Note: This is a guest post from Julia Ubbenga of Rich in What Matters.
Lately I’ve been happily fielding a not-so-surprising question: “Why are you raising your family in a 1,000-square-foot apartment?”
Well, actually, the question usually sounds more like, “Aren’t you looking for a house?”
While we certainly could be house hunting if we wanted, the truth is, we don’t have the desire. We did the live-in-a-house thing for three years before moving to our current apartment. And we aren’t in a hurry to get back to that lifestyle.
Yes, we realize it’s a bit countercultural. In the US, 80% of the population prefer to live in a single family home, while only 70% actually do. Meanwhile, apartment and condo living is preferred by only 8% of the population, yet 17% of Americans do live in an apartment or condo.
In European countries, however, apartment living is more common. In Spain, for example, 65% of the population live in apartments.
Clearly, choosing an apartment over a home is not the “American norm.” So why do we love being in that 8%? What’s the draw to apartment living? I think many people don’t even stop to consider the benefits.
Here are 7 reasons why we love apartment living and you will too:
1. Simplicity
Apartment living is a simpler way of living, which translates to a happier, lower-stress life. A simpler lifestyle provides the space to figure out what matters most and the freedom to focus on these things.
Some people may love fixing up their home, and that’s great. But if that’s not how you feel called to spend your gift of time, then apartment living will free you from those obligations that come with owning a house.
Instead of spending your weekends on home maintenance projects or mowing a yard, you can take your kids to the park and the pool. You can relax more and even nap more (yes!) without thinking about things that need done around the house.
This is not lazy living, just the opposite. It’s intentional living that focuses on what you believe matters.
2. Less stuff
A smaller space simply can’t fit a lot of material things in it. It’s minimalist by design. This reality forces you to edit your life constantly by making decisions about what stays in your home.
If you let clutter pile up, you quickly lose living space. In a smaller space, you’re not tempted to buy more furniture or other “toys” because you just don’t have a spot for them. When new things do come into your home, other things have to leave. You quickly learn the feel of “enough” in your home and become motivated to maintain this balance.
3. Connection
Connections thrive in smaller spaces. These connections could be within your family, your faith, or even to yourself. With less home to care for, family time, prayer, and self-care can become a daily theme, not a side note.
An apartment’s smaller space allows families to be more present for one another. This leads to more connection and more shared experiences.
You will talk more, play more, and do more together because you’re closer together in proximity (although apartments are still big enough to allow breathing room when needed).
4. Community
Apartment complexes come with a built-in community. Many have weekly activities or a clubhouse where people often meet. This can be beneficial, especially for stay-at-home-moms (or those of us who work from home).
A face-to-face, adult conversation is always easy to find, which can be a very welcome thing during a day spent taking care of kiddos and a home.
Feelings of social isolation are hard to come by in apartment complexes. Befriending elderly neighbors can be especially rewarding. The memories they share are almost always about family and experiences—not stuff. Hearing stories from their lives will remind you to slow down and keep a big-picture perspective on life.
5. Financial flexibility
Apartment living helps shape your spending around the lifestyle you feel most called to. If your family values relationships, traveling, health, and generosity, but your finances are going toward home projects and repairs, then you won’t be able to focus as much on those values.
Consider if the trade-offs make sense. Instead of saving up for a new roof, you could travel to see family out of state multiple times a year. Instead of redoing your flooring, you could have frequent nights out with your loved one. Instead of repairing your basement’s foundation, you could invest in your health by eating organic, real foods. Instead of renovating your kitchen, you could donate to a cause you’re passionate about.
6. Contentment
Happiness is found in being true to yourself and your values—not someone else’s. Studies also show time and time again that more possessions don’t ultimately make us happier. Although many people may pursue the “American Dream” (a bigger home, more stuff), they don’t report being any happier for it.
Raising your family in an apartment also instills this in your children. As your children observe your family’s lifestyle, they will realize that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing or live the way everyone else is living to be happy.
