• Do you love the sights and sounds of downtown Orlando and already see yourself on the balcony of a high-rise condo toasting with friends?  Of course you do, but you’re not sure if all the amenities are worth the extra cash you’ll be shelling out to live in a downtown condo. In this post we’ll go over all of the expenses you would be paying if you moved into a house instead of a condo and let you decide for yourself.

    Most downtown condos have the following amenities gym, pool, hot tub, sauna, parking garage, security, upgraded appliances, and no lawn to take care of. So what would this cost you if you just got a house on the outskirts of downtown?

    If you’re into staying fit a gym membership is a necessity, packages at LA Fitness start around $30 to $45 a month just for a single person, double or triple that for couples or families. Besides the cost you have to travel there, use the smelly locker rooms, and deal with overcrowding.

    As for a pool, if you can find a house with one to begin with, it could cover the spread for amenity costs alone. A pool not including a hot tub or sauna could run as high as $400 a month factoring in a cleaning service, electric bills, and repairs.

    While parking is free when you own a house, parking is certainly not free when you frequent the downtown area you enjoy so much. If you only visit downtown twice a week you are probably paying $30 a month in parking fees when you could be there everyday for free.

    Most people say there’s no price tag on peace of mind but a monitored security system comparable to most condos with cameras and monitoring costs about $45 dollars a month plus equipment and installation. Even with the security system it’s not quite as secure as a building with a security guard and electronically locked buildings.

    If you enjoy cooking and entertaining nice appliances make all the difference and while many homes come with them they may not be anywhere close to the standard that you get from a newer downtown condo. To replace your entire kitchen with new appliances the costs can soar well over $2000.

    When considering the costs of a condo versus a house you might over look lawn and pest control as something you have to deal with when you move into a house. The average cost of lawn and pest control can be over $100 a month depending on the size of your house and lawn.

    To get all of the same amenities that you get with a condo it would cost you on a monthly basis over $600 with one time costs around $2000. It’s safe to say that in addition to the great parking, the views, and life in the heart of the city the amenities provided by condos are quite the deal.

    This guest post was written by Martin Orefice owner of US Home Assist .

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