If you get your own home, you will be able to install a low maintenance
yard/landscaping. (Stay away from areas with a homeowners association.)
Also you will have the option of hiring a neighborhood kid to keep things
up for you. If you need to water, you can get automatic sprinklers.

But even if you hire a professional yard service, I can't imagine it would
cost as much as the condo fees are.

I'm quite happy owning my own home rather than renting. I can do with my
house and yard as I please.


"Jeff Bello" wrote in message
I am busy single professional who does not have time for home
maintenance. I was thinking about buying a condo, but homeowner's
dues are pretty substantial in the condos I am looking at, which would
seem to greatly decrease the advantage of buying over renting.

What I am thinking about doing is just buying a house and paying for
maintenance of the grounds (and exterior if needed). This would still
be substantially cheaper than the $500-800 homeowners dues monthly I
am looking at. Does this seem like a reasonable alternative for
someone like me who just does not have the time to do maintenance?