The Washington Post - 22.02.2020

the

washington

post

.

saturday,

february

22,

2020

EZ

12

BY KATHY ORTON AND JAIMIE SEATON • PHOTOS BY AMANDA ANDRADE-RHOADES

The condo fees conundrum

Owners should consider costs and expenses beyond what’s inside their unit’s walls

The Sterling, a 16-unit property in Adams Morgan, hasn’t increased its

condo fees since 199 5. Owners share certain chores like landscaping and

opted for a $ 30 ,0 00 special assessment l ast year for building upgrades.

Jeff Norman, board president of the Garfield Condominium on

Connecticut Avenue, said the association p uts roughly $ 37 0, 000

annually into its reserve fund. He pays $7 80 a month for a one-bedroom.

At 4200 Cathedral Avenue, monthly fees range from about $ 750 per

month for a one-bedroom to about $1,20 0 for a three-bedroom unit. The

board president says the amount put in reserves and expenses drive fees.

Condominium fees are similar to taxes in that almost no one likes paying them. And much like taxes, few people know what they

get for what they pay. A nyone who lives in a condo contributes toward the building’s common expenses. These monthly fees are

in addition to a mortgage payment. Disgruntled owners grumble their fees always seem to go up and they never cover enough.

They can feel like they have no control over increases in the amount they pay. ¶ Heather McCabe owns a 2,200-square-foot con-

do a couple blocks from a beach in Miami. Her $1,868 monthly fee covers water, sewer, basic cable and access to a pool, gym,

front desk and valet. But McCabe isn’t convinced that she’s getting her money’s worth. “ We pay five-star fees for three-star ame-

nities,” McCabe said. ¶ McCabe’s condo fees are higher than the national average. Using the Census Bureau’s American Commu-

nity Survey data, Zillow looked at condo fees across the country. The median condo fee nationally was $290 per month. It is

$400 per month in the Washington region. If utilities are separated out, the median condo fee nationally drops to $240 monthly

and $88 in the Washington area. Zillow found that 65 percent of condo fees in the D.C. region include water costs and that

76 percent include electric costs.

cover story

The Foxhall Condominium on Massachusetts Avenue has some of the

highest fees in the District, ranging from around $1, 400 per month for a

one-bedroom to around $3,50 0 per month for a three-bedroom unit.