Loft vs. house for DINKs?

[baege]

Did a search but didn't find anything on this exact topic and I thought I would plug into the vast experience of the car people on here...

So my wife and I are DINKs with no real likelihood of any children coming (we are open to it, but doesn't look like it's gonna happen).

Anyhow, we've been renting for a while now and getting closer to buying and we are somewhat opposed on what to focus on, i.e. a nice spacious cool loft vs a house.

I personally don't see the real need for a house for just the 2 of us. I think a big loft (1000 to 1200 square feet) with lots of nice natural light and a nice outdoor space would fit us fine. We would need a good size storage locker and 2 parking spots and we would be laughing.

with the loft you avoid a lot of the worries and hassles that come with home ownership, roofs, snow removal, landscaping, and all the little things and improvements that need tending to...

a loft lifestyle is pretty carefree and I don't really see what you miss out on as compared to a house...but she says I don't get it (I grew up in a condo and have never lived in a house)

interested in hearing other people's thoughts and experiences in navigating this decision. All other things being equal (same neighbourhood etc) would you recommend a house or loft for dinks?

[spazzyfry123]

My wife and I recently purchased our first home together that’s a little under 1500 square ft. I’m already thinking it would be nice to have more space, but that may be different for you. I’ve owned a house before and didn’t really mind the maintenance, but now with a wife and a newborn with a demanding job tossed in the mix, the last thing I want to do is cut the grass.

If maintenance ain’t your bag and you like paying high HOA to cover that, loft it is. If you don’t want shared walls, some privacy, and something that’s really YOURS, get a house.

What is a dink?

[Merami fan]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

What is a dink?

Double income, no kids.

As for the question at hand, it depends. Depends on the location and the property (noise level, etc). Some people just want or feel better with lots of rooms and horizontal space. I don't care to have a big house; a loft with high ceilings would be my preference. A big house without immediate use for most of the space just leads to buying garbage to fill it with, and time spent (wasted?) on cleaning areas you hardly use.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by baege

Did a search but didn't find anything on this exact topic and I thought I would plug into the vast experience of the car people on here...

So my wife and I are DINKS with no real likelihood of any children coming (we are open to it, but doesn't look like it's gonna happen).

Anyhow, we've been renting for a while now and getting closer to buying and we are somewhat opposed on what to focus on, i.e. a nice spacious cool loft vs a house.

I personally don't see the real need for a house for just the 2 of us. I think a big loft (1000 to 1200 square feet) with lots of nice natural light and a nice outdoor space would fit us fine. We would need a good size storage locker and 2 parking spots and we would be laughing.

with the loft you avoid a lot of the worries and hassles that come with home ownership, roofs, snow removal, landscaping, and all the little things and improvements that need tending to...

a loft lifestyle is pretty carefree and I don't really see what you miss out on as compared to a house...but she says I don't get it (I grew up in a condo and have never lived in a house)

interested in hearing other people's thoughts and experiences in navigating this decision. All other things being equal (same neighbourhood etc) would you recommend a house or loft for dinks?

Depends on the price difference and your list of "wants".

Are you talking about purchasing the loft? If purchasing - what are typical HOA/condo monthly dues there?

How tough is it to find lofts in your desired neighborhood with two parking spaces?

[Colodano]

Definitely a personal choice, and honestly loft/condo style living is a very Toronto thing due to the pricing and lifestyle of the city (I lived there for 2 years).
Personally I hate having shared walls and floor/ceiling that I can hear other peoples noise, or feel the need to be cautious on the noise I make, plus I like to have a yard, and a garage and driveway with space to work on projects/cars etc.
If you have never lived in a single family dwelling, I would say that maybe try that for awhile i.e. rent for a year or more, before you think of buying anything, and see what you think and if it aligns with how your spouse wants to live as well.

[chassis]

Rent (loft).

You didn’t say where you are located. Where are you located?

Homes prices are not attractive in any price tier imo in the US right now. Rent for a while and enjoy fewer headaches.

[baege]

Originally Posted by hooligan_E84

Depends on the price difference and your list of "wants".

Are you talking about purchasing the loft? If purchasing - what are typical HOA/condo monthly dues there?

How tough is it to find lofts in your desired neighborhood with two parking spaces?

purchasing

it's pretty much a wash in terms of economics, the loft will be cheaper in terms of price but it has maintenance fees, so the overall monthly cost will be similar

yup 2 parking spots can be a challenge but its doable, we are looking to move further from the core so it's easier to find lofts with 2 spots further out

[baege]

Originally Posted by Colodano

Definitely a personal choice, and honestly loft/condo style living is a very Toronto thing due to the pricing and lifestyle of the city (I lived there for 2 years).
Personally I hate having shared walls and floor/ceiling that I can hear other peoples noise, or feel the need to be cautious on the noise I make, plus I like to have a yard, and a garage and driveway with space to work on projects/cars etc.
If you have never lived in a single family dwelling, I would say that maybe try that for awhile i.e. rent for a year or more, before you think of buying anything, and see what you think and if it aligns with how your spouse wants to live as well.

renting a single family dwelling for a bit is a good idea...I've actually been looking at that but the wife says it's not the same thing as owning a house and feeling settled there

[baege]

Originally Posted by chassis

Rent (loft).

You didn’t say where you are located. Where are you located?

Homes prices are not attractive in any price tier imo in the US right now. Rent for a while and enjoy fewer headaches.

toronto, canada

housing is pretty crazy right now here too, but condos/lofts are dropping in price

[rebekahb]

We have a decent size home and I'm torn when I look at the pros and cons.