7. A tidy home
Any living space requires upkeep. Apartments, by design, are easy to keep tidy. Less space means less to clean in less time. When cleaning doesn’t seem overwhelming, you’ll be more motivated to do it. And the peace that comes from a clean, uncluttered living space will motivate you to maintain this feel in your home.
Home maintenance systems are also easy to implement. Consider laundry, for example. When your washer and dryer are only steps away, you’re much more likely to stay on top of laundry than if you had to descend two sets of stairs to wash your clothes. Being in close proximity to your daily chores increases the chance you will do them.
We realize that apartment living isn’t for everyone. But for us, a minimalist lifestyle in a 1,000-square-foot apartment leads to more joy, more fulfillment, and more family togetherness.
Our home has never been tidier and our family is thriving in this simple, manageable environment.
If you’re looking for a way to simplify your life and focus on what matters most, why not give apartment living a try?
It’s not the American norm, but it could just be the right lifestyle for you.
***
Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached thousands of people worldwide through her blog, Rich in What Matters. Julia practices what she preaches in her Kansas City apartment home with her husband and two extremely lively young daughters. You can also find her on Instagram.
About Joshua Becker
I live in an apartment after living in a house and a townhouse and it’s a nightmare. The guy upstairs paces and stomps 24/7, the guy next door is always having sex with someone, the dogs pee in the halls. The key fab to get in the gate doesn’t work, the fire alarm is always going off, my dishwasher leaves soap on everything. And this is NOT a cheap place to live. Never again.
I didn’t realize that there could be a sense of community within an apartment complex. My sister is looking for her first place to live on her own and is trying to decide what is the best option for her. I will have to ask her if she has thought about apartment living.
It’s great that you mention that living in an apartment complex is ideal for people who like being part of a community. I enjoy being around other people, so I’m considering renting an apartment when I move to a new city. I’m going to search for a good business in the area that can help me find an apartment to rent.
I like how you said that life is less stressful when you live in an apartment. I think a ton of people underestimate this and assume that living in a house is the way to go. At least in an apartment, you don’t have to pay for everything yourself but rather have the landlord fix things while you simply pay rent and a couple of fees.
I like how you mentioned that one of the benefits of living in an apartment is lower stress because it’s a simpler way to live. My brother and his wife are considering looking at two-bedroom apartments because they’re considering downsizing their living space since all of their kids live on their own. I think it’s a good idea for my brother to think about looking for a reputable complex for him and his wife to live in so that they’ll have a smaller and simpler living space to care for.
I live an apartment and pretty much have for my whole life. Except I did live in a house with roommates. I agree about other commenters about noise levels, hearing neighbors having sex, smoking, parties. but bad neighbors can be in houses as well. As for other people plumbing damaging my apartment it’s only a 2 level apartment with 4 units in one building so that hasn’t happened to me fortunately. I think a lot of people missed the title of post about where it’s the positives of apartment living. The author didn’t say there’s no cons she’s just trying to give a different perspective. I do think rent increases chip away at income but to me rent increases aren’t as expensive as major repairs or damages that can happen to a home. One thing I would though about home ownership is the freedom to be able to paint the walls or own a pet if I would like without expensive deposits. I would love a dog but I think having an apartment with a dog isn’t worth it.
Minimalism is a good way to live in Hong Kong, a 300 sq ft space would cost you USD$1500 rent per month. It is hard to afford more spaces, becoming a minimalist seemed to be the only way.
Joshua, thanks for this post from Julia. There is an ongoing problem I see from many writers in the minimalism movement regarding “apartment living” versus owning a home. Julia falls into this trap with her #5. Renters pay SIGNIFICANTLY more than owners do over time. Ownership is a step toward financial independence. She talks about the money that you have if you rent instead of own, and the opposite is true! Now, if you sell you 3,800 sf house and rent a 900 sf apartment, yes, you’ll probably spend less. But you spend even less if you owned a 900 sf condo! There are advantage of renting (moving frequently). If one just reads through Julia’s post and asks, would I get the same benefit if I night a 1,000 sf condo instead of a house? Most of them are yes, and over time, you would spend much less than renting. (We landlords aren’t running charities, we’re in it to make a profit!)
