Condo vs House

[Daytona Al]

Speaking of people being "Stacked up on top of each other," years ago, I had a girlfriend who had a first-floor apartment. The tenants above her often kept her up half the night with their......uh.......nightly workouts. My girlfriend also said their bed had a terrible squeak in it.
I couldn't resist. The next night, I left a can of WD-40 by their front door.

Cute. Did it do the trick?

 

[Daytona Al]

I'm the same , I have a problem with my right knee, which gives out quite often when going up and downstairs...recently however I've been using a treadmill for 15 minutes a day and it's made my knee a whole load stronger...

I'd love a Bungalow, but they hold their price more than houses very often because there aren't so many of them available..

My daughter arrived back from abroad last year and now has a bungalow about 70 miles from here.. it's bliss... and it's really big inside, a great big walk in shower room, even the dogs go in there for a shower..lol.. a 30 x30 livingroom/diner... .. but even in the 8 months she's been there, Bungalows close to her for sale have risen in price exponentially

When you say "house", do you mean something with two stories/levels, as opposed to a bungalow with one story?

 

[Daytona Al]

I'm the same , I have a problem with my right knee, which gives out quite often when going up and downstairs...recently however I've been using a treadmill for 15 minutes a day and it's made my knee a whole load stronger...

I'd love a Bungalow, but they hold their price more than houses very often because there aren't so many of them available..

My daughter arrived back from abroad last year and now has a bungalow about 70 miles from here.. it's bliss... and it's really big inside, a great big walk in shower room, even the dogs go in there for a shower..lol.. a 30 x30 livingroom/diner... .. but even in the 8 months she's been there, Bungalows close to her for sale have risen in price exponentially

Prices here are rising daily. I want to trade the condo for a bungalow or townhouse, but fear that I'll get caught. Maybe we'll have to wait until prices stabilize. Certainly they will peak at some point! This can't go on forever.

 

[Daytona Al]

I've started to wonder a bit about the future. I'm still in reasonable health, but my knees creak a bit going up and down stairs. I sometimes wonder about a bungalow, or as they're often referred to here, a single storey dwelling house. Trouble is that in spite of it's numerous small faults, I love it and the view over my back fence, is beautiful. Another big concern is the need to travel to town for all amenities - shops, doctor, dentist etc. all need transport, and public transport has been cut right back.

We are thinking the same way. Today we drove around a cute little town, where houses are about $100,000 less than where we are. So we could probably change our condo for a two story house or bungalow. The town had a lot of restaurants, and is a favorite weekend getaway from the city. Still, I don't know what we'd do there. There is much less retail, doctors etc. I just don't think we've found the right place yet... but it's out there somewhere.

 

[Daytona Al]

I think it's a good idea to at least have a plan in mind for if your spouse/partner does predecease you. It's something I worry about constantly more and more and everything I can think of to do to make it easier for myself if my huzz goes first, he won't agree to, refuses to discuss it and just says, "You'll be fine; you'll figure it out." I think it makes him angry that I don't want to stay here 'till I have to be "carried feet-first" out of here like him, instead I'd really like and think it would be wise to move within walking distance of at least a grocery store since I don't drive much anymore (and who knows how much longer he's going to be able to).

But when somebody absolutely refuses to talk about something, I don't know that there's anything to be done. (I hear about this so much: both a co-worker and a sister-in-law, if they tried talking to their huzzes about something they didn't want to talk about, their huzzes would just storm out of the house, take off in the car for several hours. And a couple of other gals I know, they insisted on going to a marriage counselor and the huzzes sat there literally not saying one word 'till the counselor said "we're all wasting our time here." So sometimes you're just stuck; I'm beginning to think that deep down inside, too many men buy into that "god put women here on earth just to serve us men.")

I went a counselor last week. She didn't solve my problems, but gave me something to think about. My wife will have a nice income if I go first, but we do need to think about convenience... like walking to a grocery. Otherwise, it will be assisted living, and nobody wants that. Unfortunately, we had no kids to even that possibility of assistance is out the window. We have a lot of things to get our head around before selecting the next (and maybe final) property.

 

[Daytona Al]

We rent flats or condos when we are travelling for a short period of time, but I cannot live in one by choice full time. In the islands our villa is surrounded by acres of greenery, very beautiful. We bought a house recenty in Australia and moved in two days ago, it has a small garden ( we have no time for a large garden) but verandahs at the front and back. Very lovely and new and perfect for letting out when we leave Australia.

I don't have the British love for gardening, but wouldn't mind mowing a lawn occasionally... if it was a small one. I hate the condo, but at least there are other people around. Maybe a townhouse is a solution. Right now, we're just confused.

 

[Daytona Al]

..or you could have a maisonette like this..more usually referred to as a flat

Downstairs has the front door and upstairs has the side door.

The downstairs door open up straight onto stairs.. to reach the second floor.. there's usually noo hallways , but it's private own front door.. for both tenants or owners..

Wow that looks tiny for two families. Of course that is a US point of view. We are used to big houses.

 

[Della]

Do it Daytona! Even if you don't get the price you want you'll be living where you want to and I think one's immediate environment is very important.

I understand all your complaints. My brother and his wife live in a high rise condo on the beach. They love it but during my short visit the noise and just the constant presence of the ocean oppressed me a little bit. They have heavy curtains to shut out the glare and sliding glass doors that stop the sound but still.

I live far from any oceans, but down the road from me are some super cute stone condos that are mostly one story, except for a few that have the spare bedrooms on the second floor. In all cases the master suite is downstairs with plenty of grab bars in the right places. The people all seem friendly with each other and have a central community center for working out, parties, etc. They are actually more social than my street of houses.

