House Ideas
Apartment Or House, Your Choice!
An Honest View About Apartment And House Living
Choosing where to live will hopefully be a choice in your life that you will have to make. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a castle, on a yacht, or a seaside villa, your choice will be simple. Apartment or house?
Having lived in both types of establishments in different towns, villages or cities, I can tell you about my experience and share a few ideas.
Some people will be consistent with their choice and will always choose the same type of housing, no matter where they are. Others will feel the need to explore the other side and another style of living.
I have found out that it all depends on a few factors that can help one sway in either direction.
Let’s Talk About Money!
Let us pretend we didn’t just win the lottery. Okay, great. Now that we’re back to choosing where to live, the truth is, finding the right place can be challenging.
Let’s be fair, a one or two-bedroom apartment in the city will be cheaper to rent or buy than a house will otherwise be. I am sure there are cases where that doesn’t necessarily apply, but that has been my experience.
When you’re young and trying to save money for your future, I think the choice is obvious. Find a roommate and rent a place. That’s what I did at first, and it was a new experience that I enjoyed a lot.
Living in an apartment also means less money spent on maintenance as there are, usually, fewer things to maintain.
For a first-time homeowner or student, the apartment can open the path to personal independence.
Another possibility is to live with your parents for a few more years and save even more money in the process.
Buzzing Cities and Serene Views
Your living style and what you look for from life could be the determining factor in your choice of living.
Do you like to go out, need a shop nearby, or like the vibe and buzz of the city? You are likely going to want to live in an apartment.
Do you enjoy having your morning coffee while admiring the landscape, enjoy the night crickets and your backyard? Go for a house.
It might be a matter of choice and lifestyle, but it might also be a matter of age.
Older folk might prefer the relaxed environment offered by a house. There are no noisy neighbors, less background noise, and possibly, a smaller number of stairs.
However, I might have generalized that a bit much, as anyone could live in a quiet neighborhood with space to spare and room to grow.
Time Investments
Having a house and some land around it kind of means you need more time to keep the surroundings up to snuff.
At first glance, some might think that this sounds like a downside. You have to cut the grass, trim the fences, water the plants, gather the leaves, clean the yard, or shovel the snow, to name a few. The reality is, when you get a house, you need to expect that to be the norm.
“To have a wonderful space that you can enjoy, you have to take care of it.”
If you like to do it, then that should be a reward in itself. If not, then you have to deal with that or hire a gardening firm.
On the other hand, apartment life is much simpler. At most, you will have a large balcony, and you will have to water the plants. That is if you like apartment plants.
Commuting is also an important aspect. If you work in the city and live in an apartment, you could save a lot of time getting to/from work each day. A house usually means longer distances need to be covered.
When I first moved into a house outside the city, I can remember my thoughts when I noticed the distance. It was so outside my comfort zone in the city area that it wasn’t even funny.
I started to make calculations. How much time to work? How expensive is a taxi from there? Is there a bus station? How far are the parents? How much will I additionally spend on gas?
For me, in the end, it turned out great, but it might not be the same for everybody, so you need to put all the options in the balance. Even the most insignificant thing might matter more than you think. Analyze with a clear head before taking the plunge.
Grow Your Future or Live In The Now
When I was looking for my first place to buy, I didn’t know what to choose, and I had the same questions.
One thing was clear, in the rented apartment we were staying in, we were running out of physical space. We needed something larger and suited for the needs we had then. We wanted to be comfortable but also allow us to have some room for expansion in the future.
It is not like we became stuff hoarders or had five cars that needed a place to sit. The reality is, the place you live in, if too small, will hinder your life progress, especially when you want a family. It might not be noticeable at first, or you might get over those annoyances for a while, but, in the end, it is likely to boil over.
In that sense, the space a house offers will be more reasonable and adequate for a two or three kid family.
Apartments will be better suited to smaller families or young couples, while houses can better accommodate families with multiple children.
Going back, I have amazing memories of adventures that occurred while I was living in various apartments. Far too many too many to share in one small writing. I miss those times, because they gave me a distinct feeling, that is hard to replicate now.
There is no wrong choice, just press select on what fits.
Closing thoughts
Some people will always love houses and will forever fantasize about them. If they manage to buy or build one their dream will come to life. Others will always like the simplicity and carefree living an apartment offers.
It will never be a straightforward decision. It will depend on multiple factors such as income, family size, job, location, social life, time, dedication, and the most important of all, personal preference.
I am at the point in my life when I prefer houses, but you never know when the wheel might turn, and I could have a sudden change of heart.
In the end, make sure the choice you make is the one that brings to most benefits to your way of life. Whatever you decide, you will be able to put your print on it and call it Home.
How’s your experience been in an apartment? How about a house. Are you thinking of finding a new place to live?
