House or Townhouse or Condo?

[Holdfast]

In my city, for $800,000 you'll buy a 1500 sq ft condo with two bedrooms (three if you are lucky) in a semi-central location. Tops.

In my town, for $800,000, you could buy a mansion.

I posted the info below a while back but it's probably more pertinent to this thread. Not quite as staggering as iguana's pricing, but remember these prices below are AVERAGE ie not just in the decent areas; you can multiply by 50-100% for those areas (and 200-300% for the very best areas/properties).

My part of the UK has some pretty high house prices.

Detached (single-family): £375k (~$600k)
Semi-Detached (twin-house): £384 (~$615k)
Terraced (row-house): £363k (~$580k)
Flat (apartment/condominium): £249k (~$400k)

And this is after the recession's effect on house prices (they're still about 10% off their peaks I'd say). For lulz comparison, the town I grew up in now has an average detached house price of £527k ($845k).

If you're going to make a huge investment like buying a house, I think it only makes sense to get exactly what you want.

Many (most?) people have to work their way up though, esp. in parts of the world with higher house prices. You simply can't afford to rent and wait to save enough money to get your ideal home, because the rate of house price increases will generally outpace your ability to save. You need to get on the ladder, and use those rising asset prices to your advantage, to help you build up the equity collateral to borrow the necessary amount for your ideal home.

 

[kes7]

We have a house with acreage. Not gonna lie, it's a pain in the ass to keep it up, but it's nice that my two rambunctious boys can run around and yell and shoot toy phasers at each other and no one gives me dirty looks.

 

[iguana_tonante]

In my city, for $800,000 you'll buy a 1500 sq ft condo with two bedrooms (three if you are lucky) in a semi-central location. Tops.

That is disgusting.

In my town, for $800,000, you could buy a mansion.

Welcome to any European big city.

I posted the info below a while back but it's probably more pertinent to this thread. Not quite as staggering as iguana's pricing, but remember these prices below are AVERAGE ie not just in the decent areas; you can multiply by 50-100% for those areas (and 200-300% for the very best areas/properties).

Yeah, that's more or less in line with my experience. I quoted a semi-central location, which is considered a good area (services, shops, historical value, etc.). Downtown, the prices could double that; for a suburban area, they could be half of that.

If you're going to make a huge investment like buying a house, I think it only makes sense to get exactly what you want.

Many (most?) people have to work their way up though, esp. in parts of the world with higher house prices. You simply can't afford to rent and wait to save enough money to get your ideal home, because the rate of house price increases will generally outpace your ability to save. You need to get on the ladder, and use those rising asset prices to your advantage, to help you build up the equity collateral to borrow the necessary amount for your ideal home.

Exactly, and that's why I was surprised to read such specific details. Most people here just don't have that kind of choice.

 

[Holdfast]

Exactly, and that's why I was surprised to read such specific details. Most people here just don't have that kind of choice.

Yeah, and it's not just the prices. In most market conditions (ie. not now ) good properties in good areas tend to sell rapidly for not all that much off the asking price and don't come onto market all that frequently, so it's a question of compromising to get most of what you want.

 

[Kestra]

I'd love to one day have a house with a yard but it's a lot of work and a lot of money. Not to mention I can't do work outside because I'm allergic to everything. I actually know the type of house I'd want and everything, but the chances of all that coming together are quite slim!

 

[JiNX-01]

I like a free-standing house because I don't have to share walls with anyone. And lawn care and snow removal services can be found at nominal prices (at least that was my experience).

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

Do you get HGTV or a home living cable network in Italy? On HGTV, I've seen people with far more specific preferences on the shows where people are shopping for a house. Like a master bedroom on the first floor with a view of the lake or worse, a music room on second story.

I think there such programs, but honestly I can't say I ever watched them.

I really wish they had a version of that show that was more in tune with lower and middle class people. I really hate it when it's a couple of 22-year old newlyweds who are like, "We only have a budget of about $800,000. I really hope we can find something we like." And then they get hung up on the fact that the guest bathroom doesn't have a double sink.

I just want to punch them in the face.

In my city, for $800,000 you'll buy a 1500 sq ft condo with two bedrooms (three if you are lucky) in a semi-central location. Tops.

