If you're thinking of leaving the 'burbs' for that shiny new condo you saw in a newspaper ad, here's a word you will need to add to your vocabulary: dues.

The beauty of condominium living is that you no longer have to cut the grass, take care of the pool or do any other countless repairs and maintenance you normally do around the house. This freedom, however, comes at a price in the form of condominium dues or maintenance fees. But not having to take care of landscaping, plumbing, and the like in a home is what usually attracts most people to condominiums; it gives you lots of free time.

There are two types of dues in a condominium association: the regular (usually monthly) dues, and the special assessment dues.

Regular dues cover costs usually associated with the normal upkeep of the condominium's common areas--those areas which everyone uses like elevators, pool, tennis courts, landscaping, etc. In your condominium things will wear out and need repair, but as long as it's not in your unit, the association will take care of it through your dues. These include repairs to a roof, painting the outside of the building, maintenance of a pool, laundry room, and landscaping. For example, the cost of repairing a leaky roof atop a condominium is paid from the dues. This is not the same as repairing ceiling damage in your unit, which will usually be your responsibility as the unit owner.

Similarly, plumbing and electrical repairs are included so long as the repair is to a problem inside the common elements of the condominium. For example, the plumbing system throughout a condominium structure is a common element to the condominium structure, meaning that, just like the common areas, everyone uses it. A break anywhere in the system must be repaired by the association. Something not covered would be your leaky toilet or faucet: it's inside your unit, not part of the common elements, and you would be responsible for repairing it.

Just as you needed hazard insurance to cover any damage to your home in case of fire or storm damage, a condominium also needs insurance. Fortunately that is included in the dues too, so you will not be paying the full tab.

Dues are calculated once a year, when the association prepares and presents it to the homeowners.

Special assessments are one-time fees charged by the association for major repairs or changes to the complex. For example, if the roof is old and it is costing a more to repair leaks, the association may decide that it's better to replace it than to continue spending money on those repairs. The cost of replacing the roof would normally be paid through a special assessment.

Dues may seem like a burden, but for those who have chosen to move into a condominium, the freedom from home repairs and maintenance is well worth it.