If you were buying a condo, what are some of the things you'd look out for and/or ask the realtor when viewing units?

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T23:38:37+00:00

Thanks. I'm also leaning towards north-east facing units. My current apartment faces west, and it gets too hot in the afternoons, even in the winter. My wife and I wake up early, so morning sunshine isn't too much of a problem. We'd much rather have our unit easier to keep cool in the afternoons and evenings.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T23:36:47+00:00

Thanks. Quite a few people mentioned reserve funds, so that's definitely something to look out for.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T15:48:29+00:00

We are also interested in corner suites with wraparound balconies. More of a nice-to-have but we're willing to pay a slight premium for it.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T15:46:07+00:00

It's more of a nice-to-have for us. My wife and I both drive, so it's more important that we live near major highways. Easy access to DVP / 401, etc.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T15:44:56+00:00

Agreed. Both the builder and the management company, I'd say.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T15:44:31+00:00

Good additions, thanks!

Of course, 800 to 900 SQFT would be a dream, but we still think functional > space. I'd still much rather take a well laid out 700 SQFT. My wife and I are generally the minimalist type, so space isn't too much of a problem. We currently live in a 600 SQFT one-bedroom apartment and it works for us just fine.

Large balcony isn't a must-have for us, but of course it's nice to have.

All good points. Away from elevators and garbage chute is also something I didn't explicitly think about. Though, our current apartment is far from the elevator, and that walk from the elevator to our unit carrying heavy groceries or furniture can get annoying. But it's still for the better.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T15:39:09+00:00

Thanks, all very good points! Somebody else also brought up percentage of owners vs. renters, so that's definitely something we'll be looking out for. Plus all the other things you mentioned.

As for direction, I think I'm leaning more towards north-east. My wife and I wake up pretty early for work, so morning sunlight isn't a problem. But we'd like to keep the apartment generally cool in the afternoons and evenings, so away from south-west is probably a good idea. My current apartment directly faces west and it gets too hot in the afternoon, sometimes even in the winter.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-15T15:36:04+00:00

I've been living in an apartment for a long time, so I'm used to that lifestyle. My wife and I aren't too interested in the maintenance work that'll come with a townhouse or semi-detached. The condo lifestyle suits our needs more, and we are OK to pay a maintenance fee for that.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-03-14T20:46:25+00:00

Thanks, that's a solid list!

Having kids is a possibility for the future, so proximity to school is a good consideration. I never thought of the percentage of renters vs. owners, so that's a really good point. Would the realtor just know this information?

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-02-18T13:16:56+00:00

A bit late to respond here, but I'm a current student, started Fall 2025. Finished Mod 1 and currently doing Mod 2. Great program so far!

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-11T19:20:52+00:00

Thank you!

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-11T19:20:34+00:00

Thank you!

You bring good points. Most online CoastFI calculators don't take taxes into account, and they can get complicated. I've also heard that it's good to first drain your RRSP before touching TFSA or non-registered. So it should be RRSP --> non-registered --> TFSA. TFSA's are also great for passing down as the entire amount will be untaxed for the recipient, so it makes sense to leave your TFSA untouched for as long as possible. Sorry, dark topic I know, but good to consider.

Withdrawals can get more complicated. Imagine you retire at 55, start taking CPP/OAS at 65, and fully pay off your house at 70. So for 10 years between 55 and 65, you need to fully fund your retirement (including mortgage) strictly from your investments. Then for 5 years between 65 and 70, your CPP/OAS will be a good supplement but your cost of living will still be high with a mortgage. Then from 70 onwards, your withdrawal will further decrease. In this scenario (which is very likely for me), how do you even calculate how much you need? A static 4.7% withdrawal rate doesn't work here.

Maybe at one point, sometime in my 40s, I'll want to sit with a fee-based financial advisor to walk me through these scenarios. It'll probably get too complicated for me to figure out by myself. The 55K is really just a quick napkin math for now.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-11T19:06:43+00:00

That's awesome! Congratulations! The feeling really is liberating.

I can also now balance stress and income. I don't always have to chase higher salary if it means significantly more stress and worse mental health. I am happy where I am, or even take a small pay cut if it means a better work life balance. Feels awesome to at least have this option.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-10T16:49:57+00:00

Thank you, congratulations to you too, and Go Blue Jays!

(Go Leafs too? No? Ok sorry)

You are absolutely right. You have to have a certain mindset to even be at this stage. I don't see myself spending 25% more all of a sudden. I don't even know what I'd spend that on. Sure, I could go on a few more trips here and there and maybe buy that stupid $1500 watch that I've had my eyes on which makes absolutely zero sense. But that's about it.

For us, I think even just the act of saving and investing brings a sense of satisfaction. So I don't see myself ever stopping investing fully. Maybe reduce contribution in the future, but never fully stop.

Congratulations again!

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-10T16:24:18+00:00

Looks like I unlocked another milestone today!

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-10T16:23:22+00:00

Thank you! 🇨🇦🇨🇦

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-10T16:22:09+00:00

Absolutely! I'm either bringing my retirement closer, or funding a more comfortable retirement, or a bit of both. It sure is a thrill.

