Why does everyone prefer houses over apartments?

0gac3yjefb5sv7 · 16-05-2020 1:36am #1

Just curious. Overall sentiment on boards seems to have woeful experiences with apartments. Although there are thousands of apartments in Dublin so they must be good for a large amount of the population. Interested to see apartment owners opinions who prefer them to houses.

Experience_day · 16-05-2020 3:18am

With a house you have genuine privacy (especially detached) and no excessive charges each year. A lot more control and less rules.

Andrewf20 · 16-05-2020 3:19am

Less chance of noisy neighbors, garden space and no management fees would be my main reasons.

Cash_Q · 16-05-2020 5:22am

Hpuses have no communal entrances/hallways/outdoor spaces. Noise issues. Ground level entrance. Parking issues. Maintenance fees. Concern about level of short term tenants who dont give a **** about the place eg young students (experience of this every single time in 6 differentlocations), prostitution (experience of this with two locations), no space for pets, poor layout/daylight, feels less secure in general. I'd have to be desperate to live in one again.

NIMAN · 16-05-2020 5:34am

You have no room to 'grow' in an apartment.

By that I mean if a couple buy one, then have a child or two, they can be stuck in a dwelling thats not suitable.

Of course if you are single, or a couple who never plan to have kids, an apartment in the city with no need for a car, commute etc could be an attractive prospect.

CageWager · 16-05-2020 5:38am

Apartments make sense if you live in Manhattan or Singapore etc. No need for a car as you have extensive subway systems, everything is on your doorstep. Apartments are supposed to be a totally different way of living - you sacrifice space for location. The city is for apartments, the suburbs are for houses. We have the worst of both worlds here in Ireland - low rise, low density city dwellings and badly planned apartment blocks in suburbs, serviced only by over capacity light rail or bus networks.

Del2005 · 16-05-2020 5:59am

With a house you have a lot of maintenance in an apartment you have very little, yet have well maintained common areas. You get heating from the other apartments so don't need to use that much to keep your own place warm

My management fee is not much higher than home insurance, . There's feck all trouble in my development and no parking issues, apart from a few people parking from nearby semi-d housing estates.

Mostly it's just snobbism in Ireland about apartments. The dodgy building in the boom didn't help but there's plenty of badly built houses from the boom, noise is an issue in both types.

Dublin can't keep building out so we've got to stop building 3 bed semi's and start building apartments, every other country manages to live in apartments yet for some reason the Irish need to have a mansion in the middle of nowhere and demand all the services of living in an apartment

16-05-2020 6:26am

Space and parking.

EmptyTree · 16-05-2020 7:06am

Good apartments that are well maintained and cared for by a good management company are a joy to live in. Lived in a few for most of my early 20's and it was great. But if I was going to buy, I'd still buy a house, I can make a lot more upgrades (windows, insulation etc) if I want (I know not everyone wants to). Plus your neighbours problem becomes your problem in an apartment very quickly. I also think the likes of Priory Hall would put a lot of people off - it's only one bad story, but I imagine that made a lot of people feel nervous about taking on apartments for a good period in the mid 2010's.

The J Stands for Jay · 16-05-2020 7:10am

8% of the Irish population lives in apartments. The lowest rate in Europe.

MadYaker · 16-05-2020 7:10am

I like to play music loud at all hours of the day and night. I also don't like being able to hear my neighbours taking a piss or talking so its a detatched house for me from now on. Its more expensive but its worth it. Apartments in Irelend tend to be sh!t construction.

Yourmama · 16-05-2020 7:37am

Del2005 wrote:

Mostly it's just snobbism in Ireland about apartments. The dodgy building in the boom didn't help but there's plenty of badly built houses from the boom, noise is an issue in both types.

