This is a very interesting thread. Solid points on both sides, as expected. All I can add is this: we own a "middle of the road" (not "luxury", but not "economy", either) 2/2 condo in South FL. On the beach... which we never get to use because we work all day and/or it is always packed with tourists. Very desirable location. The area today is NOTHING compared to what it was a mere 8 years ago. I can not wait to get out of here and buy a house. Yes, the reverse of what most folks do.
I hate living in this place and realized that the condo lifestyle is not for me. Noise, bureaucracy, managers that steal from you, noise, special assessments, rude and inconsiderate neighbors, folks throwing parties at 3 AM when you have to wake up at 5 AM the for work (then you call security and nothing really happens... so you end up calling the police... every other week), noise, sky-high taxes, construction EVERYWHERE (when one building is finished, another one pops out of nowhere... they even built one luxury hi-rise *in front of* another luxury hi-rise that had an ocean view... but not anymore! Value collapsed overnight.), etc, etc... The city approves more and more hi-rise buildings, cramming them in the most unusual of corners... yo go to City Hall and complain, and they do not care, citing the increased tax revenue for them and how it will helps us as well... and yet my taxes always go up, up, up... Did I mention noise?
We are evaluating our options at the moment, and can not wait to move to our own place, where I will not have to ask for permission every time I have friends over, I need to pick up my own mail, or need to bring in a small piece of furniture inside my own home.
I fully see other's points of views, and can understand the appeal. But this type of lifestyle, I found out the hard way, is not for me. Nor do I want to be a landlord. At this point in my life, there is nothing I value more than privacy, independence and *peace and quiet*.
I hate living in this place and realized that the condo lifestyle is not for me. Noise, bureaucracy, managers that steal from you, noise, special assessments, rude and inconsiderate neighbors, folks throwing parties at 3 AM when you have to wake up at 5 AM the for work (then you call security and nothing really happens... so you end up calling the police... every other week), noise, sky-high taxes, construction EVERYWHERE (when one building is finished, another one pops out of nowhere... they even built one luxury hi-rise *in front of* another luxury hi-rise that had an ocean view... but not anymore! Value collapsed overnight.), etc, etc... The city approves more and more hi-rise buildings, cramming them in the most unusual of corners... yo go to City Hall and complain, and they do not care, citing the increased tax revenue for them and how it will helps us as well... and yet my taxes always go up, up, up... Did I mention noise?
We are evaluating our options at the moment, and can not wait to move to our own place, where I will not have to ask for permission every time I have friends over, I need to pick up my own mail, or need to bring in a small piece of furniture inside my own home.
I fully see other's points of views, and can understand the appeal. But this type of lifestyle, I found out the hard way, is not for me. Nor do I want to be a landlord. At this point in my life, there is nothing I value more than privacy, independence and *peace and quiet*.