Some people love apartment living, whereas others look at it like a stepping stone to “bigger and better” things. But regardless of what your opinion on the topic is, there’s no denying that there are a lot of advantages of living in an apartment.
So I’ve come up with twelve of those advantages, in order to share them with you today. And my hope is that, if you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy living an apartment (or you’ve been made to feel bad about renting, like I have been in the past) that these facts give you some comfort!
1. You Spend Less Money
Starting off with the most obvious thing, you’re likely going to spend far less money renting an apartment than you would buying a house. And this is the reason why so many people, especially when they’re young, have to (or choose to) live in apartments for a time.
But you don’t just have to look at it as if you’ve been “forced” to choose apartment living. Instead, you can see it as what it is… A smart financial decision that could benefit you in the short and long term.
Because with your lower monthly expenses, you unlock the ability to…
- Save more money for a more financially stable future
- Have less stress in the short term, because you know you can pay your bills
- And even spend more money on things you enjoy, such as trips or experiences that you may not be able to afford otherwise!
2. You’re Not Tied Down
Similarly to how you’re less financially restricted when you’re renting, you’re also less “tied down” in other ways as well. And a prime example of this, is your location!
Because for most people, owning a home makes it very difficult to move around. Seeing, unless you’re rich, you have to sell your house first. And that’s not always an easy task, especially depending on the economy at that time.
But if you’re living in an apartment, you can simply decide not to renew your lease and then move anywhere you want. Which means that you’re not stuck with a certain apartment, or a certain city, for an indefinite amount of time.
3. You’re Less Likely To Accumulate Clutter
One of the advantages of living in an apartment that I don’t see mentioned a lot, is the fact that it often prevents you from accumulating too much clutter. Since you tend to be lower on space than when you’re living in a house.
And because you don’t have the option to buy furniture you don’t really need, or store items that you’ll never use… you end up being a lot more thoughtful about your purchases. The result being that you’re able to be surrounded by objects you really love and enjoy!
Plus, circling back to my previous point, the fact that you have less items means that it’s much easier to move when the time comes.
4. You Have To Worry Less About Maitenance
Another major perk of living in an apartment building is that you aren’t responsible for all of the upkeep. Obviously you have to clean and keep the place tidy, but many apartment buildings will…
- Do routine checks of your space and the entire building, to make sure everything is up to date
- Replace appliances that stop working
- And make necessary repairs to your space!
With the exception of if you cause damage to the property. In which case you’d be responsible for repairing and paying for it.
5. You May Not Need To Buy Appliances
Speaking of appliances…
Many apartments come with certain appliances already installed. Fridges and stoves are standard, microwaves and dishwashers are often included, and sometimes apartments will even come with a washer and dryer. (This isn’t across the board of course, so rather than counting on these things being included, you should always check ahead when considering a unit.)
And not only does this save you from the headache, and expense, of acquiring your own appliances when you first move in… But once again, it allows you to move with much less hassle down the road. So this benefit actually ties in with a lot of the other advantages of living in an apartment we’ve discussed so far.
6. You May Have Access To Amenities
Not every apartment building comes with amenities, but many buildings do! (Plus you can always factor the presence or lack of amenities into your decision when you’re picking out where to live.) Potential amenities can take a variety of forms, such as…
- Fitness centers
- Swimming pools
- Parking garages
- Play spaces for children
- And community rooms where residents can spend time together!
7. You Don’t Have To Do Yardwork
Similarly to how you don’t have to worry about certain aspects of maintenance when you live in an apartment building, you can also cross yardwork off your to-do list. Whereas, if you were living in a house, there would almost certainly be seasonal chores you’d need to undertake or hire someone to do.
And not having your own yard doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have great views or access to outdoor spaces. Some apartment buildings come with outdoor areas everyone can share and others are located near parks, but you don’t have to worry about the upkeep of those places.
(Note – Even if your apartment building doesn’t leave you with immediate access to green areas, you can always make it a priority travel to public parks nearby.)
8. You May Have More Security
Contrary to what many people think, living in a house can actually be less safe than living in an apartment building! Obviously this varies from case to case, but there are several factors that make living in apartments quite safe.
First and foremost, you’re surrounded by people within a close proximity when you live in an apartment. And when you live in a house, you tend to be further away. This means that if you were to need help or something was amiss within your home, neighbors would be more likely to notice if you live in an apartment.
Additionally, many apartment buildings actually come with extra layers of security. Such as gated entrances, codes to get into the building, security cameras, and sometimes even security staff.
9. You’ll Have More Anonymity
Following along the same lines of security… Another one of the least-well-known advantages of living in an apartment building is that you can keep your exact living space more hidden.
For example, let’s say that you need to tell someone approximately where you live. There are many reasons people may do this; planning meetups, calling an Uber, etc… Your location would narrow down where you live quite a bit if you reside in a house, even if you don’t give them the exact address. Because there’s only so many homes within that area.
But if you live in an apartment, you can provide the building without the apartment number. And it would be much harder to figure out which of the units you live in.
10. You’re Surrounded By Community
Now, even aside from security, being surrounded by neighbors can actually be a benefit in of itself. Because it provides you with the opportunity to really form a community for yourself. Especially if there are shared amenities within the building that people tend to use often.
But in fact, even if you don’t “make friends” with those live near you, the fact that there are so many people nearby could provide some comfort. Even if you may be annoyed with their behavior sometimes. (And this is coming from an introvert, just so you know.)
A personal example of this is… Recently, I was chilling in my apartment when my neighbors started blasting “Baby” by Justin Bieber on their speakers. And although it could have been easy to get annoyed by the sound, I chose to look at through a more positive lens and just have a giggle that I was hearing a song I hadn’t heard in so long.
11. You Are Likely Closer To Necessities
Back to more practical things though, it’s also worth noting that apartment buildings are typically placed in cities, rather than in the suburbs and several minutes away from the hustle and bustle of things.
So if you’re someone who wants to have a shorter commute to work, be able to walk to things like grocery stores or cafes on foot, or be moments away from events that take place locally… Living in an apartment in the city could provide many of those experiences on a silver platter.
And even if you’re someone who does eventually want the peace and quiet of living away from the city, you can still determine to enjoy now. In case you never have that exact experience again. Which brings me to my very last point…
12. You Are Having A Unique Experience
The last of the advantages of living in an apartment that I’ll be discussing today is that you’re having a once-in-a-lifetime experience, even if you don’t perceive it that way. Because at the end of the day, we can’t relive past experiences or moments.
So once you’ve gotten a bit older and/or financially stable and bought your own house and are living there, you can’t go back to being young and struggling and living on your own for the first time. (Okay, this point is very targeted… But I’m talking to my fellow twenty-somethings now.)
Therefore, even if you aren’t exactly loving this phase of life or you’d prefer something else, you should try to remember that since you can’t go back… You should try your best to enjoy the here and now! So you don’t regret taking something for granted later. Even if it is just your first, small, inexpensive apartment.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading about the advantages of living in an apartment! I felt very passionately about this post when I was writing it, because I know what it’s like to yearn for more stability. Or be told by people that you’re “throwing away your money by renting”.
So I want to make sure that if someone else is feeling down about their living situation, like I once was, that they know there’s an upside to it.
