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標題: Townhouse vs Condo? [打印本頁]

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 15:11 標題: Townhouse vs Condo?

What's your take?

If it is the same price for the same sq ft, which one would u prefer?

作者: fibbi 時間: 2010-8-16 15:16

I think townhouse would be more expensive, assuming same sq and location.
You got a bit more "land" right.
I think townhouse would be better because you can have a bit of gardening done, also, more privacy.

作者: lo_pak 時間: 2010-8-16 15:22

Depends on location! Usually townhouse has greater potential to growth...

作者: daimo 時間: 2010-8-16 15:25

getting married?

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 15:27

Depends on location! Usually townhouse has greater potential to growth...
lo_pak 發表於 2010-8-16 15:22

how about... assume same location?

作者: Catpiano 時間: 2010-8-16 15:34

In general .. I prefer townhouse, (bigger, more space, less common area, lower cost, parking etc in general)

But I like downtown highrise condos in Van .. just overpriced!!

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 15:40

In general .. I prefer townhouse, (bigger, more space, less common area, lower cost, parking etc in ...
Catpiano 發表於 2010-8-16 15:34

if same sq ft le?

作者: sko 時間: 2010-8-16 15:45

if prices were the same and were subject to the same location, these considerations are high on my list:

1st: age of the building
2nd: who's the builder?
3rd: what's their monthly maintenance fee?
4th: is parking stall(s) included?

作者: daimo 時間: 2010-8-16 15:51

if everything is the same (price, size, age, location etc) I'll pick a concrete high rise. better noise insulation than a wooden frame.

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 15:51

if prices were the same and were subject to the same location, these considerations are high on my l ...
sko 發表於 2010-8-16 15:45

Assume 1 & 2 are the same le?

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 15:57

if everything is the same (price, size, age, location etc) I'll pick a concrete high rise. better n ...
daimo 發表於 2010-8-16 15:51

how about.. assume both are built w/ concrete?

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2010-8-16 16:03

how about.. assume both are built w/ concrete?
ACC-HE 發表於 2010-8-16 03:57 PM

It's very hard to find concrete townhouse that is not part of a high rise condo project.
if it exist and price and everything is the same, I pick concrete standalone townhouse.
But if townhouse is just the ground level of a high rise condo, I rather stay at a higher level of the condo. (think about what will end up in your garden if any of the 10 or 20 floor neighours is not being considerate)

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2010-8-16 16:05

For now, I pick condo or a big jump to a house. I don't think I can stand living in a woodframe townhouse after my bad experience with 1 weird neighbour. tho he was the one who moved out after unsuccessful complain of me and his other side neighbours and attacking our cats. (both sides next to him)

作者: sko 時間: 2010-8-16 16:07

Assume 1 & 2 are the same le?
ACC-HE 發表於 2010-8-16 15:51

I think location plays a huge role, too. One reason being is the potential 'views' for the condo/town house. I mean.. say the condo has a coal habour view while the townhouse has the condo's lobby entrance view... @@

I've lived in both and I would say townhouse for me. I don't like taking long elevator rides every morning and I wont use the condo's facilities anyway.

But hey! Who will be doing the household duties?

Townhouse seems to create more chores.

作者: Catpiano 時間: 2010-8-16 16:11

if same sq ft le?
ACC-HE 發表於 2010-8-16 15:40

Same sq/ft, of course highrise condos la.. 1000 ft downtown highrise is nice and fancy ga la..

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 16:12

回復 14# sko
assume the elevator ride only takes ~5 seconds le? (e.g. lower floors)

作者: 布小熊 時間: 2010-8-16 16:16

I've lived in both and I would say townhouse for me. I don't like taking long elevator rides every morning and I wont use the condo's facilities anyway. sko 發表於 2010-8-16 04:07 PM

Haha I am the same as you for elevator rides.
I HATE elevator rides. So I struggled A LOT before I decided to stay at a condo.
I feel alright with the ride at home now but.... I still feel nervous when I go to other condos.

作者: peter236 時間: 2010-8-16 16:38

A duplex would be nice for you.

