How Much Space Do You Need in a Downtown Grand Rapids Condo?
How Much Space Do You Need in a Downtown Grand Rapids Condo?
Direct answer: For buyers moving into a downtown Grand Rapids condominium, the square footage inside your unit is usually not all of your space — common elements and storage add space the listing number does not show.
The listing number is not the whole story
One of the major questions Steve gets is: how much space do we need? When you are moving into downtown Grand Rapids into a condominium, the square footage is usually different than where you came from.
Just remember that a condo's square footage within the unit might not be all of your space.
Common elements are part of your space
Usually, there are common elements — pools, athletic facilities, offices, libraries, and multiple different things within a building. Typically, you get a little bit more square footage through those shared spaces.
That is part of what you are buying into with a condo: not just the unit, but the building around it.
Storage counts too
Storage is important as well. In a house, you have a basement or you have storage. In a condo, there are often storage units too.
So it might not be on the listing when you are looking at one. A listing might say 970 square feet, and you might not realize there is actually more square footage that you also have in storage or other facilities.
So when you compare a condo to a house, do not compare the listing number alone. Ask what common elements and storage come with it — that is the space you actually live with.
Key takeaways
Condo square footage inside the unit is usually different from what you are used to in a house.
The unit's square footage might not be all of your space.
Common elements — pools, athletic facilities, offices, libraries — typically add more square footage you get to use.
Storage matters: condos often have storage units, and that space is not always on the listing.
A listing that says 970 square feet may come with more usable space in storage and shared facilities than the number shows.
FAQ
Is a condo's listed square footage all the space I get?
No. The square footage within the unit might not be all of your space — common elements and storage add to it.
What common elements add space in a condo building?
Pools, athletic facilities, offices, libraries, and other shared spaces within the building.
Why does storage matter when comparing condos to houses?
In a house you have a basement or storage; in a condo there are often storage units too, and that storage space might not appear on the listing.
Grand Rapids Downtown Condos FAQ Series
How Much Space Do You Need? — you are here
Association Fees
Renting Out a Condo
Downtown Parking
Financing Condos
Repositioning Your Listing
Watch me explain it
Here is an older video of me explaining the process. It might be older, but the info still rings true.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uWRrxIP438
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Author: Steve Volkers, Associate Broker, Steve Volkers Group at Five Star Real Estate, Grand Rapids, MI — phone 616-717-2179, stevevolkersgroup.com
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