Condo Communities

Urban historians often track the development of neighbourhoods, and how over time our concept of living has changed. The main focus for the last fifty years has been tracking the development of suburbia. As the middle class started to develop in Canada and the United States, more people could afford their own stand alone dwellings, which they could add to with personal touches such as wall sayings and outdoor gardens to make a unique oasis for their families only. The concept of suburbia was radically different than the lifestyle which came before, where homesteads were divided according to vale, but was generally isolated and apart from each other.

Today, urban trackers are once again seeing a major shift as far as popular concepts of the neighbourhood. Once again, this change is being driven by availability and popularity of a certain housing type. In the new millennium, that housing type is the condominium.

Condominiums have recently come into their own, as far as popularity is concerned. They are a way to find an affordable house within easy reach of all the amenities a city has to offer. Whether you are talking about Kitchener Waterloo real estate listings or those for a city like Vancouver, odds are you will find more condos available than any other type of residence. They are just that popular today.

That popularity has led to several innovations within the condominium industry. One of them is the concept of condo communities. Like many ideas, this one has been adapted from innovations that came before it. With a condo community, the idea of close quarter living as illustrated by Mississauga townhouses is combined with the idea of community. The result is a neighbourhood similar to one you might find in the suburbs, but contained within one or two blocks rather than encompassing several square kilometres.

It's an idea that's easy to read, but not as easy to picture without a few more words. Let's make the residences themselves the starting point. A modern condo community may have two or three different residential towers located on the corners of a plot of land. These towers are where the residences are. They also house recreation facilities and banquet rooms, which serve to take the place of the neighbourhood gym and similar facilities in suburbia.

Another difference between buying an Oakville condominium within a condo community and one simply within a building is the way the space in between the buildings has been used. With a condo community, you will usually be able to find area on the property set aside for park space, grocery stores, and all manner of businesses that serve the needs of the residences. Because the focus of creating the residential housing has been building up rather than out, there is more room for community facilities to be constructed.

The idea of condo communities is still in its infancy today. The convenience offered by everything needed within a three minute walk from your own home is bound to catch on in cities all over the world in no time, however, particularly considering how popular condos have been as a housing option over the last few years. As this concept continues to develop, we can probably expect to see an even more diverse selection of services offered within the condo community, anything from offices for doctors to those housing an estate agent. Canada and its larger cities are truly poised at the brink of yet another housing revolution.