The Top Benefits of Living In a Condo

Many people tend to shy away from living in a condo at the heart of the city. Some think it’s too crowded, noisy, cramped, and the proximity to all your other neighbors seems a little creepy. It really all depends on where you choose to stay and the quality of the condo you get, but for the most part, living in a condo can be a very good thing.

Condo Living is Awesome. Here’s Why:

1. You’ll be in the Heart of the City – Condos are situated in the heart of the city, and you’ll be surrounded by loads of things to do, see and explore. Step out of your building and start exploring all the museums, art galleries, specialty shops, shopping malls, bars, restaurants, cinemas and other attractions that make the particular city you choose to live in unique. You’ll also be near hospitals, schools and the central business district – a major deal if you work in the city.
2. You’ll do very little upkeep – You’ll be paying association dues every month to let the building’s management office handle the upkeep of almost everything related to the exterior and interior of the condo. You won’t have to repair a broken window, shovel snow, cut the grass, sweep the garage or any other activity that you’d normally do in a house with a yard. The most you’ll probably do is replace a lightbulb or oil your doors.
3. Save Money on Transportation – Since you’re in the heart of the city, you won’t have to drive as much because of all the public modes of transport available such as trains, subways, cabs and buses. You can also ride/rent a bike or take a walk. Most big cities have ample bike lanes and foot paths.
4. You’ll be near City Parks – Living in a condo doesn’t mean you won’t get enough sun. Most large cities have awesome parks. Perth, Western Australia has the beautiful King’s Park, New York City has the iconic Central Park and London has historic Hyde Park chock full of trees. You can do a lot of things in any park if the weather is great: you can go on a picnic, walk your dog, read a book, spend an afternoon with a loved one, go running and multitude of other great outdoor activities.
5. Go for a Swim Anytime – You can go for a swim anytime you want. Most condos have either an indoor pool, an outdoor pool at the rooftop, or both, so you can take a dip or do laps even when it’s cold outside. Condo pools have resort inspired furniture, so you can lounge around and relax. You can even invite a few friends over for drinks and a barbeque on the rooftop!
6. Gym Access – Fitness is a top priority of condo dwellers, and almost all condos have built in gyms where residents can pump iron or run on the treadmill. While condo gyms are adequate in some cases, most of them aren’t as well equipped as full blown gyms around the city. So if you’re really into serious lifting and need more plates, it’s better if you do light training in the condo gym and use a bigger gym for your heavy lifting days.
7. You’ll have Less Waste – For condos, space is a premium and every purchase or addition has to be well thought out. For example, the bigger 3-bedroom units on districtgriffin.com are approximately 1,362 sq.ft. or 127 sqm. You have to choose furniture with the proper dimensions so everything will fit. You can also have furniture custom made, with a priority on hidden storage because your extra stuff may become an issue in the future. Beds and sofas with drawers underneath, open shelves and dual purpose furniture are just a few ways to save on space in a condo.
8. Become a Minimalist – If you do run out of space, maybe it’s time to simplify your life and get rid of some stuff. Being minimalist can save you from the stress of having to worry about material possessions, buying this and that just to make you happy.

With all the benefits of condo living, many people have started to move back into the city. The proximity alone to all the major sights, schools and hospitals are enough to convince most people that living in a condo is better than suburbia. What about you? Would you give up your home to live in the heart of the city?