Thinking about buying a condo, but worried about building durability, construction methods, and hidden costs? Understanding all the options that are available and knowing the right questions to ask can be daunting.

Daniels students Gina Page and Amanda Chong, working with Professor Ted Kesik, have created a User's Guide to Navigating the Condo Market from an Architectural Perspective:

With Vancouver’s leaking windows and Toronto’s falling balcony glass, today’s condominiums seem to be crumbling before our eyes. Fueled by rising home prices, swelling urban centers and a desire for maintenance-free living, the housing market is responding with an increasing number of quickly constructed units. As the range of units grows, it’s important to consider your options as a buyer. Bringing together the best available data on condominium construction and ownership, this guide will help you better understand your choices and needs as you consider your condo purchase.

The guide provides an explaination of the diversity of condo options and building types, along with clear illustrations of how various condos are built and suggestions about what buyers may want to look for when purchasing a unit.

For those interested in learning more about the condo industry, CBC's Doc Zone will be premiering The Condo Game on Thursday, November 21. The documentary will examine "the forces at play behind the fastest moving condo market in North America — Toronto."

Click here to download a PDF of "Are you sure you want to buy that condo?"