moving to apartment (i hope )

georgiesmum

I want to sell and downsize to an apartment but i am really worried about noisy neighbours and undesireables. You hear so much about them and it all seems negative. Has anybody got anything good to say about apartment living?

pleasedelete

North America or Paris?

Or do you mean a flat in the UK? Bit confused by what apartment living might be?

Some retirement flats are called apartments by the more pretentious companies- who buy the cheapest land possible and knock up retirement flats- is it one of those?

Dave_the_Ginger_Cat

Depends on your age


Many of the over 55 developments are very calm, and have a lot to recommend them, though can attract higher service charges than a standard leasehold due to extra services provided

Pixie5740

Living in flats does have plus points. Generally running costs are lower than a house, especially if you're not on the ground floor and get the heat from the flat below There are no stairs to vacuum.

Noise from neighbours is a problem when there is crap soundproofing. Converted houses can be bad for hearing your neighbours, even if they're not excessively noisy. It just depends on the development really. Similar to terraced or semi-detached houses where the enjoyment of your home often hangs on the quality of soundproofing between the adjoining properties.

georgiesmum

pleasedelete wrote: »

North America or Paris?

Or do you mean a flat in the UK? Bit confused by what apartment living might be?

Some retirement flats are called apartments by the more pretentious companies- who buy the cheapest land possible and knock up retirement flats- is it one of those?

O dear. Thats what the EA call them and as i am a bit backward in tech terms i thought flat was out of fashion now.:rotfl: What differance a name?
Retirement flats, i can't afford the fees as i am not on benefits and would have to pay full price £500. Would quite like one of those. No just ordinary flat/ apartment living. Plus and drawbacks please.

cattie

I downsized into a spacious flat last year after many years of living in houses. I did have lots of friends warn me not to do it, but none had ever even lived in a flat, so I didn't feel their opinion counted for anything.

I have lived in flats & maisonettes before owning houses & the only time I was ever affected by noise was when I bought a Victorian purpose built maisonette & then the new owner above decided to lift the carpets & just have sanded floorboard, although the lease did specify good quality carpets should be fitted. These type of properties were built to look like a house, but they had 2 front doors side by side, one was the entrance to the ground floor maisonette (mine) & the other opened onto the staircase leading to the upstairs property.

Of course in those days there was no sound insulation when building, like there is these days, so I could hear almost everything that went on above. I decided to sell up, but vowed I'd stick to flats & maisonettes in purpose built blocks from then on. I owned 2 further flats in purpose built blocks quite happily, before deciding to move to a suburb & buy a house.

After a few years of owning different houses in the area, I then decided to downsize into a ground floor flat due to a disability. I knew exactly where I wanted to live, it's a very well regarded & sought after development built in the mid '60's. And I absolutely love it here, it's lovely & quiet. The neighbours are all very considerate of each other & people are just so friendly & welcoming. I know far more neighbours here than I ever got to know when living in houses. I'd say there is a real sense of community here, which has been rather a lovely surprise for me.

Most of the flats here only become vacant when the owner dies, very few people decide to just sell up & move on in search of greener pastures.

Although where I live isn't age restricted, there are quite a few older people here who have retired & downsized, but there are also some young professionals who are out at work all day.

I can honestly say there hasn't been one drawback for me since moving here. With all the bad weather we've been having, I'm so thankful that I no longer have to worry about whether tiles have blown off of my roof & rainwater is getting in or gutters becoming clogged. I'm thankful when I see the gardeners tending the grounds, especially as I always loathed gardening. Now I get to enjoy lovely grounds with no effort needed from me. It's such a brilliant feeling knowing that none of the maintenance etc. or worry of it, is down to me.

georgiesmum

Thank you so much for that cattie (love the picture of your cat ). Very informative. That has pretty well made my mind up. Only got to make sure i can take my 2 cats with me now.

jayss

Downside not being able to dry washing outdoors, noisy neighbours, !!!!!! to carry shopping up when lift broken, little/no parking for visitors.

Upside no garden to maintain, entry phone eliminates door to door sales(or charity or energy supplier), enjoy the benefit of neighbours heating, communal bin store(not good smell wise if you live above it). And in the case of my next place concierge for parcels and a residents gym.

Jenniefour

Perhaps think about going for purpose built flats where there are less likely to be noise issues because of poor sound-proofing. But always, always check this out thoroughly. Insulation in some purpose built flats is rubbish.

Depending on where you want to move to, there might also be big conversions which have had lifts installed. So top floor in one of these would normally be quiet - no footsteps overhead!

Try and avoid the over 55's developments - expensive service charges and often not enough to justify them. These also tend not to go up in line with other similar flats because of the age restrictions and that's why they're relatively inexpensive to buy. And if you want to move in the future you can find that it's not possible because you don't have the required equity to do it. Friends of mine bought one of these some years ago - who now regret it because, as prices have shot up, they are effectively priced out of moving and stuck there. Plenty of threads on here about them if you do a search, to read different opinions/experiences.

Although I live in a house now, I loved all my years of living in flats, both purpose built and conversions. There's something for me about living on one floor that really appeals - but bungalows don't.

Mobeer

This question has come up again and again. There are pluses and minues, some people like flats, some don't.

Try searching the forum before posting.

georgiesmum

Mobeer wrote: »

This question has come up again and again. There are pluses and minues, some people like flats, some don't.

Try searching the forum before posting.

So very sorry to have inconvienced you.
Thank you to everyone who have put helpful replies