8:11 PM

Kids in the City

I was thinking today about the whole kid thing, and the logistics of the issue. By nature, I am a planner, thus even though the decision is ultimately years away, I feel the need to plan my way to it -- to ensure that I've thought through a reasonable number of the issues before I commit to a decision one way or the other. And in today's pondering, I hit upon the issue of housing.

Why is it that so many people, upon realizing that they are soon to be parents, leave their dwellings to inhabit a new abode?

If Dave and I were to have a kid any time in the next few years, we'd be here, in our much-adored little loft. If I were to find myself knocked up, would it be wrong to stay here? Or would I have to move to the 'burbs? If we did stay here, where would a kid go? I mean, we have a nice sized two bedroom, but there are already two of us and Dave, being a lucky self-employed jerk, needs the second for his home office. Clearly then, no, we couldn't stay here. I mean, you can't keep a baby in the living room, right?

Out of curiosity, I went onto MLS. Three bedroom condos are virtually non-existent 'til you hit full-on house prices -- unless you leave downtown.


But I don't want to leave downtown. When I was a kid, I dreamed of living downtown -- of having neat things to do and learn all the time; of museums and science and books and cool stores and things you could never get or do in the country, where I grew up. If I have a kid, I want to do all that cool stuff that my kid self envisioned. I'm curious about how the whole thing works.

I feel like there must be some kind of a market for housing for young families who want to stay in the downtown core. Maybe I just haven't found it yet.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fight the pressure to flee, Foxy!! We get harassment from friends and family who cry "You want to raise children downtown?? You need a house for that!! You can't raise them in a (1500 sq. footish) condo!!" (Add more exclamation marks as the conversation goes on and on and on)... sigh.

That said, we haven't done it YET, but it's still in the plans. I love the downtown lifestyle and can't give it up for a while yet - kidlets or no. :)

Ms.Smarties said...

Hypothetically speaking of course, I would like to buy the smallest townhouse available downtown.

If that's not an option, I will turn the walking closet into a fabulous baby's room. I am so not leaving downtown evah!

Foxy Renard said...

Glad to know I'm not alone, ladies!

doctor T said...

When I was visiting my parents at my sis's place a couple weeks ago, I heard once again -- for about the 93rd time, at least -- that if they could do it all over again (the raising kids thing) they would have bought a small place in/near downtown rather than gone for the bigger home in a subdivision. So don't give in, Foxy -- you may just regret it 25 years on.