To be honest I cant say I agree with this apartment living idea , I dont live in a large house , it has 4 bedrooms a terraced style with a garden both front and back. Since I’ve lived there, repairs and maintenance have been minimal (20 years ) I am in the UK and compared to US style houses it is very small , at present there 4 adults in this house , there were 5 but my oldest has since moved in with her partner. My garden has been maintained lovingly by my wife who gets a lot of pleasure , exercise , connection to nature , also during these difficult times our small garden has been a blessing . In the UK you would pay a maintenance fee towards the upkeep of an apartment this would be added to your rent or mortgage. I have,no mortgage, no rent , no maintenance fees no debt whatsoever, I have achieved financial freedom which , thanks to people like Joshua Becker , The Minimalists, and Courtney Carver . I find apartments a bit anti social , lack of community and isolating. They maybe great for some people, personally not for me .
Hi, I am German and american, I am a legal assistant and recently just moved back to US and spent 2 weeks in Finland and 2 in UK with my new second husband. Now we are broke! Renting is so expensive, we had some extremely good foods for less. Back to here, I found that I missed so much from our play and country-side, and loudly city-life; I live in an apartment and look so much forward to own my place in the future, hope to have no debts and no credits here to stay.
Yes, yes, yes. A resounding yes. My family lives as missionaries in Japan and we live in a 1,000 sqft apartment too. We have three kids, ages 7,5, and 2. Some days I wish I had more closet space, but really, even if we moved to a house (we’d still need to rent most likely because of visa status), I wouldn’t want it much if any bigger than this. Who wants to clean all that? Or pay the utilities!? I am so thankful for how close we are as a family because we literally are so close to each other. And yep, my washer and dryer are just a few steps away from the kitchen. Laundry gets done every day, and I’ve realized how little clothing we actually need. Maybe four pairs of regular every day closes and we’re set. We can even get by on two (I actually do!). Some days it can feel a bit squishy, but truth be told, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I love reading this blog and the articles. And today I want to take the time to comment: I am from Hamburg/Germany so my experience with appartments and morgage is totally different from the other commenters.
I agree, noise level may become a problem. But in general, besides playing children or babies/toddlers crying, I have never had a problem. I can’t hear my neighbours having sex, their television or have a problem with party noises. I have never had or heard of people having problems with water leakage. The maintenance done by the renting company is perfect. I live in the city but in a very green area full of low rise app. complexes with lots of playgrounds in between.
Paying for the morgage – even for a very small house with a tiny/small garden – would at least mean trippling my expenses. That would be my full income! And because of law regulations, the increase in rent can only be a specific amount per year which correlates fairly well to inflation.
btw I have stayed in this same app. for about 10+ years now and many of my neighboors stay quite a few years too, although in some complexes – especially with smaller flats for students – the fluctuation might be higher.
Would I love the small house? It has its benefits. For me that would be never having to consider my own noise levels and being on the ground floor without having someone “on top”. But the much higher costs make it basically impossible to pay for as a single. This (the cost and legal situation) may be a reason why there is way more app. living here in Europe.
I sold my suburban 3 bedroom, 2 bath house and most of my possessions 1 1/2 years ago. I moved into a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 900 sq. Ft. apartment. I love it. It took my dog a little bit to get used to being walked and let out instead of having a doggy door and big yard but he has adjusted. I am just thrilled with with where I live, quiet neighbors, responsive management. It’s working very well for me.
I did agree with the low maintenance aspect. Plus, we are hurricane and flood safe in this sturdy mid-rise. However, the elevator and the complicated grocery delivery process make this not a simple pandemic way of life for someone elderly.
Connections with family because of close proximity is SPOT ON! My husband and I often talk about our days in the one bedroom apartment as extremely intimate and personable. Though we live in a conventional 4 bed house, we were able to bring this “apartment life” mindset with us and I am so grateful. Beautifully written article thank you Julia!
