Condo/apt vs House

[Richardgregory]

Ok, maybe slightly off topic here with regards to builds, but I might be transitioning in the future to a condo from a house.....that kinda makes me feel sad that I will lose the freedom of having workspace, but i guess as long as I have my cab with me built the way I want it it'll be all good.   Also the challenge is making sure that there will be a spot for it in a smaller space. 

Just wondering if anyone here lives in a condo/apt and what impact / challenges are there with the hobby.  Hopefully, it's not that bad. 

[SavannahLion]

Are you out of your ---smurfing--- mind?

OK.... now that's out of the system.

The challenges regarding space isn't all that different than living in a small house. My favorite home of all time remains my childhood home. Killer surroundings, kick ass view, and enough land to do whatever. Inside space, however, remains a premium despite all the hidden surprises, features I thought were common to all homes until I started visiting commoner dwellings. My father constructed no less than four outdoor sheds at one time and had a workshop that was, at the time, considered a sister house. In other words, my father constructed roughly twice the floor space for a workshop and storage than the actual home we lived in on the property (about three times that if you count the basements of the home). Sadly, only two sheds and the primary house now remain.

Since the, I've been seriously space challenged moving to ever smaller homes as I age. This isn't really by choice, just chance. I find the biggest challenge as I'm forced to selectively reduce my collection or pay for storage (which I did for about five years), is that I have virtually no desire to create new cabs or even repair my existing cabs in such small spaces. Especially if I know the work isn't a quick fix. I just don't have the space to spread my work space out and leave it for a couple of days as I work on it after dealing with the daily ---That which is odiferous and causeth plants to grow---. Sometimes that ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- spans weeks as I'm just to exhausted to ---fudgesicle--- with whatever at 10 PM or I've passed the local noise ordinances cut off.

Programming is easy, it's quiet. It's compact, I just send the computer to sleep. Trying to track down a defective IC on a 12" wide board takes space and time. I'm not apt to keep packing that stuff away every day just so the wife and kids can walk around without getting into my workbench and ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---.

[deadmoney5]

When I got divorced a couple years ago, I went from a house to a one br apartment.  Not only did I have a full size arcade game (Mame Ult. Arcade Kit behemith), but I also play guitar in a band.  Not exactly awesome hobbies when living in an apt.  When I moved to a bigger apt a half a year later, I decided to trash the cab.  After awhile I never really liked it anyways...it was way too big and bulky and I had altered the  Slikstik in it so much so I could play all games half-assed. (wayyy too busy looking)  But it was my first build, so you learn.

Anyways when i moved into the other apt, I purchased one of Haruman's bartops, and made it a Galaga 4-way Mame machine.  perfect for an apartment,  In fact, I'm thinking of making another bartop for 8-way games.

[jennifer]

    I kinda did that in reverse, The condo wasn't built for rolling jukes and cabs around and the floors washboarded after a couple of years, The cops came by regularly due to noise complaints,  the bathroom was a poor choice for painting (overspray like everywhere) and welding in the driveway just scares the neighbors....IMO a mobile or mod house would be better if you have a choice. In hindsight taking up coding like S/L (or art editing) would have been a good idea in a small area.

[BorgDog]

    I kinda did that in reverse, The condo wasn't built for rolling jukes and cabs around and the floors washboarded after a couple of years, The cops came by regularly due to noise complaints,  the bathroom was a poor choice for painting (overspray like everywhere) and welding in the driveway just scares the neighbors....IMO a mobile or mod house would be better if you have a choice. In hindsight taking up coding like S/L (or art editing) would have been a good idea in a small area.

  love the visuals.

I could never give up my shop now that I have one.

[eds1275]

I bought my own house with land. Not a tonne of it, just 1/3 acre, but I can't imagine living in anyplace smaller.

Not to push anyone's buttons, but I also think that the cost of a condo/apartment should be like 1/3 of what market prices are. I sort of think the land has more value than the building does, and you don't get much if any with a condo. Most times a little square of grass. I know there are exceptions, but the vast majority fall into this.

[SavannahLion]

I bought my own house with land. Not a tonne of it, just 1/3 acre, but I can't imagine living in anyplace smaller.

Not to push anyone's buttons, but I also think that the cost of a condo/apartment should be like 1/3 of what market prices are. I sort of think the land has more value than the building does, and you don't get much if any with a condo. Most times a little square of grass. I know there are exceptions, but the vast majority fall into this.

The general appeal of Condos is they're generally operated like Town homes or maybe even Twins. Basically an apartment complex where you can do what you want inside your own condo, even a full scale remodel, but the outside is the responsibility of an HOA-like entity.

Condo living is a real dog though if you deviate in the slightest from the norm. I heard New York has condos where portions are rent controlled. One new building even had separate entrances for the "disadvantaged". The same building set up a fence to prevent those in the rent controlled condos direct access to their shared patios. I can imagine what the Association will say if they catch you dragging your sorry X-Man cab down the hall.

[deadmoney5]

I bought my own house with land. Not a tonne of it, just 1/3 acre, but I can't imagine living in anyplace smaller.

Not to push anyone's buttons, but I also think that the cost of a condo/apartment should be like 1/3 of what market prices are. I sort of think the land has more value than the building does, and you don't get much if any with a condo. Most times a little square of grass. I know there are exceptions, but the vast majority fall into this.

I agree..rent for an aprtment is unbelievably high.  Then they charge you for underground parking, pet fee.  They even ---smurfing--- charge you for storage! But it's a renter's market, so what can you do?  My utilities are basically a fraction of what they were in my house, and I have washer and dryer in unit.  As much as miss all the advantages of having a house, it just wasn't for me.  It was a money sucking pit that always was in need of repairs..Furnace goes out, central air goes out..driveway needs repair.  Roof needs replacing.  Tree roots ruining foundation.  I could go on and on.

My house wasn't even a good investment.  Bought it during the boom with inflated prices.

You're ---fouled up beyond all recognition--- either way.  Just enjoy life!

[ark_ader]

Dunno. My house in the UK was matchbox compared to my current apartment in the US, which is a blessing and a curse.  Cab building is best provided by Haruman's creations than worrying about the noise, dust and tool expense.  Like others have said, houses can be expensive.  I can always move out to better dwellings without having to hire a realtor.