A few years ago, a friend of mine was planning to look for a home. He was initially focused on condos, until we had a long conversation about what he ideally would love in a home. Digging a bit deeper, I helped him to realize that the main thing he truly wanted was to be able to garden. With that realization, he stopped looking at condos and found a beautiful detached home that came with a fully landscaped yard where he could garden for hours on weekends.
I was reminded of that when I came across this great article from MoneySense the other day: 10 questions to find the perfect home. Here they are:
1) Do you like doing yard work?
2) Do you travel infrequently?
3) Do you love entertaining many guests?
4) Do you need a lot of green space to feel calm and relaxed?
5) Are you a handy person?
6) Do you make decisions independently (rather than discussing matters with, say, with friends and family)?
7) Do you enjoy being responsible for financial decisions and all related matters?
8) Do you require easy access to car parking?
9) Does more living space matter rather than better access to amenities, such as theatre or restaurants?
10) Do you prefer a bit of space from your neighbours?
According to them, which I heartily agree with, if you answer yes to 8 or more questions, you should stay away from condos and townhouses. Attached or communal living is great if you like it; buying a condo simply for affordability can make for an unhappy living situation down the road if what you really wanted was a garden.
