Not that anyone asked but here is a take on all of this.
If you're paying $500-600 on a condo in Richmond I'm assuming it's going to be a decent size (well, decent for our overinflated market).
For that price in Richmond you should be getting near 1500-2000 sq/ft. If not, you're overpaying.
Next, if it's just a place for you, why do you need 1500-2000 sq/ft?
It's more to clean, you're paying more in taxes and strata for space you don't use. Plus you end up buying furniture that you think you'll keep but you just end up junking it. Condo furniture and house furniture are different. I had a pretty big place in downtown before (1800 sq.ft) and I used the bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen and once in a while, the living room. I pretty much wasted 1000sq/ft of the space but I was still paying for it. Sure, it was impressive if people came over but who cares? I'm not buying it for someone else to enjoy at my expense.
The smart thing to do would either pay a bit more for a home and rent the place out. At least that way you're getting some ROI rather than shelling out the money for nothing or consider buying a smaller condo. 750 sq/ft for a condo is plenty for one person. Less to clean, less to pay and overall better. It's also easier to rent out later on if you plan on buying a home later and keep the condo. Smaller condos are always much easier to rent out because there is a larger market. I tried renting out my place and it was impossible. Who has $3500 to spend on a rent a month compared to $1400? Larger base demographic if you decide to rent it out later. Keep in mind, if you're making 80k a year and you borrow less, you'd be able to pay down the mortgage much faster (maybe 5-8 years) if you're aggressive.
I used to live in a 10,000 sq.ft home growing up so I initially felt a 1800 sq.ft condo was punishment but I was shocked at how little space I used and how quickly I adjusted. Besides, the whole point of having your own place when you're young is to bang chicks in. Save your money, enjoy yourself and pay off your mortgage faster as it would be less.
Keep in mind that real estate prices are likely to pull back a bit so buying at your limit right now is not wise. Also, if you've never lived on your own you will be surprised at where your money goes. I was making really good money at home and when I moved out, it didn't feel so good anymore
