I get asked all of the time by clients if it is really necessary to inspect a condo before purchase. While it is true that many patio home/condo communities have master agreements that take care of the exterior of the community (roofs, lots, facade, ect) there are still issues that can be discovered. For those curious about all the issues that a home owner needs to be ready for, you can find them here. You will be responsible for the interior of the unit and if it is discovered that the exterior has issues- you may be able to resolve them before closing using the current owner to help navigate the community board.
On my recent condo inspection there were a few issues discovered on the inside including a roof leak-but the exterior offered a find that could be real serious in an emergency. When the condo unit (8 units in this one building) was built the electrician did not label the main distribution panel which houses the main disconnect breakers. While this is not normally a big issue- if you had an emergency and had to shut off the power it would be a guess. Not of course you would shut them all off in an emergency- it would be some much easier if they were labeled.
There were some other issues discovered-but issues regarding safety should never be ignored. Should you get your patio home/ condo inspected? It is an inexpensive process to make sure you are covered.
