Do You Prefer House or Apartment?

[Deactivated] on 11/08/2020 - 00:15
Last edited 11/08/2020 - 08:10

I think most Australians probably prefer to live in a house because it's the Australian dream to have a nice big house with a giant backyard and maybe a pool etc…

Personally I prefer apartments mainly because I grew up in one and am fairly used to the coziness and the lack of need to maintain a giant backyard. I've been to many houses that have abandoned backyards and honestly they look horrible…I even have a friend that just let's their dog shit everywhere in there and never clean it.

So what's your preference, and why?

Poll Options

  • 730
    House
  • 125
    Apartment
  • 17
    Something else (?)
Home & Garden

Comments

  • Exprise on 12/08/2020 - 20:35

    House
    Not because I want a big house and land but because I hate being cramped up sharing a wall listening to people living next to me.
    Also I love space to grow my veggies or let a dog run around.
    Not to mention kids and letting them experience nature at home.
    Also it's easier to move furniture in any you don't need to go up stairs etc.

    (profanity) overpopulation

    • thriftysach on 13/08/2020 - 00:39

      its not overpopulation. Moreso rapid urbanisation mate. Cannot blame the people that much, they flock to the big cities because thats where all the facilities, jobs, etc. are.

  • Emerald Owl on 12/08/2020 - 20:36

    I’d rather either but near a train station. I live in a house and am sick of paying for Ubers and driving to the station (Parking 15min away).
    I think working from home is way better for older employees as they tend to have a house with study, less interested in socialising, and better living standards overall.

  • Tiredman on 12/08/2020 - 20:49
    +1

    When i was a student/young working adult, apartment hands down. Now with kids, house.

  • Hangryuman on 13/08/2020 - 07:56

    I've lived in 26 different share houses, stayed on farms, and now live inner city small unit walking distance to the CBD

    we tend to cleave to the familiar how we grew up

    I grew up in a small country town - 100m from the centre of town so was used to a bit of urban buzz

    those who grow up in suburbia tend to love that and hate more crowded places

    house benefits - your own yard, shed, storage, don't need permission to use noisy power tools, Lord of all you survey, freedom to renovate and loud music BBQ party down as long as the police don't come, you 'might' get on with your neighbours, more likely if you've got kids, park many carz - one for each adult !

    unit benefits - urban buzz location - more likely walking distance to the centre of a CBD, shops, restaurants, entertainment, ideally walk to work, save money if don't need a car; low maintenance - no mowing, someone else maintains the garden and building; security - intercom entrances, CCTV, lock and leave for frequent travellers, your empty home unlikely to be broken into while you're away, anonymity

  • CheeryCheapskate on 13/08/2020 - 08:58

    I've always been on team House.

    No annoying rules and restrictions, less likely to have neighbours complaining about things, less meetings, I can DIY my own maintenance, can host better parties (pre-Covid anyway) and generally more space to roam around.

  • lddv04 on 13/08/2020 - 10:39

    Apartment, no mowing or weeding!

  • JetLi on 13/08/2020 - 11:02

    I wouldnt mind renting an apartment with all the fancy facilities but would never buy one.

  • diddy50 on 13/08/2020 - 11:05

    I'm going to down size from a 4 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment.

    What do I need to look out for when buying?????

    • pogichinoy on 13/08/2020 - 14:37

      Structural damage, check the meeting minutes from the previous AGMs, ensure the sinking fund has plenty of money, talk to the neighbours, etc

  • sauce2k on 13/08/2020 - 12:13

    I grew up in apartments so for now I would still prefer living in an apartment.

    The strata fee is a killer, so when I have a family down the track will definitely buy a house instead (if we can afford it)

  • squaredonut on 13/08/2020 - 14:01
    +2

    House:

    • No upstairs and downstairs noise issue from (profanity) neighbours
    • No paying for strata for crap that I won't benefit from
    • No collapsing apartments, that's not to say a house won't, but ehhh apartments, especially australia?
    • Don't have to wait for a lift, or cram, or especially now during a pandemic sharing a lift with anyone at all
    • Don't have to be woken up to fire drills because some idiot in the apartment decided to cook their toast for 10 minutes, not often but still

    Granted I do see some benefits to apartments, it's a matter of convenience and if you're fortunate to have shops and a train station/bus stop right downstairs then it's pretty handy. But honestly, apartments in Australia is more of a joke. Basically unless I was living in Hong Kong (which you have not much choice anyways between houses and apartment living), or another country who have more civilised people, I probably wouldn't want to ever live in apartment.