作者: daimo 時間: 2010-8-16 16:58

it's easier if you pick 2 samples on mls.ca then we can comment.

like everything, it's difficult to generalize.

作者: ATGB 時間: 2010-8-16 17:00

I think it's all personal preference plus there are too many variable when comes to real estates so it's very hard to compare the two. I know you want to compare the two given "everything is the same" but in reality we all know this will never happen. One or two minor detail can completely alter a buyer's decision. Personally I would never consider any townhomes that are less than 1200 sq. ft. or any townhomes that are part of a high rise project but that's just me. Many people are happy to pay more than $500k for them.

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 17:29

回復 20# ATGB

what's wrong with "townhomes that are part of a high rise project"?

作者: low_B 時間: 2010-8-16 17:44

if high rise is leaking condo....u live in townhse part, u need to paid the repair fee ah!!

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-8-16 17:47

回復 22# low_B

ha, if your townhouse is leaky, I guess the condo ppl need to pay your repair fee too, I guess?

作者: sko 時間: 2010-8-16 17:52

Haha I am the same as you for elevator rides.
I HATE elevator rides. So I struggled A LOT before I ...
布小熊發表於 2010-8-16 16:16

Ohoh, I wouldn't be nervous or anything but I would be impatient

lol

作者: sko 時間: 2010-8-16 17:55

回復 sko
assume the elevator ride only takes ~5 seconds le? (e.g. lower floors)
ACC-HE 發表於 2010-8-16 16:12

Kinda hard to compare.. without knowing exactly which complex you're talking about...

And some places look awesome in pictures and on mls but they look terrible in person. Have you seen the two places in person to compare?

作者: ATGB 時間: 2010-8-16 18:17

回復 ATGB

what's wrong with "townhomes that are part of a high rise project"?
ACC-HE 發表於 2010-8-16 17:29

Well some of the advantages of townhouses include low population density and the developments are usually more segregated, hence leading to more privacy in general... Townhomes that are part of a high rise project means you're living in a townhouse however still in a densely populated complex with enormous amount of traffic going by your front door. There's very little privacy and usually it's either a very busy road or a high traffic public area that's right in front of the door. In some cases the back door of the unit can even lead you to that residents parkade. In general I think you're losing a lot of privacy and security compare to regular townhomes.

作者: Catpiano 時間: 2010-8-16 19:46

Anyway .. won't be same price per sq/ft ...

Condos .. always smaller then townhouse/house/multiplex ..

Should say depends on your budget .. condo fee is something to consider too, could be just $300, could be $500 or 600 ...

作者: kaimui22 時間: 2010-8-16 20:39

There's A LOT to consider when comparing the 2...
here are some questions you should ask yourself:

1) Who is going to live there? Will there be additional members (ie. kids, parents) living with you in a few years? This is important because...I live in a 3 story condo and the elevator always dies..I've seen seniors in wheelchairs stuck on the 3rd floor because they cannot go out. I've seen families going home, trying to carry their huge stroller up the stairs.

2) Is noise an issue for you? If you live in a condo, there are MANY restrictions, especially for noise. For example, most strata bylaws will state that you cannot turn on the washer/dryer after a certain time because it will affect the lower suite. Also, what if you upstairs neighbour have a bunch of rowdy kids? Even if you live in a concrete condo, if they keep on jumping or throwing stuff..etc, you WILL hear it. Same goes for your downstairs neighbour. If you are loud or plan on having kids, expect them to complain unless you have the whole floor covered with foam mats.

3) Are you just looking at the sq footage or are you actually comparing 2 actual sites? Just because a townhouse is 1500sq feet doesn't mean all that square footage is usable. I've been to townhouses that are in the 1500 - 1800 sq ft and they waste A LOT of space on the stairs, garage, laundry room..etc. Also, a townhouse is usually 2 or 3 stories high and they usually stuff the kitchen/living room on one floor. That means that entire floor is only used for cooking, eating and entertaining guests. Whereas the 2nd and 3rd floor have TINY rooms and small bathrooms and almost no closet space. In a condo, the space is usually on one storey (unless you're in a penthhouse) and the space is more adequately used and not wasted on building the stairs or hallways.

