As people progress in their lives, chances are that they will experience a desire for ownership of their living spaces. For many, this means a transition from an apartment to a traditional single-family home. While a traditional home has many potential draws for a first-time homeowner, an often-overlooked option is a condominium.

What is a Condominium?
A condominium (or “condo”) is a residential complex consisting of separate units, each owned by their respective resident. These units resemble apartments in some ways, often sharing walls with other units, and sometimes they are even located in high-rise buildings. While condo owners are responsible for the interior upkeep of their units, they must join their condo’s association to collectively care for their building’s exterior and other shared spaces. Due to this, condominiums can be viewed as an intermediate living space between apartments and traditional homes.

The Pros of Buying a Condo
The first pro that comes with buying a condo is that they are much more affordable than traditional homes, at least at first glance. Homebuyers should still make sure they take the full picture of costs into consideration before making their decision. Additionally, condo owners have considerable freedom from routine maintenance. Traditional homeowners have their time taken up shoveling, mowing their lawns, and painting their exteriors. Condo associations collectively hire out for these regular necessities.

The Cons of Buying a Condo
From a pure investment perspective, condominiums have proven to appreciate at a slower rate than traditional homes. In addition, condos have a reputation of being difficult to sell or flip in comparison to single-family homes, leading condo owners to rely on things like location and other differentiating factors to bolster resale options.

Additionally, while condos are largely cheaper than traditional homes, sometimes additional costs cut into these savings considerably. Condo owners must join their condo’s association and pay monthly dues that work towards regular maintenance. These fees can range from $100 to $1,000 in many cases, which can add up to a higher overall cost than a traditional single-family mortgage.

Always take the full picture into consideration when choosing your next home!

If you pointed out the panel cover (also called the “dead front”), you nailed it! This electrical panel cover appears to have been replaced by a homemade sheet metal cover. If a cover ever goes missing or needs to be replaced for whatever reason, an exact replica (made by the same manufacturer) needs to be installed by a licensed electrician to comply with UL (Underwriter’s Laboratories) standards. Improperly installed or ineffective dead fronts can result in shock hazards. Be sure to use caution and rely on the experts when dealing with any electrical part replacement!

Things are heating up! While there’s plenty to get excited about with longer days and sunnier skies ahead, there’s a good chance you might be noticing some unwelcome surprises along your driveways and sidewalks. There are many reasons why concrete will crack under the pressure. Here are some of the most common ones – and maybe some tactics you can use to avoid them!

Too Much Water
All concrete needs water to set properly. However, a common mistake while mixing concrete is using too much of it. Water is necessary to create the “paste” form, and it is the key factor involved during the hydration process (which leads to hardening). While more water within the mix will make it more workable and fluid, its hardened form will be weaker and more prone to cracking.

Cracks caused by too much water can occur soon after drying, appear after limited strain, or even crop up after periods of warm weather. In short, when pouring concrete in the future remember to add water (but not too much)!

Allow For Seasonal Movement
While heat can reveal issues that began when your concrete was poured, heat can do plenty of damage all on its own. Throughout the year, heat and cold will make your concrete expand and contract naturally. The issue occurs when concrete slabs contact other static, resistant materials such as brick or stone.

Certain materials can be used as intermediaries to absorb some of this strain when placed between concrete and fixed materials. With proper planning, builders can use materials like rubber, polyvinyl, or polyethylene to allow for seasonal shifting. Note: tree roots are also known to grow and shift seasonally and can damage or crack your concrete zones!

Be Sensitive to the Strain
As a final note when considering cracks in your concrete – just be mindful of the types of strain that you place on these areas! Homeowners frequently overestimate their driveways by placing excessive weight on their slabs irrespective of other recent strains (like softening from snow or heavy rains). While concrete is a strong and valuable building resource, every material has its natural limits and lifespan. So, while many concrete cracks are unavoidable – consider what you can do to take care of your space!