    • 91rs on 13/08/2020 - 15:43

      Over the fence we get nothing but noise, if it's not the alcoholics behind us out in their backyard area partying with friends + smoking and drinking 3-4 times a week for up to a dozen hours in summer, it's the people to the left or right of us with kids yelling and screaming, then them yelling and screaming at their kids. Even when the kids are inside you can hear them yelling at their kids.
      First townhouse we've lived in, the last 15+ years living in apartments and I'd never dealt with so many inconsiderate people as I have here in the last almost 2? years.
      Its not all sunshine and lollipops living out in the suburbs.

      • squaredonut on 13/08/2020 - 16:19

        I don't doubt that at all. But apartments you have like top neighbours, bottom neighbours and in some cases left and right.

        But yes if you have a bed set of neighbours in a house then yeah you're equally screwed.

        Anyways regardless, I just have no confidence in apartments with the recent spate of events in NSW. Until there is stronger standards that companies adhere to, and State government that don't just take your stamp duty and actually enforce and actually penalise these building companies, I see no hope in apartments, I would not want to always worry and wonder that that sound is, is it a crack, or be called out suddenly because there's structural issues all of a sudden.

        • 91rs on 13/08/2020 - 16:46

          For sure, its not where I'd be putting my money, owning the paint on the wall and the air between them isnt to me worth the high cost of many apartments.

      • cashless on 14/08/2020 - 09:33
        +1

        This is exactly why a "try before you buy" option would be so handy.
        OK, you can rent in the same neighbourhood, but until you move in and come into contact with the next door neighbours, it's real hard to judge what your quality of life will be like.
        Before now I have sold a house and moved on, simply because of the neighbours, who were completely unreasonable and made my life miserable.
        Not the sort of thing you can disclose to the poor people who bought the house, but something I wish I'd known before moving in.

    • tompivot on 14/08/2020 - 22:02
      +1

      I’m going to make a guess and bet you’ve never lived in an apartment before.

      I’ve been in and out of apartments and houses over the years and by far have had way more issues with noise and crappy neighbours when it comes to living in a house. The walls of modern apartments are so thick that you just don’t hear anything from the other side of a wall - same with ceilings and floors. You seem to have a very outdated perspective on apartment living.

      In terms of fire drills, the number of times I’ve actually been woken up by one pales in comparison to all the other noises from living on the ground floor in a house - from police sirens, to noisy garbage trucks, to neighbours deciding to mow their lawns in the early morning.

      From my experience apartment neighbours actually understand the noise they make may be heard by their neighbours and tend to keep the noise levels down. In comparison it seems like those who live in houses think the noise they make does not go beyond their fence and feel free to make a racket whenever they want.

      You seem to also think that collapsing buildings is an issue that affects a majority of apartments in Australia, which is just so far from the truth. There’s been a few cases of cracked buildings, but it’s a handful and not some crazy exaggerated issue affecting every apartment built In Australia like you seem to be suggesting. My brother actually brought a newly built home two years ago and is still dealing with build quality issues even now - from leaking roofs to leaking bathrooms. A cracked apartment building is obviously going to be all over the news as opposed to all the half assed builder built homes out there.

      Calling apartment living a joke is just so disrespectful to all those who do not have a choice. Grow up and open up your narrow way of thinking.

      • netjock on 17/08/2020 - 11:53

        I’ve been in and out of apartments and houses over the years and by far have had way more issues with noise and crappy neighbours when it comes to living in a house.

        At least I can move out of my apartment even if I own it and renting it out would cover all the costs and potentially some return on capital put down.

        In a house you are trapped, you move out you might need to pay in (negative gearing) and have enough capital to buy again.

        Most people don't get the different pros / cons (living and financial math) involved.

