[lawpoop]

> Condos can be dangerous. One second you're enjoying your nice condo, the next you're paying your $15k share of the repair cost of the buildings elevator.

Isn't the same true of houses? Don't you have to pay for roofs, water heaters, air conditioners, etc?

[pfarnsworth]

You can choose to push off your repairs, like I do with the roof, or you can try to fix them yourself, like my house's previous owner. And if you do choose to do something, you can choose the quality and the timeframe. With an HOA you are forced to spend the money and have little say as to how you want to spend it and in what timeframe.