Living in an apartment often means having to make trade-offs. This typically includes less square footage, no yard space, landlord restrictions and potentially noise from neighbors. However, there are many pros to apartment life that people often overlook. Below are just some of the top pros to living in an apartment.
Cost
The biggest reason people choose to live in apartments is the cheaper bills. Rent is likely to be much cheaper in an apartment than a house (and if you’re buying a condo, the down payment and monthly mortgage costs are also likely to be much more affordable). Energy bills are often cheaper too – apartments are very well insulated, so you may find yourself rarely using heating in a typically cooler location. When renting an apartment, you also don’t have to worry about maintenance costs.
Location
Opting for an apartment could allow you to afford property in a more sought after location. For example, few people can afford a house in New York, however many people can afford to settle for an apartment. In many city centres, apartments are popular among young people trying to get immediate access to all the amenities cities have to offer. As the likes of these Brickell House condo listings show, apartments can also offer affordable access to sought after coastal areas where property might otherwise cost $1 million. You’ve also got more chances of great views when renting/buying an apartment.
Security
Apartments are typically very secure – especially upper floor apartments that don’t have doors or windows that are accessible from the street. In a high crime area, you don’t have to worry as much about being a victim of burglary. Many apartment blocks also require non-residents to use a buzzer to gain access at the ground floor, which can allow you to restrict access to people you don’t want to see, plus you have lots of neighbors in close proximity to offer support if trouble does kick off (many apartment blocks have a strong sense of community).
Maintenance
A big advantage of apartments is that there’s less space to clean and take care of. You don’t have to worry about yard maintenance and you don’t have to vacuum stairs. If you’re renting an apartment, you also don’t have to worry about fixing repairs that are a result of wear and tear. All in all, while it can be more restrictive, it can also be more stress-free.
Amenities
Some apartment blocks have access to shared amenities – some of which you may not have access to in a house. This includes things like off-street parking, kids’ play areas, event space, shared roof terraces, gyms and even private swimming pools. You’ll likely have to pay extra for an apartment with some of these more luxury amenities, however it could ultimately be worth it. In many cases, these shared amenities can also help to bring neighbors together – they’re great perks if you’re hoping to live somewhere with a sense of community.