It really depends on the housing and rental market where you are. Where I am, I have only been able to get ahead on saving and paying off debt since buying a house. The average cost of renting a 2 bedroom apartment here is double my mortgage payment, and when I rented I still had to pay for water, gas, phone, cable, and trash separately. My bills for the house on those items is no higher now that I am in a house. I have no HOA. I have accelerated my mortgage repayments because I can and the value of my house has already appreciated to the point that if I sold tomorrow I would recoup every dollar I’ve paid against my mortgage.
I DO have a huge backyard which I am chipping away at converting to growing food, and I am replacing my front lawn with a pollinator garden. My neighbors here lookout for me; when I lived in apartments nobody spoke to each other.
My mortgage is fixed for the entire length of time that I’ll pay it.
I’ll keep my house. Nothing says I have to stuff all the rooms with stuff.
My wife, toddler, and I have been living in an apartment for over two years now and we absolutely love it! Couldn’t agree more with you Julia — there is a certain contentment and connectedness that we feel about living simply together in our little apartment.
Also, we love the community aspect of apartments that you mentioned in your article! There is always an opportunity to meet, connect, and build relationships with new people.
Well-written and thought-provoking article — thanks so much for sharing!
well, the psycho neighbour who refused often to take her meds, could be heard all the way down the hall swearing at the top of her lungs, at her little kid. a complete nutjob who i had to get the super to knock on the door numerous times. i’ll pass on an apartment. the old man at the end of our floor hallway fell asleep with his bbq on, setting fire to his place, causing smoke damage all the way down the hall to our end,leaving our apartment smelling like smoke for months. i’ll pass on apartment living.
So far no one has mentioned bad apartment managers. This can be as bad as noisy horrible neighbors. I’ve lived in apartments that included a maintenance clause stating leaky faucets, running toilets along with other listed maintenance is the responsibility of the renter otherwise they will be charged if complex is called for said items. I moved out bought another house. I’ll gladly pay upkeep.
While I can see the pros of apartment dwelling for some people, everyone is different — thank God! As a very private person and a classic introvert, I find living next to / on top of / below other people to be very suffocating and stressful. I don’t like hearing the neighbor having sex, blaring their TV or flushing the toilet. I’ve lived in apartments/condos in L.A., S.F., Paris, Asia, East Coast, etc. Then, 4 years ago, we finally purchased a standalone home with a backyard. Ahhhh, paradise. This by far the happiest living space I’ve ever had. We dine al fresco in the backyard and enjoy the fruits of our gardening. When we lived in our last apartment, the upstairs neighbor’s toilet had a giant leak that seeped down into our unit, ruining our clothes, furniture, carpet. That cost more time, energy, and money in one week than our current house has cost in one year. So stressful! I pray I will never have to go back to apartment/condo living unless I’m traveling somewhere temporarily (for instance, I’d love to live in an apartment in Rome for a year!). I am a Christian, but the way I’m wired, this statement from Sartre rings so true: “Hell is other people.” And I’m grateful I can get the hell away to the haven of my home (especially during a pandemic).
Thank you for this article, it was very timely as I live in an apartment with my family in Switzerland but I have recently been having envious thoughts about buying a bigger home. We don’t really need to have more space although we have a teenage boy and a near teen boy. It was good to have a reminder on all the positive aspects of apartment living.
We have found so many positives from our move to our current apartment including having to move my desk into the living room which makes for more communication between my spouse and I. True, we are blessed in our complex in that it is well built so the only neighbor noise is conversation in the hallway we hear because our front door is not air tight. As a plus our huge windows overlook a nature preserve so the outdoors comes in all day every day so my black thumb is no longer a problem.
AWESOME article!!! Super love how you break each point down and make it very digestible and actionable for the reader! Keep it up!!! Want to hear more from you!!! Joshua, keep having Julia in the blog!!
Agreed!
May I reply in full agreement with David. If not for our horses, checking into a local apartment community sounds like a real option. I love community living with the option of retreating to my own private, tidy respite.
Everyone has their own idea of how they want to live. I love the rural lifestyle even though I don’t do much gardening now. I feel shut up in a town setting. I like a small home and not a big house.
