Which one is better you think and why?

House in the middle of nowhere

I tend to kill rude neighbors

Mach said:

thanks.

I may, MAY look into the condo market soon. Both have their pros and cons, but for myself I'm not sure I'm ready for the responsibility that comes with a house.
And I can't afford a whole house in the city by myself and I'll be damned if I'm moving to the 'burbs.
Actually, I'm not sure I can afford a condo by myself either.

CarrieMpls said:

yeah I know...I want to buy one or move into one when I find my soul mate..hard work all by yourself.

I'll be 32 in less than a month. I don't know I want to wait anymore.

But I'm not sure I have a choice either.

Sorry, but what is a condo exactly ?

CarrieMpls said:

How long have you been a moderator...?

I'd prefer to live in a house, but unfortunately it's still not possible for a foreigner to actually buy a house in Thailand. I could put it all in Mon's name, of course. I can, however, buy a condo, and I've seen some new (admittedly very small) 2 bedroom places go up on the outskirts for around $30,000 (to buy!) that I wouldn't mind buying and renting out to teachers working at the nearby university. Personally, I prefer to live in a house. I never imagined I'd be living in a house with my in-laws at almost 26 years old though, I must admit, so anywhere with some privacy right now would be appealing.

Both have their pros and cons.

I prefer houses overall though.

Matter of fact we're in the process of buying a new house.

I used to own a condo. I liked it. I don't enjoy maintaining a yard and such, and I liked the amenities (pool, sauna), so it worked for me. And it was affordable. And it appreciated 30k in 3 years.

jizzinparis said:

Shared housing (like an apartment) that can be purchased instead of rented.

A house, most definitely! I have owned a condo for the last 18 years, and it definitely has more bad things than good, IMHO.

House. I don't like hearing everything that is going on in my neighbors' homes.

psychodelicide said:

tell me more...name some bad things

unlucky7 said:

3...2...1... the bitch downstairs/next door

I think I'd prefer the condo. The upkeep of a house is murder... especially if you're getting older and lazier like me. I need a crib where all I have to do is watch HGTV, decorate and enjoy the extra amenities.

Owning and renting out a house is very cool, though, for income and tax purposes.

Fauxie said:

I live in an apartment..my mom called me the other day after she just left for work to warn me about a strange man that kept staring at her in stairway....hmmm.

well, I think I wouldn't mind decorating and building stuff in the backyard or house...I hate insects and creepy crawlies..other than that...I think I can do the fixing up of things myself. I would love my own backyard so I can play basketball or football or maybe go swimming.....I also like gadgets or electronics...
[Edited 5/23/07 8:33am]

HereToRockYourWorld said:

Thanks for the explanation

unlucky7 said:

oh, a couple weeks.

CarrieMpls said:

Halfway through your term already!

Mach said:

The soundproofing in my building is supreme (very thick, concrete walls). I rarely hear a peep.

I'm all about the condo! Can't be bothered with all the upkeep of a house.

HereToRockYourWorld said:

I have a condo. I'd like a house someday, but this was an easier way to get in the market. Also it's less scary, since they take care of the actual structure of the place & yard, as you said. The only house I could have afforded was a hovel in a bad part of town.

Fauxie said:

That's one thing, to have bitchy neighbors living directly below you is a definite drawback.

But another drawback is that you have to pay a maintenance fee every month. There are people on a board who decide how this money is spent, and you don't really have any say on how they allocate the money. Also, where I live, I have been assessed an additional fee (in addition to the maintenance fee) for repairs and whatnot. A condo association has the right to assess you if they do not have enough money in "reserve" in order for them to do what they want to do. The one time I was assessed a couple of thousand dollars, which is downright inconvenient, especially if you're living paycheck to paycheck and don't make a whole lot of money to begin with.

Also, once you pay off your mortgage (as I did), you have to begin paying property taxes. I pay something like $1,200 per year for property that is not really my own. I don't have my own backyard or porch or patio to sit on, I don't have my own washer/dryer or garage, hell, I don't really have anything to show for the money that I am paying the city to live here.

Again, I would not recommend a condo to ANYBODY. In fact, I have had people ask me about living here, and I have told them, "No, don't do it. Trust me, you don't want to live here!"
[Edited 5/23/07 11:46am]

Lammastide said:

True, but you can always hire someone to do the work for you. It can be expensive, I know, but if I had a house, that's what I would do.

House (with NO NEIGHBORS!)

We were looking into getting a condo before we got our house,but of course all decisions are based around the dog. She wanted her own back yard.

yeah, I want a dog too...I would also want neighbors..it's kind of scary being the only house around...

unlucky7 said:

I dont think it would bother me. I grew up way out in the country.

The next house I get I dont want any neighbors.

I hate having to listen to my neighbor use a weedwacker to "mow" the lawn
Or see eyes staring back at me when I go get the mail