Home: (Pre-Covid) we could never get projects completed because we traveled a lot and were rarely home. During Covid we're still gone a lot but it's on the river more. We say oh we're booked the next 2 weekends but the following we will stay home. Someone calls and then boom that third weekend that was to do house work is gone. I love having a pool in my backyard and we have 2 guest bedrooms and have friends come stay with us quite a bit. I don't love the upkeep of a house as my husband works a lot so I end up doing the random shit like cleaning the exterior windows, etc. I do a good inside cleaning every week but there are times where I feel like it's pointless because I'm cleaning clean areas.

Loft (if we lived in one): could walk to a lot of restaurants and bars (at least where ours are located). I love the look of exposed bricks, high ceilings, exposed air ducts, and tall windows. I wouldn't want a shared wall unless I could soundproof. I would miss having a pool in my backyard but having a community one would be a plus. It would be nice to come home and not worry about the list of things I need to do that's in the back of my head making me feel guilty while I try to relax.

I don't mind housework but it's the last thing I really want to do on my weekends off. Houses aren't constant maintenance but with how busy we are it's a nuisance. I think it boils down to your lifestyle and what fits best for y'all.

[Hawkeye]

DINK here and we purchased a 5 bedroom 3700 sq ft house last year and are loving it! Having all the space needed during the quarantine and being able to set up "hobby rooms" while still keeping a few bedrooms for guests is perfect IMO. We like to host parties and get togethers so having places to stay was a high priority for us.

[//Melon]

Real estate heavily depends on the area.
I'm all for home ownership, but in Tornont that might not be an option.

Lofts are 100% dope when done right, some nice mid-century modern furniture with some older decor makes it look rustic, but modern and up to date.

[2000cs]

I lived in a loft style condo for a while and found that the city noise was a bit too much, especially because it was on a street that the late night ambulances favored on their way to the hospital. I like the energy of the city, but I sleep better when it is quiet and dark.

[baege]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

DINK here and we purchased a 5 bedroom 3700 sq ft house last year and are loving it! Having all the space needed during the quarantine and being able to set up "hobby rooms" while still keeping a few bedrooms for guests is perfect IMO. We like to host parties and get togethers so having places to stay was a high priority for us.

i mean if you are a swinger you definitely need a house with lots of bedrooms

I kid I kid (not that there's anything wrong with that)

me and the wife are more introverted so having one spare room would suffice and we are pretty much 1 hobby types (me cars, her clothes)

I honestly don't know what I would do with lots of interior space...I am pretty simple

[Alfisti]

Come live in Lakeview, we can swap cars when i get one and double our driving options and it is only 15KMs from downtown.

Google Inspiration Lakeview.

[hooligan_G01]

Originally Posted by baege

purchasing

it's pretty much a wash in terms of economics, the loft will be cheaper in terms of price but it has maintenance fees, so the overall monthly cost will be similar

yup 2 parking spots can be a challenge but its doable, we are looking to move further from the core so it's easier to find lofts with 2 spots further out

Then it comes down to weighing preference - who wins, you or the wife?

I know who I put my money on...

I'd worry that you limit your prospective buyer pool should you decide to sell down the road as compared to a single-family home, but that's all very local market dependent, too.

[baege]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Come live in Lakeview, we can swap cars when i get one and double our driving options and it is only 15KMs from downtown.

Google Inspiration Lakeview.

but do they have lofts in lakeview?

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by baege

i mean if you are a swinger you definitely need a house with lots of bedrooms

I kid I kid (not that there's anything wrong with that)

me and the wife are more introverted so having one spare room would suffice and we are pretty much 1 hobby types (me cars, her clothes)

I honestly don't know what I would do with lots of interior space...I am pretty simple

Yeah sounds like a loft might work better for you. I have a lot of hobbies (climbing, wood working, cars, guns, whiskey, etc.) and we like entertaining quite often and we have a lot of family that lives far enough away to want to stay the night instead of always having to drive home when visiting.

[RickFLM4]

I guess we are DINKs too.

We have a good sized home, with more space than we need. Lived here 18 years now. Maintenance sometimes gets old but we love the house, neighborhood and space we have with our own yard (and pool we barely use). There is nothing walking distance to do but it is a very quiet and safe neighborhood.

Last year we purchased a vacation condo in the downtown of a small city. Tons of restaurants, shops, galleries, etc. within short walking distance. Total opposite of our home and about 1/3 the size. Very reasonable maintenance fees. Perfect for getting away and leaving empty for long periods, but if we had to pick just one, we’d go with our home. Condo has neighbors sharing walls and some units are AirBnB approved. Plus it’s on the third floor and starts to suck taking the dogs out every visit after a few days. We like having more space in the house and outside, but as others have said, it’s really a personal choice.

[tcphoto]

I lived in lofts for twenty years and loved the spaces but the walls were thin and a noisy neighbor can make your life hell. If you buy a loft, odds are you will pay HOA and you will have rules regarding just about everything. I was surprised how much I enjoyed living in a house but the yard can be a bit much unless you pay someone to take care of it.

[HFW003]

My wife and I have one 20 year old Son and we are very “lucky” to have quite a large 4 bedroom home with three seperate living areas and a media room which we built specifically for space for three of us.

All I can tell you is as I get older I really enjoy my own space and would not consider moving into a loft or large apartment.

[NorCalAthlete]

House + your own garage. Future workshop, car wash in your driveway, storage space...let alone a yard if you decide to get a dog.