Pros and Cons of Living in a Condominium against living in a house

[siomai]

i got into this dilemma before buying our townhouse in a gated community. At about same time naman bumili rin mga officemates and friends ko ng condo (2 bought sa high rise and one sa mid-rise). Overall, our house is cheaper - 70 sqm floor area, plus garage, for 2.7M. Our association dues are much cheaper - 400PHP lang a month.

ang sarap ng feeling na secure ka na when your kids want to go out and play they can do that. wala kami masyado space pero since may playground ang village and wide ang roads.. they can really enjoy the outdoors..

and by the way, hindi pa sobrang malayo like cavite or antipolo or bulacan.. nasa may likod lang kami ng Eastwood. Pasig area kami

[pretinnes]

house na may malaking garden mas feel ko na sarili mo ang property.

[boo.dha]

i got into this dilemma before buying our townhouse in a gated community. At about same time naman bumili rin mga officemates and friends ko ng condo (2 bought sa high rise and one sa mid-rise). Overall, our house is cheaper - 70 sqm floor area, plus garage, for 2.7M. Our association dues are much cheaper - 400PHP lang a month.

ang sarap ng feeling na secure ka na when your kids want to go out and play they can do that. wala kami masyado space pero since may playground ang village and wide ang roads.. they can really enjoy the outdoors..

and by the way, hindi pa sobrang malayo like cavite or antipolo or bulacan.. nasa may likod lang kami ng Eastwood. Pasig area kami

Looks like a good investment nga.  Bihira lang mga ganyan na properties.  Personally, gusto ko ng condo.

[cassiopeia]

i got into this dilemma before buying our townhouse in a gated community. At about same time naman bumili rin mga officemates and friends ko ng condo (2 bought sa high rise and one sa mid-rise). Overall, our house is cheaper - 70 sqm floor area, plus garage, for 2.7M. Our association dues are much cheaper - 400PHP lang a month.

ang sarap ng feeling na secure ka na when your kids want to go out and play they can do that. wala kami masyado space pero since may playground ang village and wide ang roads.. they can really enjoy the outdoors..

and by the way, hindi pa sobrang malayo like cavite or antipolo or bulacan.. nasa may likod lang kami ng Eastwood. Pasig area kami

san sis sa pasig? naghahanap parin kami ni hubby near the area din

[rae]

Really depends on your lifestyle and what's available.  Imagine yourself living in a condo and living in a house.  Kung saan mo mas nakikita ang sarili mo, dun ka.

I prefer living in a condo dahil dun ako sanay.

[babaengmahiwaga]

House siempre. There's always this scary thought about earthquakes when I imagine myself in a condo. 

[bluewinkle]

If you're working in Makati, you would observe it, the more older the building mas cheap and worse ammenities unlike the new ones... by the way, the worst scenario of buying a condo is knowing the fact that WE dont have enough security with regards to government policies...look at what happened to WEST TOWER in Makati...

I agree - I have yet to see a condo in Metro Manila that is still in great shape after 30 years.

If something happens to the house, the lot will always be there and you can just build again and do whatever you want.  The same cannot be said for a condo unit.

[kobee04]

that was our dilemma too before we bought a house here in cavite... We opt to get a condo coz we (husband) both work in Makati. We weighed the pros and cons and now we are here in our house.  Before, everything went well, until skyway was rebuilt.  We experienced too much traffic but then in the long run when skyway was done we are quite convinced that we made the right decision.  Most especially when Ondoy happened.  We are not really affected by heavy rains and even typhoon. That was a big thanks for us,  not until this year where all prices went up including toll fees.  Bringing a car going to work will cost us 1k just for tolls and gasoline.  It is really disappointing that all prices are getting higher and higher.  Now we are on the second thought of selling our house again and moving to the city and stay in a condo instead.  But one thing we consider is the earthquake and the association dues of condos (fees already can reach up to 1 month rent for a regular apartment).  So until now we are on the same situation again, to leave or stay. 

[health.gal]

I've been living in a condo for N years, sanay na kung sanay, but after my wedding, I still dream of living in a house.  Pero kung investment ang paguusapan, yun tipong ipapa-rent ko, then I'd prefer to buy a condo. IMO, mas mabilis kasi turnover ng tenants dito eh.

[mei-mei]

that was our dilemma too before we bought a house here in cavite... We opt to get a condo coz we (husband) both work in Makati. We weighed the pros and cons and now we are here in our house.  Before, everything went well, until skyway was rebuilt.  We experienced too much traffic but then in the long run when skyway was done we are quite convinced that we made the right decision.  Most especially when Ondoy happened.  We are not really affected by heavy rains and even typhoon. That was a big thanks for us,  not until this year where all prices went up including toll fees.  Bringing a car going to work will cost us 1k just for tolls and gasoline.  It is really disappointing that all prices are getting higher and higher.  Now we are on the second thought of selling our house again and moving to the city and stay in a condo instead.  But one thing we consider is the earthquake and the association dues of condos (fees already can reach up to 1 month rent for a regular apartment).  So until now we are on the same situation again, to leave or stay. 

