Ann Arbor, Home to more than 116,000 residents, has a wonderful selection of both condos and single-family homes. The city (ranked among the top 100 places to live in America in 2012 by CNN Money magazine) is noted for both its many job opportunities, and as the home of the University of Michigan, with all the sports, health care and education associated at this institution.

Should you buy an Ann Arbor house or a condo? Deciding whether to buy a house or a condo in Ann Arbor can be a tricky decision. There are advantages - and disadvantages - to both.

Advantages to Buying a condo
There are several advantages to buying a condo over a single-family home, and just a few of these are:

  • Little Exterior Maintenance:  With a condo most of the exterior and lawn maintenance, as well as the landscaping, is taken care by the homeowner's association. You don't have to worry about the grass getting mowed if you're out of town for a week or two, and in the winter the snow will get shoveled without having to break your back or risk frost bite.
  • Extra Amenities:  Condos frequently have amenities in their complexes that single family homes often don't have, such as fitness facilities, swimming pools and party rooms.
  • Security:  Depending on the type of condo you purchase, some will offer round the clock security against break-ins and vandalism. For instance, many high-rise buildings have door attendants and/or guards in the parking garage.

Advantages to buying a home
While owning a condo has some distinct advantages, there are also several advantages to buying a single-family home, such as:

  • No Common Walls:  With a single-family home, you don't have to worry about disturbing the people in the unit next to yours or below yours. Equally, you won't be awakened in the middle of the night if you neighbor decides to vacuum or practice their dance steps.
  • No Association Fee:  With a condo, the homeowner's association fee can be almost as much as your mortgage payment. Granted, this covers amenities like the swimming pool, maintenance on the exterior of the condo and sometimes even utilities. However, with a house, you only have to make one payment each month.
  • You Can Make Your Own Remodeling Decisions:  With a home, you can paint the exterior of your any color that suits your fancy, You can add shutters, plant a cactus and generally modify whatever you like. With a condo, you usually need to get permission to make any changes that affect the outside look of the building.

How to decide which type of property is best for you
Should you buy an Ann Arbor house or a condo? In addition to the advantages and disadvantages inherent in the type of property, there are other factors to consider when deciding between an Ann Arbor home or condo. One of these is location - some areas of Ann Arbor, such as the revitalized downtown area have more condos than other parts of the city. Conversely, some of the newer developments, such as Fleming Lake Estates and Woodland Ridge, consist mostly of single family homes.