Jeff Bello wrote:
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?

Good grief!!!!!! 500-800 per month??????? Where is this - oceanside in
La Jolla? We pay $265/month, which is by far the highest in our area.
It depends entirely on the Association/board, condition of property and
amenities. If you are serious about buying into an expense like that,
make sure a good deal of it goes to reserves. Got roads to pave?
Gated/guards to pay? Tennis courts, pools, golf course? In any
homeowner/condo association, I'd review the records carefully and speak
with some owners about past problems and how things work. You can buy a
lot of grief if they have condo commandos on the board, lots of legal
issues or big maintenance problems.