BuySellBA
Administrator
The real impact of amenities on HOA fees - La Nacion Propiedades
Source:
El impacto real que tienen los amenities en las expensas
Un relevamiento revela que los amenities pueden encarecer las expensas hasta en un 43%
www.lanacion.com.ar
April 03, 2026
A survey reveals that amenities can increase maintenance fees by up to 43%.
Building amenities tend to be one of the main differences between neighbors.Massana Group
The gym, the pool, or the multipurpose room tend to be a solution when considering various needs, but the problem arises when the monthly maintenance fees arrive . When looking for an apartment to move into, choosing a building with amenities has gone from being an aspirational luxury to a concrete reality , and in recent years, this trend has grown significantly in real estate developments.
From swimming pools to grills, including laundry facilities and other more unusual options like hairdressing and horseback riding in gated communities , these are some of the alternatives that have become the new lures for investors, owners and tenants.
However, when considering how these extra services affect maintenance fees, the main differences between neighbors emerge: some argue that the difference between having and not having amenities is substantial , while others downplay it . Therefore, the best way to clear up this doubt is to understand the true impact of these amenities on the monthly bill.
The difference in the cost of building expenses for buildings with and without amenities is 23.67%.
According to a survey conducted by the building and private neighborhood management platform Octavo Piso, based on 200,000 users from the City of Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires, the difference in the cost of building expenses with and without amenities is 23.67% .
In concrete terms, buildings without amenities in the Federal Capital had an average maintenance fee of $213,240.53 for the month of January . Meanwhile, those with extra services paid an average of $263,720 in the same month .
The preferred amenities in buildings
One of the key findings of the survey relates to the services preferred in real estate developments :- Firstly, the main protagonist is the SUM , present in 49.6% of buildings with amenities and consolidated as the social space most valued by the residents.
- In second place is the grill with 21.7% of the developments.
- Third place is also occupied by the grill, but in its version integrated into terraces or SUM with 9.7%, confirming that the ritual of the barbecue continues to be an essential part of urban life.
- Next is the laundry , which is present in 7.4% of the buildings.
- The swimming pool ranks fifth, appearing in 3.5% of the constructions.
- The sixth place responds to the new demands linked to flexible work: Coworking, with a 1.9% presence in the buildings.
- At the bottom of the list is the gym , with a 1.6% presence in the developments.
In contrast, the most exclusive amenities such as jacuzzi, sauna or mini-cinema are only found in a few buildings, making them niche services.
It is also important to clarify that there are buildings in which some services , beyond their impact on common expenses, require a separate rental fee to be used.
For example, the average rental cost for a multipurpose room (SUM) is usually around $20,000, while the most economical grills can be around $15,000 . However, what usually raises the average cost significantly are the more elaborate amenities, such as barbecue areas , for example, with costs averaging $130,000 or $150,000, according to the platform's report.
Some buildings have more exclusive amenities, such as a mini-cinema.Concierge Auctions
Amenities in gated communities
In the case of gated communities, the reality is very different from that of apartment buildings. While many private neighborhoods offer amenities, not all include them , and the disparity in maintenance fees between those that do and those that don't is significant.The average maintenance fees for neighborhoods with extra services in January were $636,310, while those without amenities averaged $443,223. In this sense, the disparity between the two reaches 43% - when in buildings it is 23.67%.
The preferred ones in this case are ranked as follows:
- Tennis courts : 31.1%.
- Soccer fields : 23%.
- SUM : 17.7%.
- Padel courts : 9.7%.
“This demonstrates that sports and social spaces are becoming the heart of community life,” the report states.
Sports and social spaces are becoming the heart of community life in gated communities.Mycelium Developments
Similarly, to a lesser extent, unusual proposals appear such as: golf course , horse riding , coworking , microcinema, ping pong table or even the mate gourd , each present in only one neighborhood.
Now, just like in apartment buildings, there are neighborhoods where you have to rent some amenities to use them. In these cases, prices tend to be in dollars; for example, a common room (SUM) can cost an average of US$32 (about $48,000). Meanwhile, reserving sports areas like an 11-a-side soccer field can cost $50,000 , or a lighted paddle tennis court can cost up to $30,000 .
“In many cases, what drives up the cost of living in apartments with amenities isn't the amenities themselves, but the associated services and products required for their upkeep. The economic difference between having and not having them is significant in neighborhoods and somewhat less so in apartment buildings. But beyond making these figures transparent, it's also true that many people who move to these spaces do so, in part, because of the amenities they'll be able to enjoy,” concluded Nicolás Rossi, one of the founders of Octavo Piso.
www.buysellba.com
