So long stratas

posted June 30th, 2024 at 3:31 PM

My wife and I were fortunate to finally sell our townhome and get a nice little rancher away from all the densification. Living strata had been royal pain in the ass. These strata councils are a joke. Really, it's just an excuse for bored housewives and retired old farts to sit around and gossip about other owners. Don't even get me started on these poorly built narrow townhouses that take up way too much space in Surrey. They're the spitting images of file cabinets and milks cartons. The walls are so paper thin that you can literally hear your neighbors peeing. Boy, talk about cheap workmanship. Small wonder so many smart people put them up for sale. Selling the townhome and moving far away turned out to be one of the healthiest choices we have ever made. Haven't looked back since.

5 Comments

And yet

Jul 2, 2024 at 9:41am

here you are, looking back.

Would much rather

Jul 2, 2024 at 9:53am

live under a bridge than join another strata. They SUCK!

houseguy

Jul 2, 2024 at 2:26pm

We were fortunate. We moved from being apt managers to sharing a house with the bank. It happened when there was a bit of a slow down in the market and some lower prices.
We had the minimum down payment and bought a house in a decent neighbourhood. It was a rental house and has needed some work - still does, but it is great for us.
Made the maximum 'bonus payment' and paid it off in 8 years.
I can understand that townhomes work for some, just not me.

Not exactly

Jul 2, 2024 at 7:27pm

Unless you’ve actually volunteered your own services to the strata, I suggest you might want to keep quiet. It’s a thankless job and the majority of people on those councils are just volunteers doing their best. Put your money where your mouth is and participate yourself, or show some appreciation for those who do.

I live in a Strata and feel the same way

Jul 4, 2024 at 9:52am

But then I realize. Holy sh*t Half the people of this World wish they could have what we have in Good Old Canada. So then I acknowledge 'life is what you make of it wherever you are, and I am thankful for what I've got.