If you’re thinking about buying a condo, do plenty of homework
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Norma Jean Craig admits that when she bought her first condominium, back in 1991, she had no idea what she was getting into. She hadn’t given much thought to the problems that can be associated with condominiums: limited parking, noisy neighbors, neglected common spaces and, perhaps the most serious, construction defects. In the past 14 years, Craig has become a self-educated condominium expert. She now owns her second condo, a three-bedroom unit in Kent, and has a mountain of advice for prospective owners. “Most people see condo living as somewhere between owning your own home and renting an apartment, but it’s more like owning your own home. There’s a responsibility that each homeowner has, whether they accept it or not,” said Craig, a board member of the state chapter of the Community Associations Institute, a group that provides educational information about homeowners associations. “The best advice I can give to anyone buying a condo,” she said, “is to educate themselves as to what they’re buying and to be involved in the maintenance and operation of the condominium.” As the price of single-family homes continues to rise in the Puget Sound area, condominiums are expected to remain an attractive, typically less-expensive alternative for people who want to own real estate. They appeal especially to younger and older people, and to single people who would prefer not to spend time and effort maintaining a single-family home. More : seattletimes.nwsource.com |