You're kinda missing out on some of the advantages of the condo lifestyle. I work my ass off to make a good living and I put in long hours doing so. When I get off work I need to relax, reset and recharge. The last thing I want is a bunch of chores and DIY projects. If I wanted to do more work I can always go back to my desk at the office. The payoff is higher.
So I pay an HOA for my condo and the association has to maintain the exterior of my unit, do the grounds keeping, the land scaping, maintain the pool, park, rec center and work out facility, pick up my garbage, etc.
So I'm paying for valuable services that contribute to my quality of life and give me the flexibility to do other things than household chores and maintenance.
Now you may prefer doing those chores to save some money and that's your perogative...if you don't mind being a slave to a piece of property l.