  • 91rs on 13/08/2020 - 14:48
    +2

    Looking at what's on offer in some newer estates (last 10 or so years) most of the "houses" are horizontal apartments that have a fence width between the next house.
    We had some units go up next to us, they built within inches of the fence line.
    That's often more visually offensive than knowing someone lives above or below you in a tower. Whats even worse is the prices being asked for these places which only have a couple meters of green around them, not an actual yard either!
    I'd hate to have a million dollar mortgage hanging over my head.

  • love2buy on 13/08/2020 - 15:17

    If you like working on your car get a house. If you like enjoying distant views, live in a high rise apartment.

    • [Deactivated] on 15/08/2020 - 11:05

      Or if you like both, get acreage by the sea.

  • nightqueen on 13/08/2020 - 15:48
    +1

    House: you can install a rangehood with a vent out through the roof so you can cook a steak with great extraction and ventilation

    Apartment: very difficulty to install a rangehood that has a vent outside, most likely a recirculating rangehood, and the apartment stinks whenever trying to cook a steak and can often trigger the smoke alarm.

    Ceteris paribus or with all other things being held equal
    Land appreciates (greater % of house value is the land)
    Building depreciates (greater % of apartment value is the building)

  • aspirepranesh on 13/08/2020 - 16:05

    My wife and I are in our mid 30's and prefer an apartment. We cant see ourselves living in the suburbs. and cant afford a house in the inner suburbs.

    We have been renting in the Valley for 3 years but just purchased an apartment in the same complex. Its close proximity to everything in Brisbane - the riverwalk, woolies/aldi, the gym, restaurants (don't care much about the bars) and we love walking. Beaches/hikes are only an hour away each direction which is not too bad for a weekend drive. Our dog loves people, so there are plenty of people around who give him attention and he doesnt bark. So its a win for the neighbours.

    Yes, the noise levels are a bit high compared to living in a house with the drunk idiots at night and sometimes loud neighbours, but it is easier to manage with a small space and make good use of it. Strata fees are reasonable.

    Might end up being an investment property in the future if we can afford an other property in 15-20 years.

  • nedrum on 13/08/2020 - 17:15

    Used to be apartment when I was younger, out all the time and travelled a heap but as I grow older and my hobbies become more 'homely' (woodworking, golf, etc…) I find myself wanting the space. You're right that you need to spend a few hours a week maintaining a house however - gardening and so on.

  • BrainDead on 13/08/2020 - 17:17

    Can we differentiate between terrace house and an ordinary house?

    The experience is totally different. You actually have a backyard in one and you cannot hear the neighbours.

    • try2bhelpful on 13/08/2020 - 17:43
      +1

      There are lots of terrace houses with backyards, you just have adjoining walls.

  • ldt on 13/08/2020 - 19:19
    +1

    While renting I always lived in apartments and it drove me crazy! So much noise from neighbours, strata issues, rules to abide by, shared spaces etc.
    I purchased a house 2 years ago and all that gone.

  • ihbh on 13/08/2020 - 19:48

    abandoned backyards and honestly they look horrible…I even have a friend that just let's their dog shit everywhere in there and never clean it

    This comment is like the exchange between Bessie Braddock and Churchill “Winston, your drunk!” Churchill: “Bessie, you are ugly, and tomorrow morning I shall be sober”

    Someone with a backyard can choose leave it abandoned and look horrible or not, or have their dog shit everywhere or not, but someone with just an apartment has no option to change it.

    And one day that horrible, shit filled backyard could be worth a fortune when it's rezoned and consolidated, unlike an apartment.

    • try2bhelpful on 13/08/2020 - 19:54

      Winston was, indeed, an arsehole. He could’ve been just as competent and less of a prick.

      I do agree, with a backyard you can transform it by cleaning it up and putting in plants. The issues with apartments are less easy to fix.

  • Neptunesblood on 13/08/2020 - 20:50
    +2

    Body Corps can burn in hell

  • ghostdom on 13/08/2020 - 22:43

    house. owing apartment as investment property and always feeling like rip off once seeing the quarter strata bill.

  • jaimex2 on 13/08/2020 - 23:52

    House all the way unless you need to work in the city. There's nothing sadder than apartment living in the burbs imo, its a pitstop for most I would say.

