We are a retired couple living on Vancouver Island and contemplating selling our home and buying a condo in downtown Victoria. We love the idea a city life can bring with amenities and the freedom to resume travel but know it will be an incredible adjustment parting with our garden and the privacy we enjoyed for well over 35 years. It would be so helpful if others out there, who have made the similar move, to share their experiences with us, good bad or ugly.
Thanks
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A good realtor prepares his/her property to appeal the most likely buyer. Most sellers not adjust the house that brings a higher price. A good realtor also gives him/her self-ample time to market the unit, so they can have a little more time with the sale.
I have made the transition from suburban house to downtown condo for the past 2 years, I didn't regret the choice. Below are some of my thoughts on pros and cons of living in a condo vs a house.
Pros:
-less maintenance
-downtown living means more active lifestyle and social engagement
-less reliance on the car
Cons:
-condo fee usually increase every year
-less space within your dwelling
The experience I hear from my Aunt is that she moved from her own house with a back yard and clothes line do dry clothes, etc. to the 8th floor of a condo within the same city. She hates being up that high. You don't get to see the squirrels or neighbourhood cats and dogs or even talk with your neighbours much. She had to buy a bar stool and table high enough up to see over the solid bottom rail of her balcony. She is short and getting shorter due to her age (82) so she needs a stool to get up onto her bar stool. She also lives near an ambulance center and all she hears is the sirens. Drives her crazy. Anyway, try and get low or bottom floor if you can.