4 Things To Look Into As You View Various Waterfront Condos
If you're looking to downsize and move to a condo, or if you're looking for a condo as a vacation home, then buying into a community on the water is a choice to consider. Even if you don't enjoy water sports or boating, you'll be treated to a relaxing water view every day. Here are four things to think about when looking at waterfront condos.
1. The View From Your Condo
The condos with the very best views will be the most expensive, so you should decide on how important the view is and what condos can provide the view you're looking for. If you're after a scenic view, then a waterfront condo with a wall of windows facing a sweeping water view would be ideal. You might also have better views from an upper-level condo than a condo on the lower floors.
If your main interest in moving to the waterfront community is for another reason such as joining a boat club or being close to water sports, then the view from your condo may not be as important as just being close to the water. If you plan to spend a lot of time on the water, you'll have the best views available every time you get in your boat.
2. Recreational Activities
Many condo communities have many recreational choices, such as a swimming pool. The focus at a waterfront community may be on lake or ocean activities rather than recreational activities on dry land. For instance, a waterfront community may not have a pool when land space is valuable on a beach or lake shore. If you love to swim in a pool every day, then you'll want to let your real estate agent know so you tour only condo communities that have a pool and other activities you enjoy.
3. Child And Pet Policies
Condos can be strict about owning pets. You'll probably be limited in the type and size of the pets you can own. There may even be condo rules in an age-restricted community that limit how often kids can visit. It's possible there will be limits on how often you can have overnight guests. Every condo community has it's own rules, so you want to read and understand the rules before you get too interested in buying a particular condo.
4. Condo Fees
In addition to knowing the condo association fees upfront, you'll want to know what's included in the fees. Waterfront property can be more expensive to maintain, so condo fees are usually higher for waterfront condos. However, when you calculate all that's included in the fees, the cost may not seem unreasonable. Costs that might be bundled into your monthly condo fees are water, cable, exterior maintenance, grounds maintenance, pool care, and possibly electricity or gas.
Some of your fees should also go to a reserve fund to pay for things like road repair and upgrades the community will need in the coming years. Understanding the fees and accounting for them in your budget helps you make a wise decision when trying to choose the right waterfront condo to buy.