I had posted this topic, however, since my query was not clear, I got replies for outright purchase. Thanks all the same.

I repeat the question,

Which is better? Townhouse or Condo - if I get it at the same price at the same location - what would be better - considering we are new to Canada - in terms of lifestyle, adaptation, quality of life, children etc.

The townhouse would be more spacious and comes with a small garden in the back.

We need to choose. Please help us with whatever your own thoughts on this. It will help us immensely.

Thanks a lot.

Most Canadians, especially if they have children, would ideally like to live in houses. Most start with renting an apt and then move to either a townhouse, and from there to a semi-detatched or detatched house. Of course there are others who move directly from apartment to detatched house and others who never want to live in anyplace other than a condo.

A Condo will make you feel less isolated, though you might not necessarily want to socialise with most people you meet there. There are common areas you meet people- elevators, gym (if there is one). Also most condos have security sytems in place which might be important for some families. Enclosed parking is also a boon in the winter. Kids are more likely to find friends their age to play with in a condo. On the flip side however, I have heard a few stories from my friends who live in condos and who had their neighbours took great issue with the fact that my friend's infant cried a lot at night.

I personally like townhouses better. When we first moved to Canada we lived in an apartment building and I absolutely disliked it for many reasons. We moved to a townhouse and found it very comfortable. Having that space was great and we were not stressed over the children disturbing the neighbours. The backyard allowed us to practice some gardening skills and was great for barbequing and the children playing. We lived in a condo townhouse where we could access common facilies like the swimming pool and had the street just outside our driveway plowed. And we had a lovely wood fireplace. Townhouses give you more space (especially if you have a finished basement) and have a much more settled feel to it.

Whatever you decide on you might want to consider the area you are moving into very carefully as most dont tend to make the next move too far from where they initially settle.

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If you are buying a condo, you may want to be aware that condominiums charge monthly fees to cover things like ground maintenance, snow shoveling, parking, utility bills. These fees can vary from 200-600/mth, or even more. This is apart from your mortgage payments and property taxes you will pay.

Townhouses that are labeled as "freehold" usually do not have such monthly fees, but check carefully before you commit. Of course, for renting, all your fees should be included in the monthly rate that is quoted.

If you are interested in buying, you should also keep resale value in mind, even if you have no intention of profiting from your real estate purchase. Depending on where the condominium is (downtown Toronto is an obvious exception), condos generally appreciate less than semi-detached or detached homes.

It will be better to land first in Canada, get a temporary accommodation with friends or a guest house, take a look at both and decide what suits your needs and your pocket. Do check if heat, hydro, parking, etc., is included or not with rent since that might be extra that you need to pay for. Do check if there is a one year lease and if you are ready to commit to it.

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