Are Stairs Really A Problem?
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Anonymous
| We are looking to purchase a condo and we have two options we really like. One condo is nice with an elevator but we want to do a couple thousand in cosmetic changes ( paint, kitchen hardware, kitchen lights, etc.), and it is about $25k more. The condo we are leaning towards is nice and needs no updates, is 25k less, and has stairs ( 1.5 flights). The only reason I’m hesitant is because of the stairs and young kids. We currently live in a high rise with an elevator and its super nice, but I don’t know if 25k more and a couple thousand in updates is worth having an elevator. Both condos are comparable in taxes and HOA fees and in the same area. Are stairs really that big of a difference? |
Anonymous
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My kids got used to stairs pretty early and then we moved. Didn't even bother with baby gates in the new house.
Yes, they've both fallen down the stairs to some degree. So have I. We're all ok. |
Anonymous
| Stairs are fine -- just get baby gates until you feel confident with the kids. |
Anonymous
I had the same dilemma, we moved to a multi-level unit and love it. Kids are 6 and 2 and we've been here for two years and have had zero issues. If anything, we all get more exercise and having different levels has been nice in a pandemic for a change of scenery. We also have a roof deck now which has been just awesome. I was so sad to be leaving our awesome small condo building where there wasn't a single step between our 4th floor condo and the nearby park, thinking the stairs would really change our quality of life, but it just didn't happen. So, in my experience, I vote for stairs. 
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Anonymous
| Stairs inside the condo? Or the condo is a walk up? |
Anonymous
OP here. Our condo is only one level. It’s just stairs from the outside door to our second level condo that I’m wondering is an issue. |
Anonymous
| We never bothered with baby gates. Stairs have been around for thousands of years; we are the descendants of those who were able to cope with them. |
Anonymous
9:19 PP here. None of us have ever fallen down the stairs, so OP don't think it's inevitable! We teach the kids to go up and down stairs safely (no running, hold hand rail, look where you're going, etc.) and then they also call us out when we break our own rules, which is pretty funny. |
Anonymous
OP here. Sorry - I thought I was clear. The condo is on the second floor in a walk-up. It’s almost 30 stairs. The condo is one level with everything on one floor. |
Anonymous
Baby gear not safety makes that annoying- having to lug a BoB jogger upstairs after ever walk would not e fun. Once the kid is mobile, I don't see the problem- when they are young you'll be with them |
Anonymous
| How old are the kids, how many kids, and do you plan to have more? |
Anonymous
Do you have storage for strollers, bikes etc. on the ground floor? It would be annoying to have to carry any of that gear up and down the stairs. But at least with the stroller that is only for a limited period. Switch your kid over to a scooter early. |
Anonymous
| If your kids are not in strollers I think its fine. Lugging a stroller up and down stairs would be a pain though. And what about bikes, scooters etc? |
Anonymous
| Getting kid(s) and strollers up the stairs is so annoying, and hard if you have other things as well. Do you have space to leave them downstairs- a foyer, storage unit or parking, etc? More than the kid, it's the schlepping of kid's stuff up and down that was problematic for me. Kids learn to navigate pretty quickly. |
Anonymous
Are you talking about stairs inside the condo, or stairs between the front door of the condo, and the front door of the building? They are very different things. |