Condo vs House: What’s Better to Raise a Family In?

With real estate prices bouncing all over the place, we’re all wondering what the best place is to raise a family.

While some families inherit houses from their parents, others are looking around and trying to find a place to settle. Some people insist on a house for the kids to have running space while others see condos as a better option because of security. There are various pros and cons to investing in a condo or house when finding a place for the family to settle down.

Here’s what to consider when choosing between a house or a condo for our families:

1. Area Culture

We consider area culture because the place we’ll settle will be filled with the people our kids will grow up around, whether we like it or not. Areas are usually categorized into three groups: residential, commercial, and industrial.

While industrial areas have lower rental rates and are bigger, they’re surrounded by factories and warehouses. Commercial areas have higher rental rates but essentials like supermarkets, hospitals, malls, gas stations, laundromats, commute hubs, and even schools are within walking distance. Residential is usually quieter but is quite a distance from the essentials.

2. Space

Condos may lose out on walking/running space but a smaller place means less for a family to clean. Houses have more space for families to move around, even offering a spot for moms and dads to indulge their inner plantita/plantito. But what usually decides on space also is how many kids families want to have. Some have two or three in which a condo might be too small. Families doing one-and-done may prefer being in a condo.

Also, if there’s a plan to own pets, they’ll need a lot of space. Especially if we’re dreaming of owning wolfhounds like German Shepherds and Siberian Huskies, they need a lot of running space.

Then, there are also appliances to consider. Condos usually have laundromats, convenience stores and other essentials below since the units are usually too small to accommodate heavy-duty washing machines or gas range stoves. Houses, on the other hand, can be customized to make installing these appliances easier.

3. Association Dues

All subdivisions charge association dues so they can pay for the security guards at the gates. In a condominium, the administration charges association dues for both the security guards and the maintenance people. The rate usually depends on how big the space is and in condos, they often charge association dues for parking slots separately.

4. Long-term value

What we also know as Return of Investment (ROI), lands – depending on how the city develops – can either jump or drop in price. Because prices of land in the metro have skyrocketed after the pandemic, some property development companies like Ayala, SMDC, Antel, and DMCI have set their sights on reclamation areas in provinces beyond the metro.

Some parents may be hesitant to invest because it’s “far from civilization” but, provinces have begun to develop more restaurants to accommodate the families that are migrating to the area.

5. The ease of paying real estate expenses

The disadvantage of building houses and investing in lands beyond the metro may sometimes mean traveling to the province’s city hall to pay for it. Although there are some highways like the NLEX and CALAX connecting the metro to the provinces beyond for convenience, it’s still quite taxing coming back and forth. There’s also color coding to consider since Metro Manila is currently the only area that follows that rule because of how congested it [the city] is.

Looking forward: will our family thrive in a condo or house?

Depending on the family’s work schedule and their lifestyle, some may prefer a house. Families who still live with their grandparents may sometimes prefer condos because everything’s on one floor with no stairs for anyone to fall over. While bungalow homes are ideal and a dream for many, there’s just not enough land. It’s trial-and-error; sometimes, families experiment by renting places first.

That way, they know the best kind of home their families can thrive in.

More about homes and houses?

The Pet Parent’s Guide to Keeping the House Clean
Jacquelyn Martinez – Pio Roda talks about her idyllic family life in Napa Valley
Andi Eigenmann’s Insights on Trading City Pleasures for Island Living