Sold our home and moved into an apartment- HATE IT! (moving, crying)
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When my wife and I retired recently we decided to sell our home, move out of town and live in an apartment. We liked the idea of no yard work and living in a more urban area within walking distance to shopping and restaurants and movies, etc. Yes, we decided that we wanted an urban/suburban setting and we would scale down from our 3000 square foot single family home to a 1200 square foot Three Bedroom Apartment. My wife and I sleep so poorly we have to be in different bedrooms. We use the third bedoom for the computer and guest room.
After a few months in an apartment we are looking forward to the end of our lease. We hate the noise and the lack of a feeling of home (we are just one of countless doors in a huge cookie cutter apartment complex where every building looks the same) It is the nicest place in the town we wanted to live but it is still not home. And 1120 square feet seems so small.
Anyone else scale down to an apartment, condo or townhouse after living in a single family house with a yard and have observations pro or con?
I'm sorry it isn't a good fit for you. At least you say it is a lease and you can make other decisions.
Maybe a cottage type complex where you don't have people walking above you. (everyone wants hardwood floors now but then they make you cover up 90% of it to cut down the noise)
I fell in love with an apartment complex that has a beautiful sunroom 8x10 in each apt. Square ft is smaller, but all on one level-very appealing. I'm in a townhouse now and the carpark is 6ft from my front door. Apt on the 6th floor looks quieter to me. Depends on where you are downsizing from I guess.
When my wife and I retired recently we decided to sell our home, move out of town and live in an apartment. We liked the idea of no yard work and living in a more urban area within walking distance to shopping and restaurants and movies, etc. Yes, we decided that we wanted an urban/suburban setting and we would scale down from our 3000 square foot single family home to a 1200 square foot Three Bedroom Apartment. My wife and I sleep so poorly we have to be in different bedrooms. We use the third bedoom for the computer and guest room.
After a few months in an apartment we are looking forward to the end of our lease. We hate the noise and the lack of a feeling of home (we are just one of countless doors in a huge cookie cutter apartment complex where every building looks the same) It is the nicest place in the town we wanted to live but it is still not home. And 1120 square feet seems so small.
Anyone else scale down to an apartment, condo or townhouse after living in a single family house with a yard and have observations pro or con?
Obviously, you chose the wrong complex to live in. Not all are that way. But, at the end of the day ... it does take time to adjust to the change in lifestyle. I'm the President of a large homeowners association here in Chicago and the problems we have most is with homeowners who've downsized. They always seem to be disgruntled and unwilling to 'live and work well with others.' Not saying this describes you, but I see it everyday. I moved from a 3,500 sq. ft 3 BR home to a 2,000 sq. ft 3 BR condo. There are trade-offs. I'd take the apartment over the home, though. Sounds to me as if you're apartment is too small. 3 BR in 1,200 sq. ft strikes me as limiting. Best of luck finding what suits you.
I don't know how you'd ever drag DH & myself out of a home while we're on the healthy end of near full retirement. Did the apartment thing as a young child, did it in college, in grad school. Hated the closeness, the noise, some of the neighbors, etc.
Especially hated the fact that there was no attached garage, who the heck wants to haul stuff around.
Always thought that when the time comes, we'd down grade to a smaller house, say 1400-1500 square feet, on a small lot and pay for outside upkeep. Property taxes would be hugely less than what an apartment costs per year where we are and the overage can go to hire people to do the heavy stuff outside. We both like puttering and nature so until health is really bad think we can manage a house.
When we either get truly sick or decrepit, then we'd do the assisted living thing. If you look hard enough you can find nice ones with main level units and a private patio out the back door. Assisted living, of course, provides three meals, gets you with quieter people, has in building activities and by then maybe you neither need nor want a car anymore. Little shuttle van will pick up up and drop you off.
Some people are urban people and love living in an apartment- I have friends who have never lived in a single family house and can't see themselves ever doing so. To each his own. They're happy.
To the OP: try finding an end unit town house or patio home, maybe a duplex or maybe a free standing condo rental. Search hard enough and perhaps you can have your cake and eat it too.
I too moved from a home on 3 acres, where I lived for the last 20 years.... to a townhome.
It has been a miserable experience...missing acres of grass, woods, birds, animals-all with no "people issues"...
As for you, the noise is truly aggravating, even late at night-cars and radios etc. The nosiness of others sent me into dwelling in my own cocoon. The HOA issues are mostly juvenile bickering. ETC.
Right now I would lose $ or would consider moving-
If you can do it~go for it. And enjoy it for me, too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Tired Man
When my wife and I retired recently we decided to sell our home, move out of town and live in an apartment. We liked the idea of no yard work and living in a more urban area within walking distance to shopping and restaurants and movies, etc. Yes, we decided that we wanted an urban/suburban setting and we would scale down from our 3000 square foot single family home to a 1200 square foot Three Bedroom Apartment. My wife and I sleep so poorly we have to be in different bedrooms. We use the third bedoom for the computer and guest room.
After a few months in an apartment we are looking forward to the end of our lease. We hate the noise and the lack of a feeling of home (we are just one of countless doors in a huge cookie cutter apartment complex where every building looks the same) It is the nicest place in the town we wanted to live but it is still not home. And 1120 square feet seems so small.
Anyone else scale down to an apartment, condo or townhouse after living in a single family house with a yard and have observations pro or con?
At least you had the foresight to rent and not buy. Once your lease is up you can self-correct. We moved from 2400 sq. ft., 3-car garage to 1666 sq. ft. (2100 including finished lower level) with a 1-car garage and we're doing okay. I'd actually like to move again to less space. I find that so long as there's a world outside your door you can live in a thimble.
Also went from home to townhouse which isn't even noticeable. I have a beautiful wooded view of a pond here so the lack of a yard isn't a factor.
We were in an apartment for about nine months while between houses. We sold one and were waiting for the other to be built and the experience was horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. Was part of why we didn't down size much. It only took a week or so living there to realize we had a limit on how small
Once I left the apartment life behind I figured I could never go back.
If anything I'll get or build a small cottage on a decent sized lot later on.
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