I do. We rent because there are no plans to stay in our current city.
I'm with you on it being better to lock a condo up for a few months.
there are neighbors right there to watch things. I'll also agree on utilities. It can be very cheap.
However, I would NOT recommend it.
We lved it at first. No maintenance, etc. Then the novelty wore off and it now seems like a small, loud apartment.
Doesn't matter if your building is kid free. Some people rent and neighbors change quickly. Ourbbuilding had no small kids until this year. During the summer the doors get slammed constantly. The common doors are left ajar all the time. Forget safety! We are upstairs. A bike has been left at the bottom of the stairs...in the common area...just sitting there. Crumbs from the little angels too.
And they sit on the steps when their condo is downstairs! that doesn't fly bc we have two dogs to lug up and down those stairs to pee and jeither is particularly trustworthy.
The mailboxes are undersized.
Second floor is terrible with dogs.
Laundry is two flights down in the basement.
Walls are thin. Downstairs neighbor has one loud sneeze. Quite disturbing... And when a kid is up coughing all night it is now your problem. You get to hear some lovely family fights too.
Whatever bimbos your neighbors decide to let in the building are your problem.
Not long ago the teens downstairs decided to give the neighorhood stair cat a home in the common area. How nice of them! It came upstairs and sat by our door trying to get in. I love animals and feel for strays, but cats can get rabies. ?keep it away from. my dogs! and my door!
Hmm, what else..
Downstars neighbor smokes. Can't smell it in our condo but can in hall.
Neighbors furnace was leaking gas. He pondered whether or not to fix it bc they might move. Yup, why fix it. It is just natural gas oeaking everywhere.
Sewer system in our building is terrible. Backs up..linto the laundry sink. Could happen anywhere. If you are gone and this happens your stuff is ruined. And forget neighbors calling the association to report problems like these. ?apparently not everyone realizes water going all over or a permiating gas smell is important.
and that pot of food your neighbor left on the stove accidentally while she went out..hopefully you are home to call 911 when it starts burning...
To sum it up, it can be loud and whatever amount of risks there are in your home on a daily asis, multiply by 4 or 8 depending on how many condos are in the building because the risk is additive, It won't matter if you don't believe in smoking in bed, leaving the kitchen when something is cooking, etc. bc everyone else in the building can do what they want.
It is not all bad, but I would not buy one.