Condo Living - The Traveler s Choice

Living in a condominium offers many advantages to the traveler that an ordinary house doesn't. While we could go down in great details, I will examine two of the most pressing reasons why a condo is better than a house for travelers.

Reason One - Cost. Unless one has bought a very, very expensive condo, a 2-bedroom condo is much cheaper to run that a comparable house. The costs of everything are less. It costs less to heat in the winter and to cool in the summer. There are many, many things that could go wrong in a house that are just not issues in a condo, such as the roof leaking, the basement flooding, and more. There is no cost to remove snow or mow the grass.

Of course, you are responsible for monthly condominium fees, and the occasional special assessment, but if you have a responsible and dedicated management team, these expenses will be much, much less than that of running a house, even a small one.

If you are retired or living on a fixed income, the lower operating expenses of a condo vis-à-vis a traditional house could mean that you can actually afford one or two MORE trips during the year.

Reason Two - Ease of Escape. Of course, I say that in jest. Your condominium is as much your home as any house could be. However, it is much easier to get away from a condo for short or even extended periods of time than it would be to leave a house. Think about it.

Here is a little checklist of what you should do when leaving a condo:

• Turn off the water
• Make sure you are fully paid up on your fees
• If you're going to miss the annual meeting (which you should not) make sure you give your voting proxy to someone you trust.
• Turn down the heat (never completely)
• Cancel your newspaper service
• Bring the plant to the neighbor

Now compare that with leaving a house unattended. If you currently own a house, I KNOW your mind is awash right this moment with insane and expensive lists of things you would need to do or take care of before leaving your home, even for a single week.

Traditional houses and Condominiums both offer advantages and disadvantages. But if you like traveling and the kids are all grown up, then a condo is the right choice for you.

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