What is Maintenance Free Living?
Are you attracted to the idea of a maintenance free lifestyle? If yard work and exterior home maintenance are things you wish to avoid, then maintenance free living is for you. People in many different walks of life are looking for homes where little upkeep is required, from seniors to busy career-driven individuals to people with disabilities. But what exactly is maintenance free living in Greensboro, NC?
Maintenance free living refers to residences where the exterior of the home and the land surrounding it is maintained by either a Home Owner’s Association (HOA) or community association. These are most often townhomes or condos rather than single family houses. In maintenance free communities, the homeowner is not responsible for yard work or exterior house work. Typical maintenance items covered by your HOA would likely include:
- Lawn care (mowing, leaf removal, fertilizing and otherwise keeping grass in good condition)
- Hedge trimming
- Weeding, mulching, planting
- Painting/siding
- Roofing
- Pressure washing
- Gutter cleaning
- Snow removal
Each community will have a specific list of what maintenance items are handled by the HOA and which items are the responsibility of the homeowner. Be sure you understand your maintenance responsibilities before purchasing.
The Difference Between Maintenance Free Living and Low Maintenance Living
Be cautious when you hear the term “low maintenance living” because there is a significant difference between that and true maintenance free living in Greensboro, NC. Low maintenance living means that some exterior items may be left up to the homeowner. Often the yard maintenance, such as lawn care and snow removal are done by the HOA, but exterior home maintenance such as repair or cleaning of painting, siding, windows, and roof are the homeowner’s responsibility. If you are unable to handle these tasks yourself you can always hire someone, but the cost is yours to bear. Low maintenance living may suit you just fine, but if you are looking to do zero maintenance yourself, you should opt for a truly maintenance free community.
The Benefits of Maintenance Free Living in Greensboro, NC
There are certainly advantages to the maintenance free lifestyle. More and more homebuyers are choosing this option than ever before. Here’s why.
- Save time. Yard work and exterior home maintenance take up a lot of your spare time. Depending on the size of your home and yard, you could spend hours upon hours mowing, weeding, raking, mulching, pressure washing, and more. Maintenance free living means you have more time for yourself, your family, and the activities you enjoy.
- Save money. Yard work requires yard tools and machinery that costs money to purchase, fuel, and upkeep. Repairing and cleaning your siding, roof, gutters, etc. is costly in materials, not to mention fees if you have to hire someone else to do the labor. What you pay in HOA dues is likely much less than the true cost of the maintenance.
- Less stress. Worried about finding time to get your yard mowed? Concerned about the cost to repair or replace your aging roof? Eliminate the stress in your life that is related to yard and exterior upkeep when you choose maintenance free living.
Looking for the best maintenance free communities in Greensboro? Contact Smith Marketing of Allen Tate Realtors, the top Real Estate team in the Triad: (336) 215-7800.