kaimui22

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!