Townhouse or a condo

Accomodation, House and Garden
1
Total noob, looking for an advice. First is more expensive to maintain, second one has smaller wertquote for the buck, more noise, and more community management. What else to take into account?

2
Hard to compare. I much preferred a townhouse, less ambiguity about neighbours above and below. no service charge over which little control. multiple floors nice to have, garden possibilities, car parking on site.

of course location and cost are other factors.

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3
I know someone who hated the stairs so after a house, they bought an apartment on one floor.

4

Also need to think about if you ever have any illness/age problems that would make things like stairs more difficult. Our house we have to go up a flight of stairs to even get to the living areas and then it’s another flight up to most of the bedrooms. As we’re both getting on it’s getting harder and harder to keep going up and down for stuff all the time. Part of the reason why we’re going back to the UK; our house there only has one flight of stairs and also has a stairlift installed if worst comes to worst. I dread to think what it would cost to have something like that put in here in Switzerland for all our staircases inside and out.

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5

I would prefer to own a house to have full control and not deal with other people.

Maybe in later life, I would want to just rent and not deal with any property issues.

6

That was our thinking, as we are no longer young. I see the issues my parents face now that my father can no longer go up the stairs, so having an apartment with an elevator was important for us.
If we were ten years younger, we might have focused differently.
Also, we don’t plan to move until after retirement, if ever, ymmv.

ETA: I also grew up in an apartment, so it’s always been normal for me.

7

I live in a street where houses have split level design and on a hill so steps just to get into the house. Built in the 70s all the original owners (who still live there) are now old and have problems getting in and out of the house and up and down the stairs. Two of the neighbours died in the last years due to complications arising as a result of a fall in the house. Two neighbours have moved out to more friendly living arrangements.

8

Almost every house we’ve seen here is very close to the neighbours and has a tiny garden. It’s actually even less private than many apartments.
But if by not having to “deal with other people” you mean being able to decide over repairs, renovations, etc then I guess this is the best solution.
However, you will still not be able to decide over some stuff without getting permits etc or without having to justify your choices in front of your neighbours see “geranium polizei” etc. All in all I think being an Einzelhaus owner here is far less exciting than in other countries.

9

Yes:

  1. Cost control and control over timing and nature of renovations
  2. No disputes over laundry room or common areas
  3. No noise disputes from above or below
10

Yes, absolutely, what Phil said.