If you’re ready to move on from renting an apartment or a room in a house and are looking to buy a home, consider a condo. Condos come with minimal external maintenance, often have on-site amenities like a gym, and are less expensive than a single-family house. You’ll want to consider several factors when deciding if the condo lifestyle is right for you.

What Is a Condo?

A condominium, or condo, is a unit inside a building with several units. Condos share walls with the other units and common areas like the grounds and featured amenities. You will pay a homeowners association (HOA) fee to help with the upkeep of the grounds and the external part of the building. When you buy a condo, you own the unit, not the entire building or land under the condo. If you’re contemplating purchasing a condo, consider these questions about what to look for.

Is the Condo Pet-Friendly?

If you’re a pet lover, you’ll need to see if the condo association rules and policies allow pets. In addition, ask if there is an outside pet area to walk your furry friend. If they do allow pets, you’ll probably want to have easy-to-clean floors in your condo, like tile or hardwood, for easy upkeep. In addition, see if the common area has a place to walk your pet for their daily exercise.

Do You Need More Than One Bedroom?

Are you single, a couple, or have a small family? Are you thinking of getting a roommate? If you need a second or third bedroom, you may need to pay more for a unit because many condos only have one bedroom. Also, because these are often tall buildings, the bedrooms might be located up a flight of stairs. If you have a baby or young child, navigating stairs may be challenging.

How Many Amenities Would You Like to Have?

Having amenities in your condo community, such as a gym, pool, playground, park, or barbecue area, add extra conveniences to your lifestyle. If your condo offers these extra features, you’ll own a portion of them, and your HOA fees will cover the cost of upkeep and maintenance, freeing up your time to do other things.

Does Your Realtor Understand the Nuances of Buying a Condo?

When you’re looking for condos for sale in the Montreal, Quebec, area, you want to find a real estate agent who understands the finance options, rules, and policies of purchasing a condo. A real estate agent with a track record of selling condos can help you find the right lender and help you understand your condo’s governing document called the Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements (CC&Rs).

Condo living is ideal if you’re a first-time homebuyer, want to be close to the city, or want to live somewhere where you don’t have to mow the lawn or fix the roof. Buying a condo instead of a single-family dwelling can simplify your life when you find the right one with the amenities you’re looking for in a convenient location.