I'll always have to live in a house because I'll always have to have a dog, but we have a service do our mowing. The house itself is 2000 sq ft on one level, no basement, no attic, and none of the junk you would keep in those areas because you never use it. I can vacuum the whole thing in 22 minutes. Love it.

As for women worrying about getting around if the husband dies (or vice versa) remember Covid has caused most of the grocery stores to up their delivery options, and there are taxis to the doctor, sometimes paid for by medical insurance.

 

[Daytona Al]

there's another example right there in the difference between the 2 countries descriptions.. a 'row home' is called a 'terrace'' here..where all the houses are joined together..some with front gardens, some no gardens at all if they're in the city...

typical terraced property ....

One of the many different types of maisonettes..FYI>>.

As you can see the downstairs apartments have their own entrances ( the wooden gates, and they have a yard)... but the upstairs tenants have a communal entrance at the end..and communal balconies

I could easily do the Terraced property. That's what we call a townhouse or townhome in the US. Those look quite spacious and lovely, except for the stairs.

 

[hollydolly]

Wow that looks tiny for two families. Of course that is a US point of view. We are used to big houses.

That's not for 2 families...it's for 4..... 2 families above and 2 below.... this is very common in the Uk especially Scotland and Ireland...

I'm very fortunate I've never had to live in a maisonette like that..but I do know some people personally who do...

 

[Daytona Al]

Do it Daytona! Even if you don't get the price you want you'll be living where you want to and I think one's immediate environment is very important.

I understand all your complaints. My brother and his wife live in a high rise condo on the beach. They love it but during my short visit the noise and just the constant presence of the ocean oppressed me a little bit. They have heavy curtains to shut out the glare and sliding glass doors that stop the sound but still.

I live far from any oceans, but down the road from me are some super cute stone condos that are mostly one story, except for a few that have the spare bedrooms on the second floor. In all cases the master suite is downstairs with plenty of grab bars in the right places. The people all seem friendly with each other and have a central community center for working out, parties, etc. They are actually more social than my street of houses.

I'll always have to live in a house because I'll always have to have a dog, but we have a service do our mowing. The house itself is 2000 sq ft on one level, no basement, no attic, and none of the junk you would keep in those areas because you never use it. I can vacuum the whole thing in 22 minutes. Love it.

As for women worrying about getting around if the husband dies (or vice versa) remember Covid has caused most of the grocery stores to up their delivery options, and there are taxis to the doctor, sometimes paid for by medical insurance.

Della, I'm glad that someone finally gets my hatred for oceanfront. I thought that it was going to be perfect and it has become a nightmare. We really need a 2,000 SF house, somewhere away from the glare of the ocean. I'm searching out nice smaller towns in our area. We don't have close friends in the area, (which is bad) but it gives us the freedom to look in different places.

 

[Daytona Al]

That's not for 2 families...it's for 4..... 2 families above and 2 below.... this is very common in the Uk especially Scotland and Ireland...

I'm very fortunate I've never had to live in a maisonette like that..but I do know some people personally who do...

Unbelievable. Four families in that little box. I would feel incredibly cramped. Of course, if you've always lived that way, you might prefer it. In the UK programs that we get in the US, everyone is always living in a sprawling country house. I expect that this is just for the tourists.

 

[hollydolly]

I could easily do the Terraced property. That's what we call a townhouse or townhome in the US. Those look quite spacious and lovely, except for the stairs.

yes , unfortunately not all terrace houses are as spacious as those.. these for example... in many parts of Wales

...or some cities in the North of England

 

[hollydolly]

Unbelievable. Four families in that little box. I would feel incredibly cramped. Of course, if you've always lived that way, you might prefer it. In the UK programs that we get in the US, everyone is always living in a sprawling country house. I expect that this is just for the tourists.

Most houses like those are public housing ( so the vast majority of people living in them haven't the money to buy their own home.. so are not necessarily happy they're living cheek by jowl like that but have to accept it or be homeless )

OTOH...many terraced homes are privately owned as well as being rentals...

 

[officerripley]

Otherwise, it will be assisted living, and nobody wants that.

True and around here, most people can't afford assisted living either; it's starts at $4,000/month.

 

[hollydolly]

True and around here, most people can't afford assisted living either; it's starts at $4,000/month.

yep it starts at about the same price here too..in Pounds.... £££'s

 

[feywon]

This is a very personal decision, what makes sense for one may not for another.

I much prefer a house with as much land around it as possible. However I am a bit concerned about what comes next, I know the day will come when I can't care for it all...

One of the advantages of where i live is no one expects a manicured lawn. I keep the yard near the house neater than rest of acreage but i can let it be wild. Lots of sage, & other plants common to southwest: Yucca, at least 3 varieties of cacti, the Cholla have gorgeous magenta blossoms. Lots of 'volunteer' sunflowers due seeds in the birdfeed i put out.

Every fall as things go to seed, i walk around and gather them and scatter other places on the land. Next rainy spring or summer (not an every year thing) we get more wild plants.

 

[J-Kat]

I live alone in a large 2000 sq. ft. house. I pay for a lawn service as I grew tired of doing it myself even with a riding mower. Plus, with bad knees, I'm not able to do much gardening. I've thought about selling and buying a house ( attached like a townhouse but one floor) in a 55+ community. I would have to pay HOA dues, taxes, utilities as well as inside maintenance which should be minimal since these are newly constructed. Probably would have a house payment since these are more expensive than what I could get out of my house. But, I love my house and little neighborhood and have really great neighbors I would hate to leave. More importantly, I have no family at all in this area and I wonder if someday I will have to move to be nearer to them. If so, I would think it would be easier to sell a house than a townhouse restricted to 55+. Depends on my health of course but I suppose one needs to try to anticipate what might come eventually.