Choosing a place to live is not always easy. You need to consider your location, the nearby amenities, how the property feels and how much space there is. You might need to consider parking and whether or not you want any outside space.
One thing that you might not think about is whether or not to buy a flat or a house. In truth, if your budget can stretch to a house rather than a flat, this is probably what you’ll buy. A lot of the time, it just seems to be the better option because a house feels more grown up and sensible somehow. Or at least, that’s what we’re told.
If you think about it, however, there are actually many different reasons why a flat is better than a house. With that in mind, read on to find out what some of those reasons are. It could be that buying a flat is a much better option for you.
You’ll Save Money
Although it’s not always the case (a city penthouse is potentially more expensive than a standard house, for example), most of the time you’ll find that when you compare like for like, a flat will often be less expensive. In other words, a two bedroom flat will cost less than a two bedroom house. This will often come down to the fact that there is no garden (although again, this is not true in one hundred percent of the cases), for example. Also, because flats tend to be leasehold, this can have an impact on the price.
If you’re in need of a property with a certain number of bedrooms and you’re not too worried about whether or not you have a garden, a flat will save you a great deal of money compared to a house, and you won’t technically lose much (if any) interior space.
You’ll Get More Space
If saving money is not your aim, and you have a specific amount you’re happy to buy, you can choose between a house and a flat of the same value. If you find yourself in this position, the flat will more than likely have more space than the house, even though they’re valued the same. Again, if a garden is not something you want to have and you want true value for money, a flat is going to offer it to you.
Some people might worry that a flat is not family friendly because of the lack of a garden, so there isn’t much point in buying a three or even four bedroom flat. However, if you find a good location with plenty of green spaces or a communal garden or play area, this shouldn’t be an issue that would put you off buying a great flat.
More Secure
If you live in a flat, it will be more secure than if you live in a house. A house will have its front door at ground level, making it extremely easy for a determined burglar to get inside. Although there are some ground floor flats, many will be first or second floors or even higher. A burglar would never be able to get inside without running much more risk of being seen or being injured. It wouldn’t be worth them trying in the majority of situations.
Houses also have back doors, also on ground level, as well as windows. Even ground floor flats don’t usually have back doors, so there are fewer entry points for would-be thieves.
You can also find flats with buzzer entry systems so no one can enter the building without knowing a code, knowing someone inside, or having a keycard or similar tool to enter with.
As you can see, if you’re worried about burglaries, a flat is a better option for you.
No Stairs
If you choose a building that has a lift inside rather than having to use the stairs to get to higher floors, you can live quite happily in a flat without needing to use stairs at all. Why is this a good thing? Stairs can be a problem for older people who have less mobility. If you would prefer to stay in your home rather than having to move out when you’re older, whether that’s to a care home or simply to a different property, a flat makes it easier to stay where you are. Without stairs to contend with, there is no reason you would have to move even if you did become more unstable as you aged.
It’s not only older people who have problems with stairs. Anyone who uses a wheelchair, for example, would find it hard to live in a house because they would not have easy access to every level of their home. This would be wasteful and it would also be unfair on the individual. In a flat, this never has to be a concern, and you can enjoy every room in your home as much as you want to.
Less Energy Usage
It can take a lot to heat a house, especially if the house doesn’t use mains gas (those out in the countryside may well use LPG or oil instead, for example). With heating bills rising and energy use becoming a problem for many, it’s important to know that buying a flat instead of a house can help with this issue.
The reason is that when you live in a flat, there are other dwellings all around you. They are potentially above and below you as well as to either side. This means that everyone can benefit from the heat being produced by the flats combined – everyone can have their heating on much lower than if they were in a standalone house or even in a semi-detached or terraced house.
If you’re worried you’ll find this to be too warm and not have much control over that heat, don’t worry. You can get flat air conditioning that will help to lower the temperature (and it will be perfect for the summer).
Better Maintained
If you own a house, you have to do all the maintenance yourself. This includes exterior maintenance. If you don’t do this or can’t for any reason, you run the risk of losing value on your home.
If you own a flat, you’ll find that the exterior maintenance is taken care of for you. You will pay money towards this, but you won’t have to go to the trouble of organising for the work to be done. If the block needs to be repainted, that will be arranged. If it needs a new roof, this will be done. The parking areas and communal areas will also be kept in good condition. All you’ll need to focus on is keeping your own home exactly how you want it.
Close To Amenities
Because flats tend to be built in busier areas (it makes sense to build up rather than out, as you would with houses), there are usually a lot of amenities nearby, and often within walking distance. This could be a railway station, it could be shops and supermarkets. It might be cafes and restaurants, cinemas, theatres, schools, and so on.
When you own a flat, you can be sure you’ll be close to the things you’re going to need to make use of. This is not always the same when you are living in a house, and it might be you have to drive to these useful amenities, which costs money and is much less convenient.
