Would you hesitate to buy a townhome in your 40s with high schoolers?

[Anonymous]

I know the reality is most people sell within seven or so years but we could also ride it out in our condo thru retirements. I like the modern look and feel of townhomes but it’s my understanding that the stairs can be a pain.

[Anonymous]

How many children do you have? How big is the condo? Is it in an area you like?

[Anonymous]

Not at all! Stairs are good for you! My grandmother attributed her mobility into triple digits to the stairs in her house. Now, when she hit 100 she did get a grannie stair escalator but you’ve got a while until that!

[Anonymous]

Are you asking whether you should hesitate because you anticipate not being able to handle stairs later in life?

I'm 48. This would not cross my mind for a minute. Ask me in 30 years.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Pps. The older friends in our circle all moved to 55+ when they hit around that age. That’s one age related reason I ask and all the flights of stairs I’ve seen listed here on DCUM seem to be a pain for other people. Is it worth the purchase or stay, retire, move to 55+. We are downtown. 2 teens and will be empty nesters in 2 years.

[Anonymous]

I'm pushing 60 and climb stairs every day (my phone says I climb 10-20 fights a day). It's good exercise.

[Anonymous]

Flights, not fights. Damned autocorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks Pps. The older friends in our circle all moved to 55+ when they hit around that age. That’s one age related reason I ask and all the flights of stairs I’ve seen listed here on DCUM seem to be a pain for other people. Is it worth the purchase or stay, retire, move to 55+. We are downtown. 2 teens and will be empty nesters in 2 years.

I find this so counterintuitive, although I know it's a very common way of thinking and living in the US. If you are fit now, then you should not stop just because you turn 55 or hit retirement. Going up and down stairs is tremendous for agility and balance as we age, it falls under the category of NEAT activities. The last thing you should be doing as you get older is living in a one story house, unless you are disabled obviously.

[Anonymous]

I would never buy a townhome... period.

[Anonymous]

I’ve lived in a rowhouse since I was 27; I’m now 44. I love the stairs. I think they keep me fit! Also, I like being in the middle of everything.

[Anonymous]

I'm 43 and have fallen several times down our flights of stairs, because we're in a tiny, 1920s house with rickety staircases that turn without a landing (and maybe the steps are uneven?). Anyway, I could have broken something but miraculously came out of a full tumble to the bottom with bad bruises.

Exercise is great. But please make sure the stairs are wide, not steep, with landings at the turns. Apparently in terms of staircase safety it makes a big difference.

[Anonymous]

We're in a rowhouse surrounded by elderly neighbors, and the stairs are great for them until there's an illness or injury. Then it becomes a total nightmare and they're trapped on the floor with the bathroom. Which makes things worse because they get isolated and lonely. If I were planning on aging in place in a townhouse, I'd either ensure you have a bathroom and room to use as a bedroom on the main level OR have savings budgeted to install a chair lift when you need it. Maybe you never will, but old folks are one slip and fall away from it, and it's better to be prepared.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks Pps. The older friends in our circle all moved to 55+ when they hit around that age. That’s one age related reason I ask and all the flights of stairs I’ve seen listed here on DCUM seem to be a pain for other people. Is it worth the purchase or stay, retire, move to 55+. We are downtown. 2 teens and will be empty nesters in 2 years.

I find this so counterintuitive, although I know it's a very common way of thinking and living in the US. If you are fit now, then you should not stop just because you turn 55 or hit retirement. Going up and down stairs is tremendous for agility and balance as we age, it falls under the category of NEAT activities. The last thing you should be doing as you get older is living in a one story house, unless you are disabled obviously.

For anyone wondering NEAT activities stands for "Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis".
NEAT is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise.
It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, typing, performing yard work, undertaking agricultural tasks and fidgeting... and I agree with the PP, NEAT activities are what's going to keep you feeling younger and agile than most of your friends the same age, well into your 80's.