    You own the building and land, you can do whatever you like to it including let it turn into a wasteland with a dog ( which you can have!). You dont answer to associations or body corps or pay stupid fees.
    Your place of living doubles as the biggest investment in your life, ton of cash just growing while you sleep on it.
    Noise - youre not hearing other apartments or people walking down the corridor.

  • anastasiastarz on 14/08/2020 - 03:11

    Penthouse - I'm allergic to grass anyway.

  • OrderedChaos on 14/08/2020 - 08:17

    Love the convenience of an apartment, however once you introduce kids into the mix that changes because… Space. The final frontier. These are the voyagers… oops that the other thread :). Yeah space becomes critical. Apartments simply max out. Having said that I would, when the kids are older and move out, move right back in. A Townhouse comes in next… no back yard to speak off and limited maintenance. But honestly there's nothing like being able to escape to the other end of a large home in (relative) peace and quiet.

  • akashra on 14/08/2020 - 08:41

    I prefer the space of a house, the location of an apartment. There aren't too many affordable 4br apartments in Southbank ;)

  • Haha Hihi Hoho on 14/08/2020 - 09:25

    i guess it depends on which stage of your life. when i was i was single and then a couple with no car, i enjoyed staying in an apartment that is close to shops, restaurants. cinemas and clubs. now with 2 kids? prefer houses.

  • chasingstoke on 14/08/2020 - 10:00

    House for me. I love yard work and find it therapeutic, though, when I am working / studying a lot I can imagine it might be nice to have less maintenance to do.

  • Antz on 14/08/2020 - 11:11

    100% a house. I’ve bought and lived in a villa before (one of four houses on one land) and it freaking sucked. Neighbours kids would play in the common driveway, kicking their soccer ball on our garage door, wall and sometimes miss and hit our window. Their huge Labrador would bark and be running everywhere on the driveway. And they would park their car anywhere, even blocking the entrance of the driveway. Vowed my next house would be a house on my own land.

    Then I went and rented a townhouse in a complex of 54 and it didn’t get any better. I could write a book about it.

    If I had to rent, it would be an apartment in an amazing inner city location or where it’s right in the middle of great cafes, shops, amenities etc. otherwise absolutely a house is a must for me next. I don’t mind the maintenance and I would like a proper backyard to even put plants in the ground. Sure rates and upkeep can get annoying but at least it’s mine. Wouldn’t have to deal with the rental inspections and them taking photos of my space. Or don’t have to worry if I accidentally knocked or bumped the wall and leaving a mark. Or protecting the floors. I would be able to actually hang things on the wall without worrying more!

  • realaaa on 14/08/2020 - 11:38

    I'd prefer house (and who wouldn't! given they can afford it, have family etc etc) but it is more practical at the moment to live in the apartment, so that's the reality for now - suspect many people are in the same situation

  • earth worm jim on 14/08/2020 - 12:09

    2000 sqm house with a swimming pool in the centre of CBD so that I can walk to work.

  • rily001 on 14/08/2020 - 14:00

    Ive lived in a townhouse and currently apartment.

    I would prefer a house and avoid apartments from now on.

    The main gripe i have right now living in apartments are people can be very inconsiderate. We have ongoing issues with people speeding in carparks and littering - especially cigarette butts / ashes onto our balcony. So many neighbours have complained about this but Building management seem to not be able to do anything other than put signs up. Actually is anyone having the same issues?!?

    I would say if you choose apartments it is so important to pick a good community and neighbours. I think a house would give more space, privacy, less noise and more freedom.

    • lainey13 on 15/08/2020 - 00:07

      I have put their cigarette butts back into their letter box. It is theirs after all.

      • rily001 on 15/08/2020 - 09:14

        Did that work? We don't know for sure who is littering but we know which units… Don't want to stir confrontation if it's unnecessary.

  • DeepPocketsShortArms on 14/08/2020 - 14:08

    House. I'm a landscape designer, landscaper and horticulturalist. After years of designing and building gardens for other people it was always my dream to own my own house with a garden.
    After a couple of years of hard work I have my dream garden.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 14/08/2020 - 16:40

    House

  • velcrochicken on 14/08/2020 - 18:10

    I hate rules, hate most people and hate cramped space.

    House it is for me.

  • Drakesy on 14/08/2020 - 18:55

    $1,000,000 mortgages are underrated.

