The search for an affordable home often becomes the biggest challenge for homebuyers. Home prices continue to rise in many communities around the country. Finding a home that offers a reasonable mortgage and modest maintenance fees may mean looking for something other than the traditional single-family home. Here are three examples of comfortable, but affordable, alternatives.

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Durable Pole Barns

Factory pre-cut materials and a design that does not always need a foundation make it faster and easier to assemble pole barn homes. Less time and fewer materials involved in the building process drive prices below those of most stick-built houses. The durable and endlessly adaptable homes fit into nearly any neighbourhood and can accommodate any family size.

Pole barn homes do not only save buyers money on the purchase. Many homeowners discover their heating costs drop due to the design of the home. Stick-built homes potentially have many gaps for heat loss, but this risk drops with pole barn homes. The homes also often manage severe weather better than other homes styles because the posts of the home are sunk into the earth for stability.

Trendy Tiny Homes

Consumers may have the wrong idea about tiny houses because of their popularity in home design shows. The television programs often show only luxuriously designed homes that come with designer prices. The reality of the housing choice is that many affordable options exist and are just as visually appealing as anything on TV. Tiny homes can adapt to the desires of the owner. The houses can have a yard with sheds and gardens or be on wheels for complete mobility.

Tiny houses also vary in size from the ultra-compact to several hundred square feet. Buying a small house reduces the amount of property tax, homeowner’s insurance, utility costs, and more. Owners of small homes often enjoy outdoor lifestyles, prefer minimalist decor, and have a goal of living debt-free. Not all home buyers should choose this option, as psychologists agree that the small spaces can improve mental health for some but be detrimental for others.

Join a Community

Condominium owners benefit in several ways. Condo communities often include a variety of amenities that homebuyers could never afford on their own. Pools, gyms, and luxurious entertainment areas have become common in many areas along with many other extras. Ownership of a condo means the buyer has others who will help with the building and yard maintenance as well as the cost of care for the building. In addition, condo ownership offers a potential cut in the purchase price when compared to single-family homes in the same area.

People that love to socialize are the best personality type for condo living. Social individuals looking for the right neighbourhood should consider the benefits of buying a condominium. They will have countless of other like-minded residents around them.

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Buyers need to pay attention to the fees charged by the condo association. The fees help to cover maintenance and improvements, heating and cooling, and property taxes and insurance. Excessive fees can take away the savings the homeowner achieved during their home purchase.

Many types of alternative housing exist for homeowners that cannot or do not want to pay the high prices many real estate markets demand. Not all alternatives satisfy every home buyer, but every buyer can find something that appeals to them. Never give up on the search for the perfect home because options do exist.