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I just moved back into a 2 bedroom/2 bath apartment after home living for 20 years because of divorce. I guess I got lucky, I have a first floor end unit with the model above me and no shared walls. I hear NOTHING. I am going to love my $30 electric bills compared to $200 in my last home. It had new carpet and new appliances in it and my rent is $500.00 less than my house mortgage was. I think if I ever buy again, it will be a townhome/condo where the HOA takes care of shoveling and mowing. I have done enough yard work and shoveling for two lifetimes and want to enjoy my last years without the hassle.
I move fairly often because I like buying and selling and sometimes I end up in an apartment for a year or so between houses. I had 1 apartment out of 3 in the last few years (in a new complex in Orlando) that was very loud. I felt that the floors were made of plyboard, you could hear everything above you.
I just sold a condo in Cocoa, FL, I loved it, but I moved to Miami to be closer to family. I chose an apartment in Downtown Dadeland, and I love it. I am on the 6th of 7 floors at the end of the building but NEVER hear anyone in the apartment above me or on the side of me. I love it so much I am buying one of the units that is for sale, my only worry is that it's also on the 6th floor and I don't know if the people beside me and above me will be as quiet.
I've had houses in my life too, and they require lawn maintenance and work. The thing I will miss from having a house is not being able to have a fenced in yard for a pet. I'd love to have a small dog when I retire in 5 or so years.
I started looking at SFHs in the south Miami area, but I am pretty much priced out of homes unless I get something very old that needs a lot of work or go out west to West Kendall which has it's own issues.
Join the club. Two more years of this hell and i will own my own land in the country and build my own small house on. Apartment living is pure hell just look at all the complaints on this forum about issues renting apartments. Do a google search you will get thousands and thousands more complaints. You don't find anything like that in home ownership.
home ownership is not for everyone. For one thing, I love having something go wrong in the apartment and all i do is call the landlord, and its fixed within 24-48 hours. Its also fun to sit in my chair enjoying the view of watching someone else tend to stuff i dont want to tend to. its wonderful NOT to have to spend my weekends mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters, paying $3,000 for a boiler that broke down, etc etc.
I'm the exact opposite. I take pride in the upkeep of where i live. I have no problem mowing the lawn or any maintenance but i'm a hands on guy with most of my working career in the trades. Living in an apartment makes me feel helpless like i can't do anything on my own. I hate relying on others and waiting for someone to fix something when i can easily do it.
Lastly paying for that $3,000 boiler will be paid for by the increase in rent which happens to most renters. If enough high ticket things keep breaking on a rental the landlord will increase the rent for sure.
Home owning isn't all it's cracked up to be either. Neighbours can be strange indeed. They can be loud, or have loud kids. They might have lots of visitors constantly coming and going and parking everywhere on your street. Nearby traffic can be a nuisance. And so on.
A coworker with a house in the 'burbs was recently complaining to me about a lot of self-employed people in his neighbourhood, who have clients and delivery vans, suppliers, etc. coming and going at all hours. That was a new one. No matter where you live, there's a trade off.
And renting in an expensive building is no guarantee that your neighbours are going to be civilized, as the OP points out.
They can be strange all they want when you have acres between you and them and your house is surrounded by trees.
I feel better after reading these - I realize that I am not overreacting, and that apartment life is difficult. I wish we could all have our own little houses....maybe one day!
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