I, too, wanted to have our own house & lot but didn't want to stay away from the city.  Sanay na kasi ako, growing up in Ortigas area, na everything is within reach.  Thank God we were able to buy a foreclosed condo in the same area for only P3M (really a steal!).  So now we're just having this renovated (you have to spend lang on renovation cos it's foreclosed) and I can say I'm satisfied with this purchase.  Kasi, although condo ang title nya, this is just a 2-storey building that is in a lot area of close to 1000sqm. So there's only 10 of us residing here and smallest unit is already 140sqm. The condo/building association said, if the time comes na the building becomes too old, we can still partition the lot since there's only 10 of us.  So each of us can still get around 90-120 sqm of land.  Which is not bad for this area. 

[Banff]

house. definitely house..  more room for the kids to play, and for investment, puede ipag mana next time ang lupa sa mga anak... imo 

[ghirly]

for me I prefer to live in a condo especially if you are living alone. mas safe kasi to live in a condo if you are single or even have a family especially if your condo e complete ang amenities na as if you are in a vacation.

[rae]

I prefer to live in a condo too. I'm a bit nomadic.

I love living very near my workplace. It saves time and money.  Mahirap maghanap ng murang house and lot na cheap ang rental fee--kung meron man malayo.

I don't believe in owning land too. I feel being tied down.  When I have my own family na and kids. I hope they don't get attached to the place we lived and focus on doing fun stuff. Like travel etc.

[kuliglig^^]

I'd like to live in a condo, pero not forever... Kasi condo buildings get old din. Pero I'm scared of earthquakes din... 

Gusto ko rin maghouse, lalo na if lumalaki na yung family... but my worry naman is, paano if we get into a disaster of epic proportions? Masira ang house or gumuho ang lupa or something? 

Pero house talaga ang pipiliin ko. 

[naughtybrat]

For me i'd still want my home close to the ground. Gusto ko ng may garden in the near future. I recently moved back in my condo and i find it too big (2br, 2tb,maids rm+cr) but its close to everything kaya ditto muna ko. both has pros and cons naman so depends on your needs. Whichever you find more comfortable and safe, dun.

[michi247]

kung single and working ako, condo ang gusto ko pero dahil may family na ko, house pa rin.

@siskobee04 - naisip ko rin yan na parang hindi right decision na bumili kami ng bahay sa south, sobra kasi burden yang toll fee na yan. imbes na maencourage yung mga tao na bumili ng bahay na hindi sa city, madiscourage lang dahil sa toll fee.

[malei]

we bought a pre-selling condo, three years ago na rin... now RFO na siya... pinauupahan ko na lang siya kasi i really don't see myself living there... ang liit lang ng space at ang daming bawal... kung dun kami titira... sobrang deprived and space namin... lalo na sa hubby ko na maraming abubot na tinatago dahil mahilig magbubutingting... what we did, kumuha na lang kami ng house and lot, medyo malayo pero if may sasakyan kami ok na rin... it's still under construction... pero i really see our family living there... kahit na sabihin mong medyo malayo, sobra kasing ok for children and pets... i can't wait to live there...
well.. for me... ok rin talaga if may condo ka for convenience... pero you still need a place to stay for the rest of your life.... especially a place where you want to stay when you get old... before decided akong ibenta na lang yung condo, pero now, keep ko na lang siya, pag lumaki kasi yung anak ko, he will need a place to stay na malapit for school or work... it's ok na rin na we have both kasi, we don't pay for the condo's monthly amor, self-sufficient na siya because of the rental fee

[soLaris]

house pa din. kasi nakakatakot condo, paano pag may earthquake? medyo paranoia kasi pag nasa iisang building lang.

[hyder0926]

i want a house with a garden pa din over a condo.. but a condo is a good income generating investment if your property is in a busy location.

[younis]

^agree!

most of the people who buy condo's are after the convenience in going to work or school or to their business. yung mga h&l kasi palayo na meaning kundi far north ka makakabili eh far south na (cavite, laguna, batangas) dahil puno na sa metro manila at masyado ng mahal kung bibili ka ng h&l, pero kung pag-aaralan mo naman maraming foreclosed properties na pwede mo namang i-acquire then ipagawa in due time di ba, this is just an option as compare to "pagbili ng hangin" as mentioned by sis amethyst hehe