What are the benefits of moving into an apartment?

Moving from a house to an apartment may seem like trading a cow for a handful of beans… yet, those beans may prove to be magic, just as the ones in the famous fairy tale. Whatever your reasons to downsize from house to apartment, instead of losing something in the process (your spacious home, your privacy away from the prying eyes of nosy neighbors, your freedom to change the living environment according to your own preferences), you may actually gain much more – a simpler, safer, easier and more enjoyable life.

But how can downsizing make you happier? What are the benefits of moving to a smaller home? Just take a closer look at the several advantages of apartment living listed below. You will want to rethink your previous assumptions.

Cheaper living

Without a doubt, the greatest benefit of downsizing your house to an apartment will be the chance to save some money. Home ownership comes with an incredible amount of costs that go far beyond the mortgage and home-purchase expenses. You are responsible for all kinds of insurances, property taxes, maintenance costs and utility bills as well. Therefore, when you move from a house to an apartment, your financial situation will considerably improve:

• Your apartment rent/mortgage will be lower than the monthly mortgage for your spacious house;
• Your energy, water and gas bills will drop considerably as smaller spaces are easier to heat or cool and irrigation will not be an issue anymore;
• Maintenance expenses will be reduced to a minimum – you won’t have to pay for landscaping services or provide for gardening equipment, pest and weed control products, gas for the mowers, etc.; repairs will be cheaper (as the damaged area will be smaller) or paid for by your landlord (if you have rented the apartment); there will be fewer things around the home to replace or renew on a regular basis, and so on;
• Home improvement costs will be quite affordable as you will have smaller spaces to renovate, fewer furnishing items to purchase, etc.;
• You will be able to save on commute expenses after moving to an apartment that is conveniently located near your workplace, your kids’ school or whatever places you need to visit on a daily basis;
• You will have the chance to pocket some extra cash from selling the no-longer-needed household items and personal possessions that won’t fit in your smaller living space.

Easier living

As compared to your big old house, your new apartment will require much less time and effort on your part:

• Cleaning will be quicker and easier than ever before;
• Gardening will be out of schedule – no more mowing the front yard, trimming trees and bushes, watering plants, or taking care of annoying weeds;
• Household chores will be cut in half – there will be no need to sweep the leaves from the garden paths, remove the snow from the roof and the driveway, secure the fence, or clean the gutters. You may not even have to organize and tidy up the basement or the attic as you may not have a basement or an attic.

As a result, you will have much more free time to spend with family and friends, rest, enjoy your hobby, improve your skills, travel more often, meet new people, or do whatever you feel like doing. Time is a valuable resource, you know. Downsizing to an apartment provides you with the unique chance to make more time for yourself – so, why miss it?

Simpler living

When downsizing from house to an apartment, you will have less available space to fit your life into. Therefore, you’ll have to pare down your possessions and get rid of all the unwanted or unneeded items prior to your move. This will give you the chance to start your life afresh with less material possessions to clutter your home and burden your mind.

Hence, it will be much easier to focus on quality and improve your lifestyle:

• You will be able to afford more expensive and higher-quality articles as you will only buy a limited number of items for your small home;
• You will keep only items of high practical, aesthetical or emotional value;
• Your home will always look neat and charming as there will be no clutter in the way;
• It will be easy to make an impression – a single centerpiece will do the trick (you won’t need plenty of decorations and other bric-a-brac just to fill the empty space);
• You will experience an unparalleled mental freedom and peace of mind as a result of your simpler and more relaxed life.

SEE ALSO: How to get rid of unwanted items when moving house

Safe and friendly environment

Your apartment life is certain to be much more relaxed, sociable and safer than it was before the move.

For one thing, residential buildings offer several layers of security. Most apartment complexes have security gates, advanced security systems, and/or security guards at the entrance to keep an eye on the people who enter and leave the building. Individual apartments are equipped with security alarms or security cameras. You can rest assured that no criminals or ill-intentioned people will be able to sneak inside the complex and cause problems of any kind.

What’s more, you will have endless opportunities for social contacts when living in a large residential complex – you are going to meet the same people several times a day when going in and out of the building, you will be engaged in various common activities and meetings that involve all or most of the residents of the building, etc. As a matter of fact, your new neighbors will help you adjust to the new surroundings quickly and easily. You will be able to learn a lot from them (the precise location of important facilities and good shopping centers, the available entertainment options in the area, the specifics of the community life, etc.) and to benefit from their friendly company. Also, it is your neighbors who will be there for you and will provide you with immediate assistance should anything happen. You may find many good and reliable friends among the people next door.

SEE ALSO: How to make friends after moving

Convenience

When looking for a new home, you will certainly want it to be located in a good neighborhood, close to your workplace, your children’s school, various local amenities, etc. Finding an appropriate apartment in such a desirable location will be much easier than finding an affordable house in the same area. Therefore, you will be able to move into a nice new home conveniently located exactly where you want it to be. This will not only allow you to cut on commute cost and time, but also to enjoy your new life in a safe and prosperous neighborhood.

Speaking of convenience and enjoyable activities, have in mind that there may be certain amenities available for free for the people living in the apartment complex. Many complex owners invest into features like swimming pools, tennis courts, or fitness rooms in order to retain existing tenants and attract new ones. You and your family may be able to take advantage of such extra benefits.

Less commitment

Last but not least, moving into an apartment means less commitment. You may not be ready to settle down permanently yet, or you may not want to enter into long-term financial obligations (such as mortgage payments, for example), or you may be looking for a temporary residence only, etc. In all such cases, moving into an apartment is your best choice. You can negotiate a lease that fits the amount of time you plan to spend in that area or you may be able to get a month-to-month lease. You will have to get used to a smaller living space, less privacy and more rules (many apartment buildings have restrictions concerning renovation projects, pets, usage of common areas, etc.), but you will be able to move again whenever you want to.

Finally, to summarize the key advantages of moving into an apartment – 1) more money to spend, 2) more time to use your money as you find best and 3) greater freedom to enjoy your time and your money at maximum!