Whatever are your priorities. I don't consider myself a snob and used to live in apartments but wouldn't now. Why? I'm at a stage of life where I have small kids which would be difficult to raise in small apartment. (Any decent size apartment is called penthouse here and are a scarce). Then there is proximity of garden, I just open the door and I'm outside, to have my outdoorsy life and have my charcoal BBQ any time. I can also simply open the door and have kids play outside in safe environment and I know they won't be bothered by anyone. The extra space of the house gives every one in the family a little bit of privacy whenever they feel like they need some. I like my diy and have many more opportunities for it living in a house. When I'm old and tired, I might be back in apartment but definitely not now.

M256 · 16-05-2020 7:55am

I live in an apartment, the impact noise from upstairs is unbearable. The kid seems to be running all day. So next time it will be either a penthouse or a house.

Foweva Awone · 16-05-2020 8:42am

I've always much preferred apartments. It feels so much more secure ... does anyone know the stats regarding burglaries in houses vs apartments? I would imagine burglaries are much less common in apartments.

r93kaey5p2izun · 16-05-2020 8:54am

Pets and a garden are my main reasons. These are deal breakers for me. I'm not willing to do without. Overall, just too many petty rules. I wouldn't live in one of the newer houses with a management company and lots of rules either.

boombang · 16-05-2020 9:05am

I think part of the problem with apartments is that many were built during the boom, and so were shíte. Zoe Developments built some really shocking blocks in Dublin.

I lived in a small, dark, poorly planned block for a long time. I now live in a bigger, better built block and the experience is no comparison.

I would still prefer a house.

Stark · 16-05-2020 9:09am

Storage main thing for me. I own bikes and enjoy outdoor pursuits so have a lot of outdoor gear. No room to put any of those things in an apartment. This seems to be an Irish thing where they were just thrown up during the boom. Other countries seem to provide access to basement/garage storage with apartments.

Diarmuid · 16-05-2020 9:12am

In Ireland we are unable to build apartments suitable for long term living. The frustrating thing is, it's not that hard. They manage it in many European cities. Just copy their approach. But no, we have to "solve" the problem ourselves with half baked and ultimately wrong solutions. And then wonder why Dublin is a sprawling mess with chronic traffic problems and poor public transport.

I lived for many years in various apartments in Europe. For the most part it was a pleasant experience. You lived close to everything. Storage was solved with a cellar which over 50% of apartment blocks had. (I had multiple bikes I used daily) Yes there were some rules to follow to be good neighbour but not a whole lot different from living in a terrace or semi-d. The lack of a garden for some is a big negative but not all. Running costs for an apartment are lower, as were taxes, but again Ireland goes her own way with this.

16-05-2020 9:17am

It’s nice to sit out when the weather is good too, no chance with an apartment.

punisher5112 · 16-05-2020 9:20am

Sound proofing is a big issue, fire safety, neighbours that are a pain, maintenance fees and extra costs that will come down the line such as roof repair, new lift, fire remedial works etc etc....

If you have kids imo Irish apartments aren't suitable to be honest.

We were in one near 2 years and it was honestly depressing...

PCeeeee · 16-05-2020 9:22am

Del2005 wrote: »

With a house you have a lot of maintenance in an apartment you have very little, yet have well maintained common areas. You get heating from the other apartments so don't need to use that much to keep your own place warm

My management fee is not much higher than home insurance, . There's feck all trouble in my development and no parking issues, apart from a few people parking from nearby semi-d housing estates.

Mostly it's just snobbism in Ireland about apartments. The dodgy building in the boom didn't help but there's plenty of badly built houses from the boom, noise is an issue in both types.

Dublin can't keep building out so we've got to stop building 3 bed semi's and start building apartments, every other country manages to live in apartments yet for some reason the Irish need to have a mansion in the middle of nowhere and demand all the services of living in an apartment

Would you say your apartment building is typical? It sounds idyllic.

I don't think it's snobbery. Most apartments do not compare well to houses. I think people see that and make a rational choice.

Finally your quick dig at rural dwellers. The tired old 'demands services' trope. Please.

_Brian · 16-05-2020 9:26am

They can’t really be compared though as they are different products designed differently and aimed at different segments of the residential market.

