The decision to move home is usually a relatively big one with plenty of decisions to be made - house or apartment, beach or bush, location conveniences or building facilities? But instead of it overwhelming you, let it excite you! Whether you’re downsizing and minimising, are studying, want to move closer to your job, or simply fancy a new start and improved lifestyle - there are plenty of reasons to move from A to B and plenty of reasons for to choose the apartment option. We've talked finding the perfect house, so how do you go about finding the perfect apartment for you? Here's how to shop for your very own home in the sky and get it just right for your lifestyle, budget and design aesthetic!
Decide What Type of Apartment You Want
While 'apartment' may be a relatively small category when it comes to the overall housing market, there are still various different types of apartment that you can choose from. The first and smallest option is a studio apartment. This is a compact space where everything except the bathroom of your property is confined to one room. They tend to be more common in central major cities where space is sparse and expensive, and thus landowners want to fit as many properties as possible into the land that they own. Another option is the one bedroom apartment. While this type of property is still smaller than the standard family home, your bedroom will be separate from your living space, giving you more room to spread out and keep your belongings. The studio apartment tends to be best for single individuals, while one bedroom apartments are usually better for couples. But it all depends on how you want to live. Weigh-up the convenience of having a home office or guest bedroom compared to costs for the extra square metres, and consider an office nook or fold-out sofa bed to help meet those needs if staying on budget is of primary concern.
Decide Whether to Buy or Rent
Next, decide whether you want to buy or rent. Buying, of course, is often considered the ideal of the two options, as it gives you a secure and stable home that you can decorate as you please. When you look at Apartments for Sale, you know that you’re going to be paying towards something that is yours to keep, rather than paying somebody else’s mortgage. However, in certain cases, renting might be more appropriate. For example, if you only intend to move to a certain area for a short period of time, are figuring out if you like the area, or if you are still saving up for a mortgage deposit, renting gives you that short term flexibility over buying.
Attend Apartment Viewings
Whether you’re moving near or far, it’s essential to carry out viewings of any apartments that you might be interested in. There are a few reasons for this, but all are to do with ensuring that you know exactly what you’re signing up for. First of all, an apartment viewing allows you to check that the apartment suits all of your wants and needs when you actually get there. Estate agents have a job to do at the end of the day, so they’re going to try to make their photographs of each property as appealing as possible. While most will refrain from editing pictures, they are likely to use angles that will make spaces appear bigger and lighting to make things look more appealing and bright. You never know how a property will look or feel until you are actually in it. Another good reason to conduct property viewings is to get a feel for the local area. You can work out whether your apartment is going to be affected by noise from nearby traffic or trains, gauge whether you feel safe or not, and ensure that all of the amenities that you require nearby are actually nearby.
Keep your head... but get excited.
And enjoy your new house in the clouds.
(Actually, that's another decision to consider altogether
- how high is too high and how low is '...well it may as well be a house?!')
Happy Apartment Hunting!
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