If you and your family are searching for a new living arrangement but aren't in the market to buy a living space, you may wonder whether renting a house or an apartment is the better choice. There are quite a few pros and cons of each option, and the right move for your family is a highly personal decision. Read on for some of the factors you'll want to consider when deciding whether your family should move into an apartment or a rental home.
Your Family's Energy Level
In some respects, a high-energy family can be just as happy in an apartment that's within walking distance of a park, playground, or recreational area as they can be in a house with a yard. But if you have young children who are often up before dawn and tend to play loudly, you may find that sharing walls with others isn't the ideal situation. The same goes for families with newborns or babies who tend to utter ear-piercing wails at inopportune times.
On the other hand, if you and your family are relatively quiet or aren't home much, an apartment may be just fine. But one corollary to the shared-walls problem comes in when you, a quiet family, are sharing walls with a noisier family or one whose schedules just don't mesh with yours.
Maintenance Needs and Responsibilities
Although apartments aren't necessarily maintenance-free, they generally require less maintenance than freestanding homes. In an apartment building or complex, you won't need to worry about mowing the lawn, shoveling snow from the driveway, or scheduling sewer or septic repairs, all potential issues with a single-family home. If you don't have the time or inclination to deal with these issues yourself, an apartment may be the right choice.
The Number and Type of Pets You Have
Many pets can be quite happy in apartments. Cats, in particular, often enjoy lazing about and staring out apartment windows at people and animals passing by. But if you have multiple pets, large or rambunctious dogs, or exotic pets like birds and reptiles, you may find an apartment too confining.
Regardless of whether you rent an apartment for families or a single-family home, you're likely going to be asked to pay a pet rental deposit. This may be a one-time fee or an additional charge on your monthly rental rate. If you have multiple pets, instead of paying multiple pet deposits, you may want to search out a house or apartment with a landlord who is willing to be flexible on the charges you'll pay.
Share10 September 2018
When I started looking for a new home, I realized that there were a few things I needed to be careful about. For instance, I really needed to focus on finding a home that would appreciate in value, so I began thinking about investing in the right property. After quite a bit of research, I was able to find a great neighborhood that had a big support system for my family. After we found a house we loved, we worked with a real estate agent to procure it, and it was really nice to feel like we belonged somewhere. Read this blog about ways to find amazing pieces of real estate the first time around.