My own outside yard is so important. I sit on one of my porches and listen to the birds and look into the woods behind my house. It’s freedom and peace. We are just a few miles out so everything is still close but easy to get to should we need anything.
Apartment living would be like prison to me. Isn’t it wonderful that most of us can pick how we want to live. I understand how city living appeals to younger people with kids. It’s a good thing that we are all different.
I am torn on number 5. Sure, you do have more financial flexibility, since your money isn’t tied into a home… But everywhere I’ve lived (small to midsized towns, east coast) buying is so much cheaper. I know that it’s a result of the system of preferences you mention, but it does make it harder to choose an apartment.
Also, I agree with the comments, you’re describing a rather nice apartment building. The last place I rented my neighbor physically abused his wife and child, and the police couldn’t do anything about it, because it would stop by the time they got there. It was obvious that I was the one calling them, so that was really uncomfortable. I hated being there, and felt hopeless. Plus, the place was not great and cost 400$ more than a mortgage would.
Now I live in a tiny house in the middle of a field, and I love it.
I was raised in military housing and apartments. I always liked it. When I grew up I still liked apartment living. I still do. It’s easy living. I love to decorate and I really think my home (apartment ) is very nice.
You made many good points. I agree with you.
So many people’s “reasons against” are the same issues you run into with neighbors when you own a house –noise, garbage, choice, etc. What makes anyone think you get to choose your neighbors when you buy a house?! We’ve lived in our home on 5 acres for 20 years. The worth of the house has not increased that much, and we’ve put SO MUCH money into upkeep over the years –if we’d lived in an apartment we could have invested that money for our retirement. There are obviously pros and cons for both types of living, and many of them depend on your individual circumstances. We’ll be trying an apartment next, as we downsize with one of us retiring. When we both retire, I hope the experience will help us decide which path will be best for that season of our lives.
Thank you so much for this; very thought provoking in this time of change, adaptation and leadership. I say leadership because we always have the opportunity to be a leader in our own life. Each of us has a way of being, living and appreciating. I was intrigued by yours. Sharing your point of view created value for me. Again, thank you.
I have owned a house and lived in apartments. After several years of homeownership, I sold the house and went back to apartments. Yes, there can be noisy neighbors in apartments, but I ended up with noisy neighbors in the house I owned. The person that lived in a neighboring house had parties almost every night of the week with loud music and drunken guests that would go until 1-2 in the morning. At least in an apartment they either don’t stay long or I have the option to move. While apartment rents continue to increase, I find I have a lot more discretionary income, as I am not constantly paying to upkeep the house (painting, landscaping, roof repair, fence replacement, new AC, flooring, etc). I also have a lot more free time to pursue my own interests. I understand why people buy houses – I bought one – but, for me, apartment living has way more pros than cons.
I recently moved from a house I owned for 25 years. I had just paid it off. Over the years I took out equity loans against the house. When I sold it I paid for my condo in full and had money left over. Had I lived in an apartment I wouldn’t have had any equity. I’m now enjoying retirement, condo living (another investment), and am able to travel. I don’t have the yard work, snow shoveling, or upkeep I did on my house. I enjoyed my home while I had it. Now I’m in another chapter of life.
Housing is a tough balance to make, and changeable as the eras of life. Apartments suck; they’re not for people, but for profit. Sharing walls, screaming kid next door, one’s vehicle outside with no protection…. AND expensive. I’m on my 5th house, and they’ve all been a place to hang my hat. The rv people have the right idea, but I’d not manage well myself. Do what works at the time, then hang in there, because it’ll change.
Ok. I built my dream house on 5 acres. 7 years later, a contractor bought up the other lots, built “cookie cutter houses”. It is no longer rural country here, it is a stepford wives subdivion..ie. suv’s & fancy cars…the exact stuff I tried to move away from. The first house the contractor built, was too close to our property line..it was “overlooked”….I now have a awful neighbor who built a shed-house even closer, has people over daily interrupting my privacy. I’m so sad/mad and it’s affecting my health (panic attacks, high blood pressure). The only thing i can do is build a garage and plant alot of trees to get my privacy back…or move. I designed this house and I love it….so, I starting praying…something needs to work out here.
