Quote:
Originally Posted by Reaper
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to live in the inner city. The relative scarcity of inner city homes on the market has done a good job of keeping the prices higher than the average person can afford.
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Yes, I can somewhat agree with this. However, it all depends on lifestyle choices. As a recent graduate, I was still able to find a condo in the inner-city for sub-$500k levels, and yes, I did go in it with someone else. Again, it's all about how much you value a) space, b) commutes, and c) prices. I make pennies at my job, but I'm still able to make it work. Budgets are a wonderful thing.
Working in a (somewhat) related industry to real estate, it's simply a matter of looking more intensively for a property, too. Just because lots of properties are expensive in the inner city, doesn't mean that ALL are. There's gems out there that, yes, may require some elbow grease, but it will pay off in spades financially in the end. If not with the value of the property, then with the savings you amount when you don't have to buy gas all the time.
If you have a family of 4+ people, then yes, you need more space. Otherwise, living in the inner core isn't impossible on any level, really.
One of the things that irks me are small things, like... in the suburbs, the fire hydrant:household ratio is ALOT smaller than the inner-city... yet, we in the inner city pay the same, if not more, taxes. As well, my taxes shouldn't have to go to building huge highways so that people who choose to live 50k outside of downtown can commute everyday on highways I will never have a reason to use... perhaps those people can pay for those costs themselves? But I digress...
And to keep this thread on topic, yes... I am happy for additional renos to Chinook. Urban development always means long-term gain, as long as it's conducted in a smart and systematic process.