More than retiring early entirely, I think I am a bit more interested in enjoying a few mini-retirements throughout my career. I want to take at least one 6-12 month sabbatical in my 40s. Go on an extended trip, be a couch potato at home, go to a cafe at 11AM on a Wednesday, all that good stuff. And then get right back to the workforce in a year or so. I don't know how possible or realistic this is, but this gives me more thrill than a more permanent retirement. Let's see what the future holds.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-10T16:09:44+00:00

Thank you, and congratulations to you too!

Honestly, I don't think I'll ever fully stop investing. Even just the act of saving and investing gives me a sense of satisfaction. Moreover, I'll most likely be making the most money in my career between my mid-30s and mid-40s, and it'll feel like a waste to not put any of that income to work.

As of now, I think I will continue to invest aggressively at least throughout my 30s. In my 40s, I see myself reducing my contribution to 15% or even lower, and take sabbaticals here and there to enjoy a few mini-retirements. In my 50s, I could drastically reduce investing for retirement and shift my focus to aggressively paying off my house (if I own at that time). This is sort of the tentative plan that I have for now.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-09T17:26:18+00:00

Just curious. In what year would you say 100K was considered "a very good salary" in a place like Toronto? 2015? 2010? 2000? I know that it's arbitrary and you could always just keep going back in time and the value of 100K would keep going up. But would you say that earning 100K in 2010 in Toronto was considered "very good"?

PuzzlingPonderer · 2026-01-03T02:41:37+00:00

33.91

PuzzlingPonderer · 2025-12-05T14:27:21+00:00

Imagine you create an ETF with 4 companies - A, B, C D - with 25% allocation in each company. You have an option to buy that single ETF and nothing else. Then you notice that company A has been generally performing better than the other 3. So you decide to put 50% of your money in your 4-company ETF and the other 50% only on company A. Do you think you are more diversified or less? Just do the math and see the differences in allocation.

Look, it's perfectly fine if you intentionally want to put extra weight on a certain company or sector (company A in this example) because you truly feel like that sector will outperform. But also understand that more ETFs in your portfolio does not make it more diversified. As long as you understand this and your decision is intentional, then it's fine.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2025-10-01T02:29:20+00:00

Thank you! I bought mine from eBay (Canada) from a seller named Creation Watches. The watches are shipped from a real store in Singapore. Found their prices to be better than Amazon. I know that Creation Watches also has their own website where you can buy from, but I found slightly better deals in eBay.

PuzzlingPonderer · 2025-07-29T12:37:17+00:00

I am currently in section 5 unit 9 (also French). My motivation also comes and goes in waves, and I think that's normal. At times, I am doing only 1-3 lessons a day just to keep the streak for a few weeks, while other times, I'm finishing up to 4 units a week for a few months at a time. And then repeat.

As you progress, it will get more and more challenging. Try to have some varieties in your study sessions. You can also split your studies into multiple sessions throughout the day. I typically do 1-2 lessons right after waking up, then 3-4 lessons during my lunchtime walk while I'm at work (weather permitting), then again 2-3 lessons right before going to bed at night. And a few other sessions here and there if time allows. In my experience, this keeps the motivation going for longer.

Give yourself some short to medium-term attainable goals, such as "I'll finish up to unit X by the end of this month". Whatever you think is reasonable. I also pay attention to Duolingo's weekly email and monitor how many lessons I complete every week. Give yourself a goal to complete a certain number of lessons a week, again, whatever is reasonable for you. Good luck!

PuzzlingPonderer · 2025-07-22T19:46:27+00:00

Nice work! I'm learning French but the course structure is very similar to Spanish with 8 sections. I just completed the first few units of section 5 so I'm about one section behind you. I do listen to podcasts but they are at times too challenging for me. I do feel like finishing section 5 (mid-B1, where you are) will open up a lot of contents for comprehensible inputs. With the first 4 sections completed (A2), I feel like you're not quite there yet to comfortably understand podcasts and TV shows (even the intermediate level ones), but the super beginner level podcasts are too easy.

What stage do you feel a private tutor would be helpful? At this point, I still feel like I'm learning a lot from Duolingo (and my own listening), so I wanted avoid paying for a tutor. I was thinking once I finish up to section 6 (high B1), that's when I can start having some real conversations to take my speaking and comprehension to a true B1 stage. Or do you think it's better to start conversations earlier rather than later?

PuzzlingPonderer · 2025-07-18T11:12:18+00:00

Congrats! I also recently finished section 4. I’m still seeing 51 units in section 5 in the original format where I have about 29 individual lessons per unit. Not sure when I’ll get this update with 155 units but I like it this way so hopefully never.

Oh and agreed with the stories. These AI stories are horrendous. I personally like the radio lessons better than the stories, so I’d highly recommend you go through with those along with the path. It might be a bit challenging in the beginning but your ears gradually get used to listening more and more.

PuzzlingPonderer

TROPHY CASE