(no subject)

[unbibium]

In the next few days, my aunt will be showing me some houses in the south Scottsdale area.

Well, town homes mostly. But they'll be better-built and more spacious than my current apartment. The downside is that these things always, always come with HOA's, which are expensive.

I might as well be earning equity.

Comments

[baryon.livejournal.com]

HOA are much cheaper with detached houses. Consider whether the mortgage + property tax + interest + HOA fees will be cheaper or more expensive with a townhouse than with a small two bedroom 1 story house.

There is also likely to be a higher percentage of renters in townhouses than in detached houses (well maybe for singles at least).

House prices are continuing to drop, in double digit percentages in a one month period in some parts of the valley.

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

well, it's south Scottsdale that I'm most concerned with. I don't know if there are detached two bedroom houses nearby. Even in my old neighborhood, they were all three bedrooms.

[pentomino.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, my aunt explained that some of these HOA fees include things like water, sewage, and other stuff that would be paid out of pocket otherwise. And in a detached home, I'd have to either hire a gardener, or burn myself to a crisp trying to tend my own lawn.

[sunburn.livejournal.com]

There are situations where it's better to rent than buy, but the variables are a little unusual and it requires some speculation about your current position.

But the NYTimes has a pretty damn cool calculator (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/business/2007_BUYRENT_GRAPHIC.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) on which to work it out.