Life in Condominium vs Single Houses: Why Are Condominiums One Of The Best Options For Safe Housing?

When it comes to choosing a place to live, feeling safe is highly important. And one option that often comes up for safety-minded folks is condos. But what makes life in condominiums so safe? Are they really as secure as people say? Are they safer than a single-family home?

Whether you're thinking about moving into a condo or you already live in one and are thinking of moving to a single-family home, stick around and find out what condos can offer in terms of safety.

Safety and security don't just happen; they are the result of collective consensus - Nelson Mandela

We're going to dive into what makes condos such safe places to live. We'll talk about things like cameras and security guards, sure, but we'll also look at how everyone in the condo community pitches in to keep things secure (or not…).

---

Safety & Life in Condominiums: 5 Safety Risk Condominiums Face And How To Deal With Them

Condos vs single-family home

If safety were your top priority, would you choose to spend your life in a condominium, or a single-family home? There are some safety and security risks shared by both types of properties (i.e., robbery), but there are also others that are particular to each one, which makes it difficult to perform a one-to-one risk assessment. Nonetheless, despite the fact that hundreds of people pass through condo developments each day, multi-unit buildings are generally safer than ground-level homes. 

The main advantage that condominiums have over individual houses are its residents. Due to the high traffic of individuals that condominiums have, it is significantly harder for a criminal to sneak in and out of a unit unseen by a resident. Perhaps that high flux of individuals may facilitate the unwanted visitor to blend in while being in the main hall or in the elevator of a big condominium where not every resident knows each other. Nonetheless, by the time they reach a certain floor where they intend to break into a specific unit, they will stand out from the usual residents.

Condos usually also come with a more complex network of cameras generally installed around the perimeter of the building, in the lobby, in parking garages, and in elevators. The chances of a thief being caught on more than one camera are high. And then there’s the possibility of being apprehended by security or concierge. If an issue does occur, there is someone on the property who will respond right away. Homeowners on the other hand have to contact local authorities, and won’t get immediate assistance.  

Condominium internal risks (owners and tenants)

The same residents that can act as a deterrent for thieves wanting to enter the property, can actually become the source of the problem. Residents in a building can pose a danger to staff or other residents. Condominiums have a duty to protect directors, managers, staff, and owners, but unfortunately, there are plenty of stories and increasing court cases involving abusive owners and depleted managers.

While there are instances of owners acting dangerously towards other members, it’s usually the staff who are subjected to verbal and physical abuse. Too many condo managers are experiencing burnout and abuse, which is causing them to leave the industry altogether. Having a workplace harassment policy in place, and ensuring that it is enforced can help to deal with these issues. In addition, adopting a good conflict resolution method can help de-escalate situations before they pose a risk to any individual, resident or manager.

Car and/or bike theft 

This type of crime may be less impactful but the most common for people choosing to spend their life in condominium communities. Sometimes, car or bike thefts are premeditated, but much of the time, the thief looks for an easy opportunity. They may follow residents through parking garage doors or gates, pretending to live in the building and gaining access to the car or bicycle parking, specially in condominiums where there are no security guards allocated to those specific areas who could identify the intruder as not part of the usual resident group.

To prevent or reduce the risk of this happening, access points to car and bike garages should be gated and/or secured. Unmanned barriers won’t keep pedestrians out but it’s better to have some access control than nothing at all. Bike rooms are preferred over bike racks in the open garage as it is much easier to cut a bike chain than to bypass a door lock, especially if it's a modern lock such as FOBs.

Fires, floods and other disasters

Condo residents don’t often find themselves in these types of emergency situations, but if they are not prepared to respond to an incident or vacate property the consequences can be very severe and even the life of condominium residents can be at risk. Evacuating from 10 or 20 floors above the ground is much more complicated and time consuming than evacuating from the ground floor. In these cases it is key for residents to know beforehand what are the recommended and safest escape routes, as well as alternative options for making it out safely. 

Condo property managers and the board of directors should make sure that all evacuation plans are correctly placed, visible and updated for all residents to see. In addition, evacuation drills and reminders of evacuation proceedings can be performed during the routine owners/residents meetings. Fires, floods and other disasters happen in very rare occasions, but its very important to be prepared for them.

Untrustworthy visitors

Choosing who to allow into the condominium to work on the premises is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Although not so common, there is always a chance for a temporary contractor to have wrongful hidden intentions. Contractors sometimes have access to areas other visitors normally don’t have and may use this for bad reasons. In addition, if security in the condominium is low they may have spotted a poorly hidden master key and attempt to swipe it when the front desk is unattended. 

For this reason it’s always important to hire trustworthy condo vendors with good results and even better reviews. This is one of the reasons why we started Stratastic and created our very own Vendor Directory with more than 2000 vendors from which you can select the very best for your condo.

---

Condominiums offer a compelling option for safe housing due to a combination of factors. While both condos and single-family homes face security risks, life in condominiums typically boast a higher level of safety, thanks in part to their multi-unit structure and the presence of security measures such as cameras and on-site personnel. However, it's essential to recognize and address internal risks within condo communities, including potential conflicts among residents and staff and untrusty vendors.

-Stratastic Inc.

P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to our blog, and be the first to receive informative content such as this!