How do I find a REALTOR
Should I consider buying or selling without a REALTOR--how much can I save
Should I remodel or move
How much can I expect to gain by fixing up my home before selling
Helpful tips when selling
Helpful tips when buying
finding a good mortgage loan
what is the difference between banks, mortgage bankers, and mortgage brokers
Questions from the general public, people thinking about getting their real estate license, newly licensed.
Fellow professionals who have interests in networking and how to get started
What is a market evaluation and how does it differ from an appraisal what are the different loan programs
services a REALTOR can perform
when to use a lawyer
when to use escrow
what are the regional differences in the buying and selling process
what is the MLS and how does it work
how can the layman access information on the web--listings and other information
These are just a few of the questions. I can suggest that if I am unable to answer a question I will refer the inquiry to a source that can.
Experience
Anyone who is in this business and who dedicates oneself to professionalism has continued to take classes and along with it,additional credentials, awards and honors. I can list a host of them, but my greatest accomplishments happen to be those of getting first time buyers (who didn't think they could afford to buy a home)into a home of their dreams. The look on their faces when I hand over the keys is worth all of the hard work.
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