There are some key lifestyle differences when living in a condo compared to a house. Some of these include property maintenance, living with condo rules and the amount of storage and outdoor space available.

There are some significant differences in a condo compared to a house. And No, I am not talking about the structure or the design. What I want to focus on is the experience of your daily activities.

Preparing Food:

I wanted to cook Indian food in my condo, when my colleauge told me about being careful about the smoke or smell going outside. In a house, you dont really care, but in a condominium it matters. The hallways of a condo building may be fitted with smoke detectors that tie straight into the fire alarm system. You can be careful with when you are inside the condo but you do not want the smoke or smell to go outside while cooking. Ofcourse nobody wants a fire truck showing up to their building only to find that you were frying samosas. I am not saying that you cannot cook a certain cusine, but you need to be careful in a condo. Installing a powerful hood over the cooking range may be a good idea. 

Renting your condo:

Some condos do not allow to partially rent out a condo, specifically an independent room, so that option was off the table and so was airbnb. You need to respect the rules set by the condo corporation. You may want to rent out the entire condo instead. But there is a catch. As an owner, you may not even be allowed into the common areas of the building if you rent the condo. Duplication of keys are not allowed unless you seek permission of the building manager. I found it odd that I may not be allowed inside my own building common spaces if I rent my condo. Of course rules vary from one condo to another but you should know about these.

Following Condo Rules:

I noticed my neighbour put up a flag of another country on the inside of the window of a condo but there are rules even for that. You may be allowed only a certain kind or a certain color of window coverings. I really missed the freedom that I had when I was living in the house. But then, the rules are for your safety and for ensuring non disturbance of others in the building. There could be restrictions on what you can keep or install in the balcony as well. I came to know that storage was not permitted in the balcony. Some condo buildings do not allow barbecue in the balcony, which I think is for fire safety reasons. You can check with your condo corporation about what they allow and what they do not. In addition, some condo building managers also conduct regular inspections of the balconies. 

Storage Space:

Another important difference living in a condo is the amount of storage space available. A house has multiple storage options including walk in closets, attic and garage storage in addition to the basement. Storage space in a condo may be  limited but you could improvise. You could get some storage in the closets and the locker, but you can also buy furniture with storage inside that can be kept in the living room or the balcony if your building allows it. You may find innovative furniture and storage items at IKEA. 

Property Appreciation:

Traditionally houses have appreciated in value more than condos, unless you buy in core downtown like downtown Toronto or Manhattan. Quite a few families purchase homes compared to a condo to seek the benefit of capital appreciation and get a good return on investment.

There are always both benefits and negatives when comparing a condo to a house. Generally, the cost of maintenance is much higher in a house, although the condo does have a condo fee. This includes lawn maintenance, window and roof replacement. I did however enjoy the fact that there was no more snow to be cleaned at the condo and no more grass to be cut. The building management company takes care of all that in addition to maintaining the parking and the common areas. 

These are only a few differences I noticed from the big bundle of rules in the condo status certificate. So before you move to a condo you should definitely ask – are you a condo person or a house person. There is no right or wrong answer. It just depends what lifestyle you like more, your family size and what your preferences are.