4) How much do you expect to pay for management fees? Yes, condos you have to pay for any big projects but at least you're not the only one paying for it. Some townhouses do NOT have a strata or a management company and when repairs happens, some owners dodge and ignore the fees. Also, living in a townhouse complex means you and your neighbours have to hire a garbage pickup company and also arrange for all the small details. Also, if there is a common problem (rats in the complex, underneath the townhomes), your neighbour might not be agreeing to the fees and you might have to hire an exterminator yourself (this is a true story...some guy leaves his garbage out, attracts rats into the space underneath the townhouses and refuses to pay $$ for the exterminator).

All in all, you should discuss this with the other people that are going to live with you!

作者: KittyLeung74 時間: 2010-8-16 20:49

回復 18# peter236

Duplex might not be a good choice. My friend is suffering a nightmare. Once you have any alternation, even rebuild the worn part, you have to get the approval from your neighbor. Her case is well known in the City of Richmond. She has to take out the rebuilt portion and need to pay the fine.

作者: chobit 時間: 2010-8-16 23:38

I live in a independant house, that's build in a condo lot.  I would prefer it over a regular condo.

concrete is not necessary better for noise, since it also means higher traffic.  And in many cases, you can upgrade the windows for better sound proof.  I used to live in a townhouse in Richmond #4/Cambie, it's nearly impossible to hear our next door neigbour unless we have our windows open.

Even better if the townhouse include garage & parking space.  You can have you own space for car wash, you have your own storage area if neccessary inside the garage with easy access, and you don't have to walk a long distance to put away your groceries etc...!

作者: Davidcopperfeel 時間: 2010-8-17 01:19

if you're talking about the same location of course townhouse/single house-more value than apartments.-investment point of view
myself own 2 concrete apartments - easier to rent and less money.

Concrete doesn't mean it has to be close to traffics and if you're buying a condo.
I would highly prefer concrete over wood if they're around the same price/same location.

作者: Arlui 時間: 2010-8-17 09:38

I live in a townhome but it's because when i bought it it was cheap and i know in the next few years we want kids but might not want to move yet.
now some of my friends are buying condos but their thinking is they can only live there a few years (since it is a small space) and they most likely will need to move when they have kids...

but hey, if you don't have much money, then there really is no choice right?

作者: 吳孟達 時間: 2010-8-17 09:49

For townhouses, there are still many types.

1) Large complex - 100+ townhouse estate
2) Small complex - <10 townhouses

I tried both and I love my small complex. More warm and friendly. I know every one of my neighbors. Everyone one of us will open garage door and kids can run around and parents can chit chat in the summer time.

For large complex, many many problem ( you can see it from the minutes)

作者: DragonFire 時間: 2010-8-17 22:25

Larger complex = Larger bill when it comes on maintenance later on.

作者: mibu 時間: 2010-8-18 18:31

condo also you'll pay less for maintenance fee in general, because you have more people sharing the fees with and generally comes with more amenities than a townhome.

but then again, if you have a family/animal maybe a townhome is better since you'd have a little bit more space outside.

one thing that nobody has talked about is that with townhouses, there's more flexibility in the type of renovations you can do. with condos, there isnt much you can do until you need to get approval from property management

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-8-18 21:19

I think when people mention "condo" they usually mean "high-raised apartment". But actually both "apartment" and "townhouse" are "condo", for they're strata managed. "Single house" is not "condo" though.

If to say all factors are the same (which is not possible anyways....), then all you need to think about is the living style. Which living style you do prefer?