    The kids can inherit my debt.
    Pretty much the Australian government's economical standpoint at least

    House for me, why should i suffer in a shoebox…

  • Ghost47 on 14/08/2020 - 22:28

    People who prefer apartments must be from overseas or something (e.g. Hong Kong).

    Can't believe anyone would prefer an apartment over a house. With a house you get your own land, a back yard, a front yard, you don't share walls with neighbours, don't hear them peeing in the middle of the night, don't have to worry about someone outside your family setting fire to the building, can get a two car garage to store 2 cars and extra stuff in.

    There are more badly constructed apartments in this country than there should be. Sadly the great Australian dream of owning your own home is quickly becoming out of reach for most Australians with our absolutely ridiculous housing prices. Thanks to everyone buying their 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 28th investment property, some people just want a PPOR. Never liked property investors, IMO they rob people from the chance of owning their own place. I liken them to toilet paper hoarders, you don't get your toilet paper because some moron bought up 50 packs.

    • May4th on 15/08/2020 - 19:35

      where do you think people who can't afford to buy would rent from if no one invested in property?

      • Ghost47 on 16/08/2020 - 11:57

        They would be able to buy because it's investors and people who hoard houses like gold who have pushed up the prices in the past 30 years. Australians do actually treat properties like gold in this country.

        • May4th on 16/08/2020 - 22:15

          That's a myth. Look at how afterpay and zip have taken off. If people can't afford to buy an iphone without a loan how do you expect them to buy houses? Not everyone is in a position to buy nor do everyone want to purchase a home. There is plenty of appeal in renting.

  • CuteWittleCorgi on 14/08/2020 - 23:26

    It’s not my dream to be mowing/maintaining a lawn/garden. But it’s also not my dream to live in a smaller space. I voted for “something else”

    • try2bhelpful on 14/08/2020 - 23:51

      Interested to know what your “something else” option is?

      • CuteWittleCorgi on 15/08/2020 - 02:43

        I'm not sure yet. I've only ever lived in houses but I really really really really REALLY hate maintaining the lawn. If only the lawn would take care of itself. Obviously I know other people love/dream of maintaining their own yards/gardens.

        At the same time I can't ever see myself living in apartment. Noisy/smelly (food) neighbours. Worse than maintaining a lawn would be an upstairs neighbour having some sort of leak/flooding on their floor and the roof collapsing on my apartment.

        • try2bhelpful on 15/08/2020 - 07:57

          You don’t need to have a lawn. We have a small courtyard garden and there is no lawn. However, you do need to weed still.

        • BuyoTheCat on 15/08/2020 - 19:22

          keep goats? Keep the corgi company. Everyone has their own little pet hates. Mine is the lawn as well. maybe one or 2 'really' less than you.

          A citylife is getting less and less appealing to me. With this lockdown, I would really like to have a nice back space to enjoy a bit of sun and grow some veg. Some bastards erected an apartment block that block the sun for my little veg patch.

          I always enjoy Belgrave area. The air is so fresh and crisp. I can even deal with the really steep driveways. However my fire-prevention game need to be A+++. That, I am not so confident in.

    • mini2 on 15/08/2020 - 14:23

      Astroturf the place might be a solution?

  • mini2 on 15/08/2020 - 14:23
    +1

    Acreage actually. I don't want to deal with neighbours.

  • nightqueen on 15/08/2020 - 14:34

    Sydney apartment buyers get extra ripped off.

    RBA staffers Keaton Jenner and Peter Tulip said planning restrictions have created the shortage which is most acute in the eastern suburbs, Leichhardt and North Sydney, in a paper titled The Apartment Shortage.

    "We estimate that home buyers will pay an average of $873,000 for a new apartment in Sydney though it only costs $519,000 to supply, a gap of $355,000 or 68 per cent of costs," the paper says.

    RBA research
    https://rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2020/2020-04.html

    This paper measures the excess demand for apartments in Australia’s largest cities. We estimate that home buyers will pay an average of $873,000 for a new apartment in Sydney though it only costs $519,000 to supply, a gap of $355,000 (68 per cent of costs). There are smaller gaps of $97,000 (20 per cent of costs) in Melbourne and $10,000 (2 per cent of costs) in Brisbane.

