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The Features And Benefits Of Condo Living

By Condos HQ - Jan 10,2023

Are you a househunter unsure about where to live? Are you curious about the benefits of condo living? Do you want real insight and not just the same old bullet points? Welcome to CondosHQ’s guide to the benefits of a condo lifestyle. CondosHQ is your home for new pre-construction condos.

Life in a condo development is sometimes characterized as living in “a box in the sky”. But even if we take this criticism straight on, it actually sounds kind of cool. The one thing that many condos can provide that a semi or fully detached family home can’t is an incredible view of local surroundings. Many condo owners cherish the view they have of a downtown skyline, waterfront or even local streetscape. This feature of condo living is the epitome of what’s appealing about condos: an urban, sophisticated, tasteful and stress free lifestyle.

Many homebuyers in the General Toronto Area have been misled into thinking that a fully detached home is the only accepted or acceptable form of living but this is very unfortunate. The lifestyle a condo affords is an incredible option for those who want a stress free way of living whether it accompanies early life career and family development or later age downsizing. What’s so stress free about a condo you might be asking? Let’s count the ways.

Fundamentally, a quality new pre-construction condo comes with stability, safety, predictability and peace of mind. Who really wants to maintain a semi or fully detached family home in the GTA? Some people do but many do not. Single family homeowners are frequently burdened with large unexpected expenses and are often subject to the “lifestyle inflation” that comes with a big space and associated pressure to “keep up with the Joneses”. The predictability of a condo fee means that buyers of new pre-construction condos can have a long term outlook of their expenses without nasty surprises. Other considerations like home insurance can be a source of savings.

For young professional buyers of new pre-construction condos, or even those mid-career, condos are an invaluable option. Condos tend to be located in downtown cores or on major transit lines. This type of favourable location means that those looking to get ahead in life are right “in the mix” and can readily take advantage of all the career and social opportunities that come with being well situated. While the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an increase of “work from home”, the future is unpredictable and a reprioritizing of the office is possible. 

One thing that virtually all office workers can agree on is that freedom from a long commute is priceless. But if you see a future with wide open possibilities and consider that younger workers often change careers a handful of times, a downtown location is a safe bet as it implies a short commute in any event. When the amount of services “at your doorstep” in a “mixed use” environment are taken into account, it’s a no-brainer. 

Semi and fully detached single family homes on the other hand, especially new builds, are more likely to be in far outlying areas. This is especially true in the current context of greenbelt building and “tall and sprawl”. While “tall and sprawl” may not be an ideal pattern of development, it offers a clear choice and for many the choice is clear: living space located on transit or in a downtown core is preferred. Of course, the heft of this demand also has implications for those looking to invest in new pre-construction condos. 

Younger new pre-construction condo buyers can take advantage of the ultimate in avoiding lifestyle inflation by buying a “micro condo”, a type of condo frequently found in downtown Toronto. Young couples on the other hand tend to opt for something a bit more spacious. The good news is that an untold number of new pre-construction developments are in the process of becoming reality in the GTA so there are plenty of buildings and units to choose from. Keep in touch with CondosHQ for exclusive offers on new pre-construction condos.

New pre-construction condos are also an incredible option for retirees or empty-nesters looking to downsize. Throughout the GTA and beyond there are clusters of condos that cater to retirees with the outcome that this stage of life isn’t as lonely as it otherwise might be. Beverley Glen in Thornhill is an excellent example of this type of lifestyle and environment. The key is connection and that brings us to perhaps the ultimate in condo benefits: community. 

While not everyone in a condo tower knows their neighbours, the odds are good that a condo building and the surrounding area are ripe with potential connections. Some new pre-construction condo developments are even built with features that provoke social interaction like interior courtyards fit for arts and culture events or other special shared amenities. The “at grade” retail found in other condo developments is another potential meeting place. Mid-rise (as opposed to high-rise) condos offer the “best of both worlds” as they connect residents to the local street. Options and possibilities are key, in a condo the potential for connection is that much greater.

And while we’ve been talking about the “intangible” benefits of a condo lifestyle, let’s get down to those amenities. Things like rooftop outlooks, outdoor and indoor pools, gyms, guest suites, entertainment rooms, bike parking and dog wash areas can be found in new pre-construction condo developments and the list goes on as developers come up with still other options to satisfy sophisticated buyers. While an individual resident is unlikely to make use of each feature, any single amenity may turn out to be priceless within a resident’s wider lifestyle. 

Finally, while only a small minority of new pre-construction condo buyers will make a buying choice on this basis, the reality is that condos are a more sustainable form of living. All the residents in a condo building share amenities and get “economies of scale” when it comes to the delivery of building services. Living next to transit is also sustainable and, if applicable, biking or walking to work is the ultimate in a green lifestyle. 

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