Condos are often considered easy, low-maintenance options to park your money, banking on the idea that the condo will appreciate over the years and you will someday be able to sell it for a substantial gain. While appreciation potential is an important factor when investing, the annual costs involved in holding a condo often negate much, if not all, of the financial gain you’ll get from appreciation, should you be lucky enough to own a property that does increase in value over time. Single-family homes tend to appreciate more than condos, partly because people have a hard time envisioning paying a higher sales price for a property where they have to pay condo fees. Many homebuyers would rather put that money into home improvements of their own choosing. The people who generally profit from condos are the developers alone.