An Entertaining 3 Minutes That May Just Double Your Home Search Options
It happens often, someone walks into The Summerhouse and says to our friendly Greeters, "I don't want a condominium." More often than not, it comes from a misunderstanding of what a condominium actually is. (And we should really start tracking how many of those proclaiming "no condo" actually end up buying a condominium. It is not a small number!)
The truth is, most people don't really understand what "condominium" means, not at The Pinehills, and not anywhere else. In our newest Behind the Pines video, we sent our friend Jackson out to learn what "condominium" actually means, and the answer surprised even us: you cannot judge a condominium just by looking at it. It's not a building style. It's an ownership model, and it takes far more forms than most people realize.
Our favorite Pinehills LLC paralegal, Suzanne Stone, lays out the concept for Jackson: when you own a condominium, you have a shared interest in the whole association, not just the land, but the structures too, including your home. Your home is yours to use and maintain, but ownership in all elements of the association is shared. That's true everywhere condos exist. There are many benefits to condo ownership, (and yes, expenses tied to those benefits.)
What's different at The Pinehills is the sheer range of home styles built with a condominium ownership model, from freestanding houses on wooded lots to attached homes with private outdoor space you'll never want to leave.
And then there's the twist. Homes in neighborhoods that look (stereotypically, of course) and function like condos, with associations handling snow, trash, and landscaping, but they aren't condominiums. At Symington Woods, Sean Anderson explains that homeowners in their attached home neighborhood have single-family ownership of those homes. They own the homes and the land beneath it, right up to their property lines, even when that line runs through a shared wall.
Watch the full video above. And if you're actively researching what condo ownership looks like in any of the featured neighborhoods, here's a closer look.
Condo Ownership at The Pinehills, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
A quick note before you dive in: this isn't an exhaustive list of every condominium neighborhood at The Pinehills, not even close. (More than 40% of the homes here are condominiums. Really!) What follows are the new home neighborhoods currently selling, plus Seton Highlands, which is a completed neighborhood we're highlighting as a distinct example of gracious freestanding homes built as condominiums, much the same way we used Symington Woods earlier as the contrast on the single-family side.
Seton Highlands a completed neighborhood of freestanding and attached homes, some over 2,300 square feet, set on wooded lots, with a clubhouse and pool. Many of these homes look like traditional single-family houses, but they're condominiums. Homeowners maintain the inside of their homes while the association takes care of the exterior, including beautifully maintained landscaping that is unique from home to home, despite being the responsibility of the association. Nothing here feels cookie-cutter and it's an easy, low-maintenance way to live at The Pinehills.
Aurora Sky (Green Company) Attached homes with condominium ownership and a focus on private outdoor living. As at Seton Highlands, the maintenance responsibility here is "inside your walls," with the association handling exterior upkeep, including landscaping that's exquisitely planned and cared for. Homeowners love how quiet and private it feels, despite being attached, breaking a big misconception tied to condominium living.
Broadleaf (Toll Brothers) Also attached homes and also condominium ownership, but a different maintenance model. Here, homeowners are responsible for the whole structure, including roof and siding, while the association manages the land, landscape, trash, and snow removal. Your insurance responsibilities are different than some other condominium neighborhoods as well, Proof that two attached condo neighborhoods at The Pinehills can work very differently.
Jones Pond Way (Barefoot Cottage Company, coming soon) The newest neighborhood from Barefoot Cottage Company, and the first Barefoot Cottage neighborhood built as condominium ownership. Freestanding cottage homes with a look and feel in the spirit of neighborhoods like Cobblestone and Birdsong, with whole-structure maintenance responsibility similar to Broadleaf.
Symington Woods (Whitman Homes): Not a Condo - Worth calling out on its own: Symington Woods is attached, and the homeowners association handles snow, trash, and much of the landscaping, but this is single-family ownership, not condominium. Homeowners own their home and the land beneath it, up to their property line, even where that line runs through a shared wall with a neighbor.
Condominium association fees cover different things depending on the neighborhood: landscaping, trash and snow removal, exterior maintenance, and in some cases shared amenities like a clubhouse, tennis courts, or a pool. Generally, more services and amenities means higher association fees. Fewer services and amenities means lower association fees. The specifics are captured in neighborhood covenants. These are available to buyers to review and it's always smart to ask questions of your REALTOR® and the associations in the neighborhoods you are exploring.
So if you find yourself thinking "I don't want a condominium," it's worth asking why. And, what that word actually means where you're looking. The answer might surprise you. It's happened to more buyers at The Pinehills than you'd think: they walk in saying condo is a dealbreaker, and they walk out having bought one anyway, once they understood what they were actually getting.
Talk to the Team in the Know
Here's where our Pinehills Brokerage Services REALTORS®, new home builder sales teams, and The Pinehills Greeters really shine. It matters that you talk to people who know and understand the very wide variety of homes and neighborhoods at The Pinehills. They live and breathe these details every day.
🏠 If you're buying at The Pinehills, they can walk you through exactly what the neighborhood ownership style means for the home you're interested in.
🏠 If you're selling at The Pinehills, there's no one who can represent the value of your home and neighborhood quite like Pinehills Brokerage Services REALTORS®.
Have questions about condominium homes at The Pinehills? Something else? Use the form below and we'll be in touch!