    • netjock on 17/08/2020 - 11:57

      If you pay $873k for an apartment you have serious financial sense issues.

      Unless you are a pure investor you never buy new. Even if you are an investor you'd look at old over new.

      • nightqueen on 18/08/2020 - 12:51

        Is there too much depreciation building loss from building new?

        • netjock on 18/08/2020 - 16:33

          If these guys are right

          New $620k unit you can claim tax deduction of about $63k in first 5 years. But after 5 years your $620k apartment might only be worth $450k but better than to leave $63k x your marginal tax rate left on the table for the tax man.

          Rational mind would buy the 5 year old apartment for $450k but then that is just me. Some shiny new things are not always gold.

          If you are wondering I think the calculations are roughly:

          • Land is not counted therefore deducted from value
          • Property structure depreciation is over 40 years
          • Fixtures like cabinets, cooking equipment, lights would be like 10 - 15 years

          I'm not in this business (I've never bought new).

  • Homr on 15/08/2020 - 18:22

    I prefer skyline apartments, like the one I'm living in now

  • BrokenChairs on 15/08/2020 - 19:45
    +3

    Two weeks ago I would have said I'd be perfectly fine with apartment living for the rest of my days - being walking distance to the CBD/work is so convenient.

    Though just had the upstairs neighbours from hell move in. Been here for a few years and never heard a peep from my previous neighbours. These guys… man, sounds like they're running around the apartment all day, dropping rocks, yelling to each other out windows while their yappy dog barks away. Thinking I might have to move out it's so bad.

    The enjoyment of your home being so contingent on others being considerate is making me second guess whether owning an apartment would be worth it.

    • Ghost47 on 16/08/2020 - 11:59

      If only people could be more considerate of their neighbours. I live in a low rise and it's actually quite great in terms of my neighbours. Have you tried speaking to them or leaving a note on their door?

      • rily001 on 16/08/2020 - 17:42
        +2

        That's the problem with apartments. Your enjoyment, safety and peace is somewhat dependent on your neighbours directly below, above and beside you. It really only takes one neighbour to make it a living hell.

        Sometimes it's not even the neighbours. It could be you. What you find important and what you can tolerate. You may be able tolerate noise but can't tolerate people parking in visitors spots. Some can't noise but can tolerate littering.. it goes on.

        I think you're very fortunate to live in an apartment complex with great neighbours. Good neighbours can really make a difference.

        • rily001 on 17/08/2020 - 09:05

          *Some cant tolerate noise but can tolerate littering

    • netjock on 17/08/2020 - 11:58

      COVID times. Everyone is holed up scared to death. I think more people are dying from fear.

      • Tandako on 17/08/2020 - 11:59

        Tell that to the families of the 200,000 dead in the USA

        • netjock on 17/08/2020 - 14:29

          COVID = more people stay at home therefore you are there to hear a lot more of the noise, they are there a lot more to make noise.

  • mlcn on 18/08/2020 - 10:51

    As an OP, I was born and raised in apartment. Don't really know what to do with the house in terms of maintenance, also feel a bit insecure.
    Now fortunate to live in a large apartment (only 6 in the building, all neighbors of the same age and pretty friendly).
    With current work from home feels quite good.
    Only issue that I can't use a charcoal BBQ or a smoker.

  • Carmen Sandiego on 22/08/2020 - 17:13

    Pre to start of Covid, I had heart eyes on an apartment building that was going to be finished building in 2022. My family had to talk me out of paying for the deposit.

    As someone who has lived in small shoebox houses, a townhouse (where I got violently robbed in), a house behind a milk bar, and 2x large-ish houses, my plan for me is the following;

    • Buy that 2br apartment I have heart eyes on in 2022 and get my SO to get a 2br somewhere else so we both have assets
    • Live in said apartment until we decide to have kids
    • After 3-5 years of living there, buy a nice patch in the suburbs so that the dogs and cats and kids can play, and rent out the apartments

    COVID hasn't really made me change my plans because my work is still in the city and my career, as well as my SO's, is in early-ish days so, I am happy to sit close to the city. But, due to personal medical issues, I can't really consider acreages or anywhere that's too far from a decent hospital.

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