Apartment Or House?
May 2nd, 2021
Apartment Or House? What To Consider When Choosing
When looking at new places to move into, sometimes it can be challenging to decide if an apartment or a house is the better choice.
Often, an accepted norm for a house purchase is selecting a property at a beautiful location. Choosing a better location would give a better appreciation of your investment. While some opt for apartments, others prefer independent houses.
It’s essential to understand the pros and cons before making a decision, and you’ll also have to weigh your needs. You may want more room and autonomy over your living space. Or you may prefer the conveniences of apartment living, particularly in a complex that provides many services and features.
Here’s what to consider when choosing between an apartment and a house.
Cost
When choosing between an apartment or a house, it’s a good idea to have a budget in mind and compare what you can get for your money. It’s a belief that an apartment is often less expensive to purchase than a house, but this depends on many different aspects, such as the location, size and number of bedrooms.
There’s more to buying a house than paying a deposit and monthly mortgage repayments. All homes will have additional costs, including bills and council tax, but some charges will depend on the property type. Different property types come with a range of extra costs, and if you are still struggling to choose between a house or a flat, those charges could be the deciding factor. These costs include service charges, ground rent and maintenance costs.
Maintenance
When it comes to easy maintenance, apartments are ahead of the houses for convenience and reliability.
If you are buying a flat, your property will likely be situated in a building with others. This building will probably be managed by an individual or company, to whom you will need to pay a service charge and ground rent. This will cover the maintenance and upkeep of the building’s common areas, such as stairs, hallways, lobbies and grounds. It is also likely that repairs and structural upkeep will be a part of this.
While maintenance costs are often included in leasehold tenancies, those with freehold ownership are certainly not exempt. But you will be responsible for organising and paying for any work that needs to be carried out yourself.
Although it is an extra cost to consider, this does allow you the luxury of living within a well-maintained building, without any additional work needed from you.
Living in a house means you are responsible for all of the upkeep and repair costs, including any outside space that requires regular maintenance.
Amenities
It’s hard to compete with the kinds of amenities offered by apartment complexes today. They can include gyms, saltwater swimming pools, tennis courts, dog parks, walking trails and more. Apartments will also provide you with additional security in the form of CCTV, a security guard, coded doorways or gated entrances.
However, when it comes to space and storage, homeowners almost always win out. They have the advantage of such things as attics, garages and more closet space. You will also have your private garden and driveway.
Lifestyle
The amount of time spent in any home will depend on your lifestyle, but if you are a homebody looking for a property you can grow into, you may be better off choosing a house. This is due to the ability to make changes, build extensions and adapt the property to suit your needs. A flat will not offer these opportunities.
However, you may know that the property you buy now will not be your ‘forever home’, and a flat may be perfectly suited to your needs before you start a family. It may also be the springboard you need to get onto the property ladder and work your way up to your dream home. Modern apartment buildings offer a great sense of community, and shared spaces provide a social vibe that can maximise positive mental health and well-being benefits.
Whether you are looking for a quiet life or the energy of an apartment, consider what activities and local amenities you want and how much space you need. If you see yourself settling down with your partner and raising a family in a house, it may be an idea to buy one from the start. But if you feel strongly enough that a flat is your dream accommodation, there’s no point in buying a home that you will not enjoy living in.
Leasehold vs freehold
Flats are much more likely to be leasehold properties. That means you own the property, but not the land on which it stands, for a fixed term. Once the lease runs out, you will be asked to pay to renew it. That usually means that you have less freedom and control over certain aspects of the property. You will often be unable to make changes to the structure of a leasehold property.
With a freehold property, you own the property and grounds outright, subject to your mortgage payments. What gives you more flexibility and autonomy over things such as building extensions and making structural changes.
Usually, the difference between living in a house or an apartment comes down to two things, price and privacy. If you do enough looking and do some good old research, you can probably find a house or an apartment that will fit all of your needs. There are both houses and apartments that offer you privacy without being too expensive. Find the properties you like, take a long and objective look at the location, consider all of the above, and from there, the apartment versus house debate should take care of itself.
Clare Hughes
07958 031122
