Moving From a Condo To a House in Toronto

Based on the recent Toronto real estate market reports, the city of Toronto has experienced the significant growth rate of house sales following the COVID-19 pandemic. Since companies increasingly tend to virtual tele-working, it makes sense to leave expensive downtown condos and choose to live in a house around the city. But what will change after moving from a condo to a house in Toronto?!

During this life changing time of pandemic, you should decide whether you need to upsize or downsize your home. If you decided to leave your condo in the downtown with all the amenities available, you better consider all the cons and pros of moving to a house. There would be so many changes to make.

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There are various reasons for leaving a condo lifestyle. Whether you are tele-working or you just want to start a family in a bigger house, you should be completely certain about your final decision. As a Toronto real estate agent, I want to tell you about some important facts about moving from a condo to a house in Toronto for you.

Cons of leaving your condo apartment

First, we review the disadvantages of moving out of a condo.

The first thing you may miss after leaving your condo would be a gorgeous view of the city. If you enjoyed watching the sunrise and drinking morning coffee before going to work, this is going to be one of the first things you will miss while living in a house. The incredible view of the busy streets and lively nights will vanish after you move to a house.

The other probable problem of living in a house might be the lack of parking. Some of the old houses don’t have a garage or driveway, despite the condominium which usually has private parking spaces. So, if it is very important for you not to park your car in the street, pay more attention when choosing your new house to move in. Because you are not allowed to park anywhere for more than 3 hours in some parts of Toronto unless you get a permit from the city.

The most important issue to consider before leaving your condo for a house is maintenance. While you are living in a condo, you may not be aware of any of the maintenance processes outside your unit. In fact, your condo management handles all the required changes and repairs most of the time.

However, when you live in a house the maintenance responsibility is all on you. From mowing the lawns to cleaning the gutters! Too much maintenance concerns and costs.

Pros of living in a house

Now is time to remind you of some advantages of moving to a house.

The most important difference you are going to feel is having a backyard. Most of the houses in Toronto have a private backyard which would be an intimate space for your child to play or throw a barbeque party. You can also improve your gardening skills and create your dream garden back there to enjoy its view.

Sometimes, it is hard for a family to live in a condo. When you move to a house, the family members will have more individual and private space. Even if you buy a house the same size of your condo, there would be an extra space to use efficiently: basement! You can furnish or remodel the basement and change it to be a game room or just additional useful living area for different purposes.

More personal privacy is one of the most important advantages of living in a house. Living in a condo means your neighbors are very close to you. So an unfriendly or disturbing neighbor could be a disaster. Moving to a house will bring more private space far from other neighbors.

On the other hand, the community is stronger in neighborhoods with bigger houses. Those who live in a condo rarely know their neighbors or talk to them. But when you live in a house, you will usually experience communicating with your neighbors about night watch or garbage time and other important issues related to your shared environment.

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Other differences between living in a house and a condo

There are other restrictions that come with living in a condo complex. Most of the condo residents are not allowed to reconstruct or add rooms to their units. Sometimes the condo manager does not even let them decorate their own door for Christmas. When you live in a house you are the owner of everything inside and outside your property. So you are the one who decides which wall to paint or which room to get bigger.

Another advantage of living in a house is having enough space for pets. Condo owners have some restrictions for keeping a pet in the unit. Regardless of the size of condo, the condo management regulations can limit your choice, whether the condo space is large or small. However, living in a house provides you a bigger space and more privacy to choose what kind of pet you like to have.

Furthermore, buying a house can have a better price appreciation and can be a good long-term investment. However, it strongly depends on the time of your purchase.

There are many important things to do after buying a house. You can increase its value by renovating some parts of the house like kitchen or basement.

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Conclusion:

After all, don’t forget to use the valuable advice of a real estate agent to sell your condo and buy your new house in the best time in the Toronto real estate market. Take your time and consider all your personal and family priorities. Then, start your packing and moving process right on time to enjoy the whole moving from a condo to your big house.