Condo vs Single-Family Home as a Rental

CompareFacts checked November 8, 2026Reviewed by Gary E. Wilson, President and Designated Broker

Start with who repairs what

In a condo, the work is split. Under RCW 64.90.440, unless the declaration says otherwise, the association maintains, repairs and replaces the common elements, including limited common elements, and each owner maintains their own unit. Older condos follow their own act and declaration until 2028, so the exact line is in your documents.

In a single-family home, you carry it all. RCW 59.18.060 requires a landlord to keep the home fit to live in and to keep the roof, floors, walls, foundation and other structural parts in reasonably good repair. With no association, nobody shares the roof or the siding with you. If the house is in an HOA, the association usually covers only common areas.

Either way, your tenant calls you or your manager first, because you are the landlord. With a condo, anything in the common elements then goes through the association. Wilson's condo management page describes coordinating that work "through the correct channel."

Assessments and the resale certificate

Condo owners pay assessments to the association. Under RCW 64.90.480, assessments for common expenses are made at least annually based on a budget the association adopts. Those costs stay with you whether or not the unit is rented, and some associations levy special assessments for major work. If a manager will handle the unit, decide who pays the assessments and make sure association notices reach someone who reads them, so a missed payment does not turn into a bigger problem.

If you are buying a unit to rent, the resale certificate is the document to read first. Under RCW 64.90.640, it must include, among other things:

• The current assessment, any delinquent assessments, and any special assessments levied but not yet paid.
• Any expected repair or replacement cost above 5% of the board-approved annual budget.
• Whether the association has a reserve study, plus its budget and financial statements.
• A description of the association's insurance and the agent's contact details.
• The effect of any restriction on using or occupying the unit, including a restriction on leasing or renting it.

Leasing limits live in the declaration

Leasing restrictions are the biggest condo-specific risk for a landlord. Under RCW 64.90, the declaration must state any leasing restrictions beyond what the board can impose by rule, and RCW 64.90.510 lets a board restrict leasing by rule only to the extent reasonably designed to meet the underwriting requirements of institutional mortgage lenders.

Owners can change the declaration. Under RCW 64.90.285, an amendment generally needs the vote or agreement of owners holding at least 67% of the votes, unless the declaration sets a different figure, up to 90%. That means rental rules can change after you buy, so read the current documents, not the ones from closing day. If you already have a tenant, read any new amendment closely to see whether and when it reaches your current lease.

A single-family home outside an HOA has no declaration to limit renting, though state and local landlord-tenant rules still apply. A house inside an HOA may have rental caps, minimum terms or registration. The post on renting a home in an Eastside HOA community covers those.

The insurance split

In a condo building, the association carries the master policy. RCW 64.90.470 requires property insurance on the common elements and, in a building divided into units by horizontal boundaries or shared walls, the policy must, to the extent reasonably available, include the units and, unless the declaration says otherwise, improvements and betterments to them. Ask your insurance agent how a landlord policy fits around that master policy and its deductible.

In a single-family home, your landlord policy carries the whole building. Wilson's Owner FAQ says it needs proof of the owner's insurance before management starts and requires tenants to carry renters insurance. For leases entered into after December 31, 2026, RCW 59.18.060 adds a required disclosure that the landlord's insurance does not cover the tenant's belongings, along with flood information.

Tenant rules and screening

A condo tenant lives under two rulebooks: your lease and the association's rules. In communities governed by RCW 64.90, the association may fine both the tenant and the owner for a tenant's violation after notice and an opportunity to be heard, but it cannot end the lease or evict unless the declaration allows it. An association may also require you to screen a tenant at your cost and show proof, but it cannot demand the screening report under RCW 64.90.565. The HOA Act and the Condominium Act have the same screening rule, so this applies to most associations, not only newer ones.

A house without an HOA has only your lease and the law. That is simpler, but it also means any rule you care about, from parking to yard care, belongs in the lease if you want to rely on it.

How management differs

Managing a condo rental adds association work: reading the governing documents, passing rules to the tenant, registering the tenancy where required, and routing common-element repairs. Managing a house adds more hands-on maintenance. Wilson's single-family property management page covers the house side. Before you set a rent for either, the rental analysis guide explains what a pricing review can and cannot tell you.

Wilson's condo page says it reviews the association's governing documents and works within them, and that dues and assessments remain the owner's responsibility unless you arrange otherwise. For a house inside an HOA, the HOA coordination page covers registration, architectural review and violation notices. The HOA vs rental management guide explains how the association's manager and your rental manager split the work.