That’s a pity. Trees sound like the way to go. Keep praying – you’ll either find acceptance with the situation or be given a direction to go. Regards Helene.
And if it doesn’t work out, don’t worry, the next life is the real life.
Interesting perspective. Although it does sound more as though you’re trying to convince yourself than your readers.
I’m in the U.K. but I’ve lived in a rented flat, I owned a flat and now I own a house. I’ve got to say that for me nothing beats living in and owning a house. It can be expensive with upkeep and repairs but it’s all mine. I particularly love my garden. My own little bit of the world.
Thanks for the comment Susan. But it doesn’t sound to me at all that she is trying to convince herself. Sounds to me like she enjoys living in an apartment and wanted to help others know what they might be missing.
I found that to be true also. I enjoyed her perspective as I too live in an apartment. It helped me to be thankful for what I have.
Well…and don’t we all, on some level, continually need to convince ourselves that it’s okay to live ‘counter-culturally’ when the voices of what is “normal”, “acceptable” or “should be” are so darn loud???
I hear you! We rented a duplex and two houses before we bought our own home 22 years ago. I wouldn’t do it any other way. I love my own small home here in Florida — and my yard. It is my very own yard that I can landscape in any way I wish. I just came in from harvesting the last of my garden until the fall planting. So now I concentrate on flowers and ferns!. It is worth every home-owning dollar to have our own little corner of the world. And we have the best neighbors in the world!. We have all been here together through the years. We are a solid little community.
The observations in this article are predicated on the assumption that one is living in a high-rent complex with lots of conveniences. Thus they don’t apply to apartment living across the board. And they ignore important considerations mentioned by two commenters above: (1) bad neighbors; (2) noise levels. Plus the fact that apartments that don’t fit the author’s upscale vision aren’t likely to be in the greatest of neighborhoods and not necessarily likely to be near open space (nature, etc.).
No thanks. My sister and her family live on the 14th floor of an apartment. With COVID, the building has a rule that only one family/individual can use the elevator at a time to maintain physical distancing. She either needs to walk up or down 14 flights of stairs with 2 little kids (!) or wait an hour and a half for the elevator. She doesn’t even take the kids outside anymore because it’s too much of a hassle.
I will keep my single-family home any day, where I can come and go as I please.
Every apartment I’ve lived in has been less energy efficient, and maintenance was lacking. Granted my house is too big for me being single but once I do a little more work I could get a roommate if I wanted.
Can’t work on cars at an apartment complex. I love working on cars (unless it’s a ford escape) and I’d love to be able to fix up any classic I own. (yes yes my life would be grand if I didn’t own classics…… not really.)
Sure the hour I spend every other week mowing and doing yard work could be spent “doing something else” but to be honest it’s good exercise.
College kids living downstairs? Expect all night long parties when you have to be up at 5am to go to work. At least my neighbors usually cut their stuff off by 10pm on week nights.
AC/Furnace/problem with the plumbing on the weekend? Yeah don’t expect to get that fixed any time soon.
If you are happy in an apartment great. personally there are far more negatives than positives for me. I also pay about the same or less than just basic rent (not counting the higher utilities) on the house. I do want to sell and buy a piece of property to build a “tiny” home on though.
I agree with most of the points, but I don’t get the community aspect. I’ve lived in an apartment in Canada and in China and hardly anyone knows who their neighbors are, except maybe the people directly across from you if they happen to enter/exit at the same time as you.
My house neighbors are much friendlier. But there could be all sorts of factors at play there; who knows.
After living in a variety of situations, including a large apartment building, I agree with both the article and the commenters: there are pluses and minuses about any living situation. Small is nice, cleaning is easy, and being able to lock your door and go is great if you like to travel. But I agree with one commenter that rent increases can take an increasingly big piece of your housing budget. Also agree that noise can be a problem, both hearing it from others and trying not to make any yourself.
