3 ms·

If Zillow is to be believed, yes. Let's take two cities: - Seattle[0]: Median sale price for a property classified as a condominium, $413k; median sale price

If Zillow is to be believed, yes. Let's take two cities: - Seattle[0]: Median sale price for a property classified as a condominium, $413k; median sale price for a single-family house, $672k. - San Francisco[1]: Condo, $658k; single-family, $1.14m 0 - http://www.zillow.com/seattle-wa/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/seattle-wa/home-values/ 1 - http://www.zillow.com/San-Francisco-CA/home-values/ http://www.zillow.com/San-Francisco-CA/home-values/

dagw 10y ago
Are you taking into account that most condos are much smaller than most houses? You really should be comparing the median price of a condo where a family of 4 can comfortably live to the median price of a house where a family of 4 can comfortably live. I suspect that difference will, if not disappear, at least be much smaller.
- techsupporter 10y ago
  I did not, and I admit that I should have (and only thought of it after clicking "reply"). On the other hand, I also thing we--as American society--need to have a discussion about what constitutes "comfortably." I have coworkers who are appalled at the idea that my three-person-with-pet family lives "comfortably" (kid has a separate bedroom, all of us have space for our hobbies, and there's storage) in a 900sqft house. We're moving to a 770sqft condo and the bulk of that "missing" space is reclaimed by going from a two-level house to a flat because the number of rooms is remaining the same.
- lawpoop 10y ago
  In the most abstract sense, I think you have a point, but the reality is that in America, there aren't condos a family of 4 can "comfortably" live in-- it's not considered acceptable that two kids might share a room, or have a dine-in kitchen. Americans just aren't willing to put up with as little space as Europeans are. There just isn't much overlap in square footage between houses and condos overall-- so I think it's still valid to compare houses to condos. Condos are cheaper because they are smaller. They don't make small houses anymore; that market need is met by condos.

dagw 10y ago

Are you taking into account that most condos are much smaller than most houses? You really should be comparing the median price of a condo where a family of 4 can comfortably live to the median price of a house where a family of 4 can comfortably live. I suspect that difference will, if not disappear, at least be much smaller.

techsupporter 10y ago
I did not, and I admit that I should have (and only thought of it after clicking "reply"). On the other hand, I also thing we--as American society--need to have a discussion about what constitutes "comfortably." I have coworkers who are appalled at the idea that my three-person-with-pet family lives "comfortably" (kid has a separate bedroom, all of us have space for our hobbies, and there's storage) in a 900sqft house. We're moving to a 770sqft condo and the bulk of that "missing" space is reclaimed by going from a two-level house to a flat because the number of rooms is remaining the same.
lawpoop 10y ago
In the most abstract sense, I think you have a point, but the reality is that in America, there aren't condos a family of 4 can "comfortably" live in-- it's not considered acceptable that two kids might share a room, or have a dine-in kitchen. Americans just aren't willing to put up with as little space as Europeans are. There just isn't much overlap in square footage between houses and condos overall-- so I think it's still valid to compare houses to condos. Condos are cheaper because they are smaller. They don't make small houses anymore; that market need is met by condos.