Buying a Condo or Townhome: A Checklist
Buying a condo or townhome means inspecting your unit's systems and reviewing the association's health. Key steps: inspect the unit's HVAC, plumbing and electrical; review the association's reserve study, budget, assessment history and disclosures; understand what the association maintains versus what you own; and, in older conversions, scrutinize the building's aging shared systems.
A different kind of purchase
Buying an attached home splits responsibility between you and the association, so the due diligence is twofold: inspect your unit, and review the association's health. A great unit in a poorly funded association can still mean large special assessments down the road. Here is what to check.
Inspect the unit
- The unit's HVAC, water heater and the electrical panel serving it.
- Plumbing fixtures and visible supply and drain lines.
- Windows, doors, and signs of water intrusion at exterior walls and shared walls.
- Bathroom and kitchen ventilation, and any private deck, patio or garage.
A condo and townhome inspection focuses on exactly these systems.
Review the association
- Reserve study: is the association adequately funded for future roof, siding and major repairs?
- Budget and dues: are dues realistic for what the association maintains?
- Assessment history: frequent special assessments can signal underfunding or deferred maintenance.
- Disclosures and rules: understand what is allowed and what is the association's responsibility.
Watch older St. Paul conversions
St. Paul has many condo conversions in century-old buildings. A renovated unit can sit inside a building whose wiring, plumbing risers and roof are decades old — shared systems whose eventual replacement falls to the association, and by extension to you through dues and assessments. Inspect the visible shared elements and read the documents carefully.
Frequently asked questions
What should I inspect in a condo or townhome?
The unit's HVAC, water heater, electrical panel, plumbing and windows, plus visible shared elements and any private deck, patio or garage.
Why review the association documents?
The reserve study, budget and assessment history reveal whether the association is funded for major repairs — underfunding can mean future special assessments.
Are older St. Paul condo conversions risky?
They require extra care. A renovated unit may sit in a century-old building whose shared wiring, plumbing and roof are far older than the finishes.
Who maintains what in a condo?
Typically the association maintains the roof, exterior and shared structure, while you own the unit's interior systems. Confirm the split in the documents.
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