One negative point that I don’t think has been mentioned is that if you live with other people (family members, roommates), and someone wants to entertain or host a committee meeting, the others have to make themselves scarce.
Another negative you have to be prepared for is that elevators don’t work (or are off-limits during fire drills), water goes off, etc. etc., and often it’s hard to get information about what happened or when things are expected to be fixed. If your unit is several floors up and you’re not able to handle the stairs, you may end up being stuck either up or down at inconvenient times.
Also you have to check the fine print (and beyond) when it comes to attractive building amenities. Examples: “guest suites” that are booked way into the future; party rooms that require a large damage deposit; exercise rooms that don’t allow teenagers (when your teenager is the only one who wants to use the room). If you’re renting because of some special option, make sure that it’s still functioning and/or doesn’t require extra fees and/or is accessible to the person who wants it.
Perhaps the happy in-between place would be a condo or townhouse. Yes they have expenses and HOA fees are common but you do have something of real value that will likely grow in value. Better quality apartments will generally be more expensive than a mortgage and you get no tax benefits from mortgage interest.
Reasons against apartment living:
1. No control over neighbors, noise levels, or hobbies. Do you like hearing bongo drums or bagpipes at 11 pm?
2. Management company decides to market as a luxury complex after the last rent hike two months ago and now your rent is $600 more/month.
3. Pool and parks closed indefinitely because of maintenance or someone else’s recklessness.
4. Bathtub from apartment above overflows and destroys your stuff when the ceiling caves in.
The upstairs neighbor in my last apartment didn’t put up a shower curtain. My ceiling didnt collapse but it did start “raining” inside!!!! He was a bazaar neighbor…
I’ve lived in apartments from time to time when moving for jobs. I’ve also owned homes. I do not believe that renters have an inclination to invest in their community with their time when they live in an apartment to make the community better. After 12 months they will live elsewhere. As a home owner I dislike the traffic that apartments create with 2-3 cars per apartment (witness the exit of an apartment complex between 7-9 am every morning).
Another concern I have if from a faith perspective. I believe that apartments allow behavior that is marginally acceptable to society and remains anonymous because of the high move rates of many apartments (California and Texas experience). Some of this becomes criminal when the rate of rape, child abuse and molestation increase in anonymous settings. My own observation and opinion, after 40 years of adult experience. Some may disagree.
I really enjoyed this “outside the box” perspective. I’ve often mused on how much of my time and money get spent on home maintenance vs things and people I’d rather be investing in. Thanks for collecting and articulating my random reflections for me!
Reasons against :
– You never know who are your neigbors, a bad neignbor car ruin your daily life ;
– You don’t control noise levels
– Your kids can’t play loudly and freely
– Sometimes, you can have maintenance issues related to problems in the other houses
You can still have the same benefits from a small but independent house
For these same reasons, we love our RV lifestyle with several additional advantages: WHEELS and more outdoor living.
These same reasons explain why I love our RV lifestyle. It has several other advantages: WHEELS and outdoor living.
I love your idea.😍
reasons against
1. good apartments are expensive – often more than a mortgage
2. no equity, never ‘paid for
3. noise levels
4. potential bug infestations from neighboring apartments
5. price hikes at the complex’s whim
After the miserable experience of Covid confinement in a small urban apartment, I’m planning to sell and move to a house in the country where I can enjoy nature without being confronted with hundreds of other people in daily life. I’ve already simplified and pared down my stuff.
Sounds like i what I want. A small place in a sparsely populated area in the mountains.
A friend of mine had to make that move when their rent was raised 2x in 9 months. Over $800 more when it was done. They now live in a small town in Idaho.
I read many comments. We live in a condo. It is quiet. We have our own laundry room and a large kitchen. When we owned a home, our basement flooded every time it rained. The electric power went out. We always heard the neighbors. There was a local crazy woman. My neighbor had the police out several times because this woman broke into garages and spread garbage around. One neighbor had huge parties every week until very late at night. I like our condo. The utility bills are much smaller, too.