Different view:
- View from 15 or 20th floor VS close to ground level;

Different layout:
- No patio or backyard for high-raises but possibly balcony VS usually patio and/or backyard for townhouses;
- Usually one storey for high-raises (for example except penthouses) VS usually 2 to 3-1/2 or 4 storeys for townhouses;

Different convenience:
- There are elevators go right to your door for high-raises VS you need to walk up and down the stairs for townhouses;

Different situations in case of emergency:
- Whenever there is a fire alarm (can't be sure if that is a false alarm or not) or power outage, you might need to walk up and down the stairs for high-raises, VS you just need to walk in and out from your townhouse;

The above are just a few areas and examples to be considered when buying a "home". You should think thoroughly what your own preference is before making a wrong decision. And actually there are a lot more things you may need to concern and consider.

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-8-18 21:22

one thing that nobody has talked about is that with townhouses, there's more flexibility in the type of renovations you can do. with condos, there isnt much you can do until you need to get approval from property management
mibu 發表於 2010-8-18 18:31

Nope, both high-raises and townhouses are in the same situation (they're all "condo"). Unless it's a "single house" (single dwelling).

作者: mibu 時間: 2010-8-18 23:47

hm...townhomes at least you can do stuff to the interior like painting
in my high rise condo, i need notification and approval for even painting

and townhouse you can do your laundry in your own 'backyard', but not in condos

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-8-19 00:36

hm...townhomes at least you can do stuff to the interior like painting
in my high rise condo, i need ...
mibu 發表於 2010-8-18 23:47

That actually depends on individual strata bylaws, not a fixed standard. For those complex which has both apartments and townhouses, the same bylaws apply to them all.

作者: 吳孟達 時間: 2010-8-19 08:19

Hey, all of these are just money matter.
If you can afford a house, then buy a house.
If you can not afford $2000 to $3000 a month for mortgage, you don't have much choice.

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-8-19 11:35

Hey, all of these are just money matter.
If you can afford a house, then buy a house.
If you can no ...
吳孟達發表於 2010-8-19 08:19

Yes, actually it's about money and life style. The one who questioned want to assume all money factors are the same, then the only concern left behind is life style la.

作者: water 時間: 2010-8-23 12:44

I think townhouses have more potential. Too much newly build condo in the past 10 years. Value will definite drop

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-8-23 15:27

本帖最後由 FiChai 於 2010-8-23 15:28 編輯

I think townhouses have more potential. Too much newly build condo in the past 10 years. Value wil ...
water 發表於 2010-8-23 12:44

Not quite actually. It's different potential. And the magic number in Vancouver is 10 (years), for whatever real estate it is, the price 99.99% will be raised at a relevant ratio after 10 years from the time of purchase. In other words, no matter how high the purchasing price you paid today, you'll gonna gain after 10 years.

作者: tofu 時間: 2010-8-24 00:08

回復 21# ACC-HE

share the same facilities but paying much higher management fee. management fee is based on the sq ft of your house. so you pay 3x or 4x management fee but use the same tennis court with the condo owner.

do you own/least the land for the townhouse or condo

personally i prefer townhouse with attached garage - convenience

作者: fibbi 時間: 2010-8-24 00:23

Heard a lot of stories that car got break in when park in the underground parking.
Having attached garage would be more "safe" la.

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-8-24 00:27

Yes, all "units" (titles) share a portion of strata fee (management fee) basically based on their size (sq ft). For example, there are 5 2000 sq ft townhouse and 20 500 sq ft apartment and 5 2000 sq ft apartment (penthouse unit) in a complex, total 30000 sq ft and $0.2/sq ft sharing. The fee of a 2000 sq ft townhouse is the same as a 2000 sq ft penthouse apartment. The townhouse owners still have a share to pay for the maintenance fee of the elevators and the rest of the common areas of the highraise, even they won't need to use them at all.

作者: ACC-HE 時間: 2010-9-13 10:01

回復 45# fibbi

and break into your house, might as well?

作者: fibbi 時間: 2010-9-13 10:35

回復 47# ACC-HE

Not that many I heard.

作者: FiChai 時間: 2010-9-13 10:42

Different risk la.

作者: B2L2 時間: 2010-9-13 12:39

Underground parking with access by thousands of keyfobs, plus residents who don't care about tailgater going in/out the building, break-in is bounded to happen.

My building is a low rise with much less units. Touch wood that auto break-in happened only once so far in last 4 years.

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