Building Gym and Pool: Are You Overpaying for Amenities?

Building amenities like a gym and pool sound appealing at the moment of purchase, but they also raise the monthly maintenance fee you'll pay for years, whether you use them or not. The question of whether you're overpaying for building amenities arises right there: if in practice you visit the gym once a month or never set foot in the pool, you are effectively subsidizing the use of other residents who take advantage of them every day. Before getting carried away by the sales brochure, it's worth calculating whether the added cost of those amenities truly outweighs the benefit you'll get from them over the time you live there.

How the cost is split among everyone

The maintenance fee is usually calculated by indiviso (each unit's ownership share of the common areas) or per unit, without distinguishing how much each resident uses the common areas. This means a neighbor who swims in the pool every day pays exactly the same as one who never visits it all year. Pool upkeep (chemicals, lifeguards, cleaning) and gym upkeep (equipment, maintenance, sometimes trained staff) tend to make up a significant part of the total fee in buildings with many amenities, so their presence can noticeably raise the monthly cost of living there, even if you never use them regularly.

How to decide if paying for them is worth it

Before buying or renting in a building with lots of amenities, honestly compare your real habits against the additional cost they add to your monthly budget.

• Check how much of the maintenance fee goes to amenities versus basic services
• Calculate how much you would pay for an outside gym or pool at the same frequency of use
• Compare the fee against a similar building without those amenities in the same area
• Keep in mind that amenities can help with plusvalía (property appreciation) and ease of resale
• Ask whether there's any option to opt out of certain areas in exchange for a discount, although this is uncommon

Alternatives if you don't use the amenities

If, after analyzing your habits, you conclude you'll hardly ever use the building's gym or pool, there are alternatives before you rule out a property that's attractive for other reasons. One option is to look for buildings in the same area with fewer amenities and, therefore, lower maintenance fees, putting that difference toward an outside gym of your choice with better equipment or a more convenient location. Another alternative is to negotiate the purchase price, considering that although you'll pay the same fee as everyone else, the value you place on the property is different from that of someone who will use those common areas every day.

Frequently asked questions

Can I refuse to pay the part of the fee that goes to amenities?

No. The maintenance fee is charged as a whole according to the condominium's regulations and each unit's indiviso, regardless of whether you use any particular amenity.

Do amenities really increase a condo's resale value?

They usually help with plusvalía (appreciation) and make a future sale or rental easier, especially in mid- to high-end buildings, although the effect varies by city and by how well those common areas are maintained.

How do I know how much of my maintenance fee goes to amenities?

Ask the condominium administrator for the detailed breakdown of expenses, which is normally presented at assemblies or in annual reports, to identify what percentage goes to the gym, pool, and other specific common areas.