To move or not to move....

Guess we have a whole lot to think about....
 
But it almost looks like moving to the condo would benefit the dogs a whole lot more. Even though we are giving up a yard, we would be giving them more time with us and less time spent behind the baby gate...around 3 hours less time. Plus mid day potty breaks.

I'm struggling with a similar decision right now.  Not because of a commute, but because dh has gotten to the age that he just doesn't want to deal with the yard and pool maintenance anymore.  He wants to buy a condo.  We've looked at a few and there are some really nice ones out there...but every time I sit on my deck and look out at my beautiful yard, I just want to cry at the thought of selling our house.  My home is my sanctuary, there is nowhere that I feel more comfortable.  But he's the one who does the majority of the hard physical labor, not me... It's such a hard decision.  I'm afraid I'll be miserable in a condo, but maybe I wouldn't.  My "fantasy" is to experience living in a condo for a short time without selling my house to see if I would like it or not.  That's not possible for us, but is there any way that your friend could let you stay at his condo for a few days to get a better idea of how you and the dogs would feel there?

Based on the pros/cons list, you're really in a pickle!  I still vote to keep the house, but see I'm an outdoors person so it's hard for me to understand another angle.  I have always lived in a city, but we had a yard, be it small.  Right now in our apartment, I feel trapped.  I love the apartment, the location, everything about it except that I have no personal space outdoors.  We can't even play catch or sit on a lawn for a breath of fresh air.  Everything is surrounded by parking lot where 100 people in the buildings can watch your every move.  Right now we are making the decision to find a small house or duplex so that we can havea  yard.  It will cost more and be father away, plus the utilities will suck (heating a small house in Michigan will easily cost you $300/mo), but we'll feel so much better about it and be able to get our dog.

I guess I would decide based on how you would actually utilize the pros in each place.  For example, do you make use of the 2 acres?  The swimming pool?  The basketball hoop?  Or would you better utilize the pros of the condo?

At our apartment, we don't use the carport, the gym, the pool...and we'd trade that if we could just have a yard.

ORIGINAL: minimom

My "fantasy" is to experience living in a condo for a short time without selling my house to see if I would like it or not.  That's not possible for us, but is there any way that your friend could let you stay at his condo for a few days to get a better idea of how you and the dogs would feel there?

 
I know we are going to be going for a visit with the dogs to see how much space we would actually be losing if we move. But a 'trial' for a week or so is a great idea. I will have to check with them to see...but that definately might be a possibility. Thank you for the idea!

ORIGINAL: Liesje

Based on the pros/cons list, you're really in a pickle!  I still vote to keep the house, but see I'm an outdoors person so it's hard for me to understand another angle.  I have always lived in a city, but we had a yard, be it small.  Right now in our apartment, I feel trapped.  I love the apartment, the location, everything about it except that I have no personal space outdoors.  We can't even play catch or sit on a lawn for a breath of fresh air.  Everything is surrounded by parking lot where 100 people in the buildings can watch your every move.  Right now we are making the decision to find a small house or duplex so that we can havea  yard.  It will cost more and be father away, plus the utilities will suck (heating a small house in Michigan will easily cost you $300/mo), but we'll feel so much better about it and be able to get our dog.

I guess I would decide based on how you would actually utilize the pros in each place.  For example, do you make use of the 2 acres?  The swimming pool?  The basketball hoop?  Or would you better utilize the pros of the condo?

At our apartment, we don't use the carport, the gym, the pool...and we'd trade that if we could just have a yard.

 
Well since we live in Michigan, we can really only enjoy the yard in the summer and fall...but then again, once daylight gets shorter, by the time we get home, it's too dark to enjoy anything. On the weekends it is very nice to enjoy...well, that is after we are done catching up on all the house work and yard maintenence we don't get through during the week!
 
The condo is very nice. Lots of grass and trees and an open field to take the dogs to potty. They layout is nice - you don't really notice the other condos through windows and they aren't rediculously close to each other.
 
I hate decisions like this!