One of the greatest dreams of people who will start to build a family or want to live independently is to have their own home. Having personal space is rewarding because you do not have to deal with family members who got some issues with what you want to do with your life. LOL, just kidding.
Owning a home is a great leap for your rite of passage to adulthood. You might want to go for a condominium, a building complex divided into individual units that are sold, or go for a house and lot that comes with an extra portion of land that is suitable for your outdoor facilities.
Perhaps, deciding to have your place is indeed a big thing to ponder on because you will be breaking a pot of gold to buy one. It is a tough decision most especially if there are a lot of things to consider other than the budget. Buying a condo or house and lot has its own pros and cons so you have to decide which one will best fit your lifestyle.
Condo vs. House and Lot
To help you make the best choice, we narrowed down some comparisons of the two under different factors that first-time buyers should consider.
1. Space and Size
The most common consideration is the space and size of the house. Your preference will depend on whether you are living with a family or living alone.
The condo has limited numbers of bedrooms and there are a smaller kitchen and dining area. Bedrooms are not large enough which limits your closet space and other stuff. Also, it does not have a backyard or extra space for outdoor areas. If luckily there is an outdoor space, the downside is you have to share it with other tenants.
Meanwhile, the house and lot give much bigger space which means you could have more bedrooms and larger interior space for other parts of the house. You could also have a portion of land that could serve as an area for your outdoor facilities and activities.
2. Proximity
Proximity wise, condos are ideal if you want to live in a city. Condos are built strategically near shopping malls, hospitals, supermarkets, and other establishments that people usually go to. If your work is near the condo units, then you might want to go for this one. Convenience is a great factor when planning to buy your own space.
On the other hand, owning a house and lot in rural or suburb areas may require more travel time to your office or the establishments mentioned above. Not all houses can be located in areas where almost everything is accessible so you better think twice if you are highly considering the location.
3. Personalizing Your Property
Both of them need permission from the owner if you want renovation. However, in condos, remodeling is very limited, and considering the smaller interior space, you may not achieve the total house makeover that you wish to do to your home.
When it comes to house and lot, you have more liberty in renovating from which you can freely move and modify things according to your taste. You could also build your own amenities such as a swimming pool, a playground, or your own home garden. You just have to deal with some legal papers if you have a contractor, or freely rule your own land if it is totally yours.
4. Maintenance and Repairs
If you are too busy and you want hassle-free house maintenance, then condos are best for you. Since it is smaller than a house and lot, it is easier to clean it. If you have repair concerns, maintenance by your condo provider is just one call away. Cleaning the amenities and facilities is not also an issue. All you have to do is to pay fees for the service rendered.
However, owning a house and lot is quite a challenge because the bigger space, the more you have to clean it. You are the one in charge of your premises and you have to maintain everything on your own. Also, it may be an inconvenience to have a caretaker or housemaid since it is hard to trust people nowadays. Of course, not everyone is comfortable in having other people supervising their own property.
5. Freedom
In a condo, you have lesser freedom when it comes to personalizing your home. You cannot also have an extra room for your growing family. Your moves could also be limited because you have to comply with numerous house rules imposed by the management. Finally, what hurts the most is that some condos do not allow those cute fur babies.
Owning a house and lot brings a great edge because you can freely do whatever you want. You can throw a birthday bash, upgrade its interior, or even build your own fantasy land. This choice gives a lot of perks because your budget for things that you want to do with your home could be your only limit.
6. Peace and Privacy
From above, below, and beside your unit, you have your neighbor so you cannot get away from loud thud, crying noise of children, loud laughs, and whatever noise that other tenants could produce.
Peace and privacy are so important and these are the two things that house and lot owners could gain. They do not have to deal with a lot of nosy and noisy neighbors because their space is not attached to the other houses.
7. Security
Obviously, condos provide tighter security for tenants because there is 24-hour security. People cannot pass through the building without giving their details and the name of people that they want to visit. Security guards inform the tenant first before they allow the person to visit the unit. Theft is also uncommon because there are security cameras and some condos provide automated locks for individual units.
In terms of security, house and lot owners are at a disadvantage because they do not have security guards and security cameras are uncommon. Anyone could barge in if they do not secure their houses enough and there is no inspection to those who wish to visit them.
8. Investment
This is commonly the least consideration of the first-time buyers. Comparing the two, a condo is not ideal for a lifetime investment because it is good for just about fifty years. But condo units are much easier to be rented to other people which gives you an additional income.
In contrast, house and lot give a great deal when it comes to resale and investment. It is better for long-term investment and something that could be inherited by family members. Its value becomes higher in the long run so there is a big cashback if you plan to sell it after several years.
Deciding Point
Still scratching your head? Well, that’s completely normal because you are rationalizing and weighing things first before diving into something that you might regret in the end due to careless decisions. If you are still troubled, the following could somehow make that light bulb appear at the top of your head.
Go for a condo if…
- You prefer to live in a city
- You live alone or you are a single couple
- You want comfort and luxury
- You are after the accessibility and proximity
- You want to go for a cheaper one
- You are too busy for house maintenance
- You are a young professional with a little home ownership experience
- You need a tighter security
Go for house and lot if…
- You want a lifetime investment
- You want peace and privacy
- You wish to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city
- You prefer a more personalized space
- You need an extra portion of land
- You are willing to maintain everything on your own
- You do not want a dense area
- You want more freedom on what you want to do with your house
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There is no one size fits all. Both have their own benefits and downsides. Choosing which one is better is like solving a puzzle with very small pieces. Comparing the two should not be the main point here. Now that you are already enlightened with the pros and cons as well as the list of guides to help you decide, it is now time to think about your needs and wants.
Whether you want a condo or house and lot, in the end, it will all boil down to three major considerations – your budget, that convenience it will give you, and most especially your lifestyle.