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Ask not what you can do for the house—ask what the house can do for you.
House-hunting can be overwhelming. Between the costs, layout, design, location, neighborhood, and a myriad other considerations, deciding on your next home can be nerve-wracking. Ultimately, your dream house has to answer one, important question: what kind of life can the house give you?

Horizontal Communities 

If you’re looking to put down your roots, a house-and-lot is a great option.
Landowning provides stability and permanence, which is why horizontal communities like gated subdivisions are perfect for families, or people looking to settle down. Situated away from city centers, subdivisions are a quiet haven where you can simply focus on yourself and your loved ones, refresh in the invigorating beauty of nature, and enjoy the recreational amenities.

Choose this if: 
•    You have cash to spare. Bigger spaces mean bigger expenses. Houses in prime locations have higher price tags than their condominium counterparts. If a house and a condo fall in the same range, the cumulative costs of maintaining a house will eventually be greater as more rooms and wider areas consume more utilities, and require more maintenance. 

•    You enjoy Do-It-Yourself-ing. You can add your personal touch to a house in everything from the overall floor plan down to the smallest garden flower. With your own house, you can draw up the interior and exterior plans, select the furnishings and decorations, and make improvements later on. Upkeep is also entirely in your purview.

•    You don’t miss the city. Many subdivisions are designed specifically to take its residents away from the hustle and bustle of the urban jungle, which is why they are typically situated in the suburbs. While more distance from the buzzing metros means longer commutes, it also means more distance from the city’s hectic scenes and frantic lifestyle.

Vertical Neighborhoods

Dynamic denizens will feel right at home in condominiums.

High-rise enclaves are built specifically for the dizzying, fast-paced city life. Sleek and compact, condos are designed to hold all of life’s necessities in a single, smart space, located at the heart of the city where work, school, and recreation are all a stone’s throw away. Condos put you firmly in the thick of the action—an invaluable proximity that takes away unnecessary stresses and distractions, and lets you focus on the important things.

Choose this if:
•    You don’t sweat the small stuff. Condos are made for convenience. They can be bought fully-furnished and ready for move-in, and the smaller space means less upkeep. Any work immediately outside your unit is a job for the building management. The house rules, while sometimes rigid, also simplify your living arrangements: fewer inputs from you means less things to worry about. 

•    You have places to be. For a neo-nomad or the highly-mobile, a cheaper, more temporary housing situation is the best option. They’re readily available and accessible, making house-hunting in new, unfamiliar territories more manageable. Moving out from one is also easier, with less items to carry out, and cheaper price tags to attract new owners.

•    You’re working on you. If you’re not settling down, or looking to start a family, focus on what you need. Get a one-bedroom or a studio if you live alone. Move close to the entertainment district if you want excitement. With myriads of selections on the market, it’s easier to find a condo unit that works perfectly just for you.

Big or small, permanent or temporary, a house is a big investment. When choosing your next home, decide not where to live, but how you will live. Horizontal communities like gated subdivisions are perfect for families or those looking to settle down, while vertical developments like condominiums suit highly-mobile individuals better. Remember, the right house not only looks right, it also feels right.

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