Yea seriously. You want a 3 bedroom, 1 bath 1200 sq ft single family bungalow in the neighborhood where I work? No garage, street parking, no view, busy street corner?

Cough up approximately 1.4 million and you might get a realtor to talk to you.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

We've been in our house for almost 30 years now. We live on a tiny plot of 50' x 150'. I always wanted more property (even more so than a bigger house). It was great while the kids were small. Now my son is on his own and my daughter will be off to college in another year and a half. We are looking forward to selling the house, moving south (or out west) and most likely into a condo/townhouse where we do not have to do yard work anymore. We are getting TOO OLD for that. I will miss the privacy and quiet (i lived in apt buildings when i was single and i hate having neighbors on the other side of the wall), but i love what my mother has in Florida. I guess you'd call hers a townhouse? She shares a building with another couple, the house is attached. That's a townhouse, right?

 

[Canadave]

In my city, for $800,000 you'll buy a 1500 sq ft condo with two bedrooms (three if you are lucky) in a semi-central location. Tops.

That is disgusting.

Is it, though? Why should it be everyone's God-given right to have a cheap, detached house on cheap land? It's that kind of thinking that led to so much of North America looking like this:

 

[Holdfast]

In my city, for $800,000 you'll buy a 1500 sq ft condo with two bedrooms (three if you are lucky) in a semi-central location. Tops.

That is disgusting.

Is it, though? Why should it be everyone's God-given right to have a cheap, detached house on cheap land? It's that kind of thinking that led to so much of North America looking like this:

The thing is, most of the south of England also looks like this. Well, we have faux-Tudor style instead, but the point is that we're full of commuter belt suburban homes too. The only difference is that there are so many layers of history that some nice stuff also remains. The problem is that we ran out of effective room to build (sure, there is more space, but it's a nightmare to get planning permission now), so housing is very limited in the parts of the country that people want to live in, and so prices rise.

What I'm saying, is that North America just needs to be around a few more centuries, and then you'll have many layers, and sky-rocketing house prices, too. It's a happy future...

 

[Saga]

i have a house out in the middle of nowhere TN. its surrounded by the old family farm that my uncle keeps up. i have no neighbors and its nice and quiet. the yard isn't huge, but yeah, i hate keeping it looking nice. though, i don't stay there very often (long story).

 

[RoJoHen]

In my city, for $800,000 you'll buy a 1500 sq ft condo with two bedrooms (three if you are lucky) in a semi-central location. Tops.

That is disgusting.

Is it, though? Why should it be everyone's God-given right to have a cheap, detached house on cheap land? It's that kind of thinking that led to so much of North America looking like this:

I guess it's a good thing I don't live that high up.

 

[Jetfire]

Keeping up a yard is awful...when I was a teen it was fun mowing the lawn and doing various types of landscaping...now? Not so much.

Ideally in the future I would like to buy a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home...anywhere from 1200-1500 square feet...this is to assume I would also be getting married and having children. I could settle for less since I really don't see any of that happening.

 

[kimc]

I live in a three-bedroom town home. Sometimes I wish I had a larger yard - especially during the summer. However, this time of year watching my neighbors across the street deal with snow removal I really appreciate the fact that mine is handled by the association.

 

[Jetfire]

It snowed pretty good here where I live...It was a pain clearing a path from the steps to the car...not that I can go anywhere.

I really like to move somewhere with no snow. I wouldn't mind a condo somewhere nice.

 

[RoJoHen]

I love snow in winter time. Ice and blistery cold wind kinda suck, but I love the snow, and I have no problem shoveling it when I need to.

 

[ancientone51]

I am a mortgage paying home "owner." Three bedrooms and two baths. Two car garage. Thank g_d I cam still push an electric lawn mower around because the yard is bigger than I'd like, but still controllable even at 61.

I may try a garden of some items this year if I can find a cheap enough tiller to get it started.

It's a fairly quiet area and that is important me.

Forgot to mention, when I first looked at the tread title I thought it said Treehouse and I wish it was possible

 

[Klingon Empire]

I live in a Ranch style home that is, erm, I say two-five miles from the middle of downtown. It's a nice and peaceful living, with the only disturbances being the nearby highschool. I couldn't move away from here if I wanted to, I love it way to much.