There are a lot of nice houses around. What is your price range? maybe thats the problem. Condos are cheaper than a house because you have no land. Really it depends on how you look at it. The association fee on a condo or townhouse is way more than a house usually. So a 170K condo vs: 190K house may not really be cheaper in the long run. Houses are like cars. Some people don't take care of them, and others do. The only reason condos are appearing nicer is because it takes the owner out of the equation. The HOA pays for someone to paint, landscape, spray for bugs, etc and they make sure its done on a schedule.

Which one is better? Its all personal preference. If you don't like to do things yourself or don't have a lot of free time a condo is probably better. If you don't mind doing things yourself to save money, enjoy having your own land, and want some kind of privacy get a house.