| The answer always lies in terms of what are you | | | | answer. If those people had more funds they would |
| needs and resources. There is nothing in essence new | | | | generally purchase a home for equity. Why throw |
| about Condos or Condo projects. People around the | | | | money out the window they would say. True with vast |
| world for eons have owned property in a large building | | | | increases in housing prices due to low mortgage |
| and shared costs such as maintenance, taxes and | | | | interest rates the rules of apartments being the main |
| security services., | | | | option for temporary living for many may well change. |
| Two factors have driven the popularity of Condos in | | | | It can be said that generally one or two people inhabit |
| America and Canada in the last several years. They | | | | an apartment. An apartment again is meant for |
| are lifestyle and cost. | | | | temporary living. People go to work, come home and |
| Lifestyle is a factor in Condo choice. People have | | | | watch TV. That's about it. There is generally not the |
| equity in house. A house requires maintenance - yard | | | | living space or storage space that you find in a condo. |
| work, cutting grass in the summer and if you life in a | | | | Walls are generally thinner so that the sounds of your |
| colder climate - such as Minnesota, North Dakota or | | | | neighbors may drift in. In hotels or condos a higher |
| Manitoba Canada clearing snow in the winter off your | | | | standard of construction is generally planned for than in |
| walkway and driveway. True you can hire workers to | | | | rental apartment blocks. |
| do this work - but it requires coordination and the | | | | In one case a bright young son - a manager yet , |
| workers may not be reliable and responsible. If you | | | | convince his father that with a "Gee Dad do you |
| wish to travel as a snowbird in the winter Condo living | | | | realize that if you sold your house and moved into an |
| may be ideal for you. Someone else takes care of | | | | apartment that you could basically live for free on the |
| those headaches for you. In addition there is a | | | | interest. Sounded good to the financially inexperienced |
| measure of security both with other neighbors and | | | | parent who had never tried apartment living. The older |
| often a security service. | | | | couple quickly found out two areas of concern. First |
| Similarly if you wish to travel a vacation condo may be | | | | there really was no family area for the grandchildren to |
| a good choice for you. The services are taken care of | | | | play in, secondly the wife was a very proud and |
| - whether it yard work, overall maintenance site | | | | experience cook and was now restricted to a small |
| security. | | | | galley kitchen. .This experiment in condo living collapsed |
| Even if you had bought a house rather than a condo | | | | in short order with a threat by the wife of marriage |
| the practical logistics of finding workers and | | | | separation. The now smarter home owner had to |
| arrangements are exceptionally difficult in a practical | | | | basically replace his previous home. This was done at |
| sense to arrange long distance both in finding workers | | | | a fair cost which seems to escalate daily in his mind. |
| and coordinating arrangements and payment as well | | | | To add to the humor, his new house is across the |
| as checking on completion and quality of any work | | | | street from the older home. To add salt to the wound |
| done. True phone call costs may be small compared | | | | previous home recently had a new owner who has |
| to what they used to be - but overall the costs of any | | | | taken to complaining to the original owner. In this case if |
| project from start to finish may be much higher than | | | | the home owner wanted a simpler lifestyle wished to |
| they normally will be. As well take into account the | | | | downsize or had less maintenance concerns when |
| time and aggravation factors. A vacation condo | | | | traveling a condo with a layout and size relating to the |
| purchased by yourself or shared with a group whether | | | | families needs might have been a much more intelligent |
| it be friends or family may be the answer. | | | | choice. |
| What about renting an apartment? An apartment is | | | | Most of the answers in life are actually quite simple |
| not a condo. Simple as that. Apartments, in our society, | | | | and revolve around basics. What are your needs and |
| are meant for temporary living. Up until recently if a | | | | financial resources? Is condo living a wise choice for |
| person was starting or need temporary | | | | you and your family at this point in your lives and |
| accommodation and apartment was generally the | | | | careers? |