Apartments are suited to non children couples and groups of people who need/want to live close to urban centres to workman’s socialise. High density and you trade away privacy for convenience.

Housing is a less dense residential design suited to families where more privacy is appreciated and space to have kids running about is important.

I wouldn’t live in a house in the town again never mind an apartment, but I’m at a stage where keeping away from others in general is more preferable.

16-05-2020 9:30am

Del2005 wrote: »

With a house you have a lot of maintenance in an apartment you have very little, yet have well maintained common areas. You get heating from the other apartments so don't need to use that much to keep your own place warm

My management fee is not much higher than home insurance, . There's feck all trouble in my development and no parking issues, apart from a few people parking from nearby semi-d housing estates.

Mostly it's just snobbism in Ireland about apartments. The dodgy building in the boom didn't help but there's plenty of badly built houses from the boom, noise is an issue in both types.

Dublin can't keep building out so we've got to stop building 3 bed semi's and start building apartments, every other country manages to live in apartments yet for some reason the Irish need to have a mansion in the middle of nowhere and demand all the services of living in an apartment

You get one life, why waste it in a shoe box listening to every footstep from the person living up stairs?

Pivot Eoin · 16-05-2020 9:33am

450,000 Dogs in Ireland - Apartments largely not ideal for this. So that would be one of the main reasons and my own reason why I prefer house living.

Sound - everything from banging doors on your hallway, to other people's kids (so annoying), to stomping on floors above, to inconsiderate neighbours.

Management Fees - WTF are these actually for? The Gardener?

Overpriced - Say for the 3 Bedroom Apartment market, priced alongside 3 Bed Terraces, usually in a worse location and no garden space at all.

Storage (or lack of) - No attics for all that useless crap you use once a year, and no sheds for stuff like Bikes and tools.

Moving Hassle - If you've ever had to furnish and then clear an apartment you will definitely understand the hassle here. You cant just park a car/van outside your front door and start filling.

Diarmuid · 16-05-2020 9:37am

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

You get one life, why waste it in a shoe box listening to every footstep from the person living up stairs?

You do realise that millions of people live in apartments and don't have to deal with this?

Foweva Awone · 16-05-2020 9:43am

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

It’s nice to sit out when the weather is good too, no chance with an apartment.

I've a lovely big wraparound balcony, perfect for sitting out in the sun. And zero maintenance compared to a garden.

16-05-2020 9:44am

Diarmuid wrote: »

You do realise that millions of people live in apartments and don't have to deal with this?

I don’t believe that for a second.

r93kaey5p2izun · 16-05-2020 9:45am

Drying clothes is an important one for me too. I like my clothes line dried.

Empty_Space · 16-05-2020 9:45am

Pivot Eoin wrote: »

450,000 Dogs in Ireland - Apartments largely not ideal for this. So that would be one of the main reasons and my own reason why I prefer house living.

Sound - everything from banging doors on your hallway, to other people's kids (so annoying), to stomping on floors above, to inconsiderate neighbours.

Management Fees - WTF are these actually for? The Gardener?

Overpriced - Say for the 3 Bedroom Apartment market, priced alongside 3 Bed Terraces, usually in a worse location and no garden space at all.

Storage (or lack of) - No attics for all that useless crap you use once a year, and no sheds for stuff like Bikes and tools.

Moving Hassle - If you've ever had to furnish and then clear an apartment you will definitely understand the hassle here. You cant just park a car/van outside your front door and start filling.

This sums up brilliantly.

Also Irish appartments are not on par with elsewhere.

Darc19 · 16-05-2020 9:46am

CageWager wrote: »

Apartments make sense if you live in Manhattan or Singapore etc. No need for a car as you have extensive subway systems, everything is on your doorstep. Apartments are supposed to be a totally different way of living - you sacrifice space for location. The city is for apartments, the suburbs are for houses. We have the worst of both worlds here in Ireland - low rise, low density city dwellings and badly planned apartment blocks in suburbs, serviced only by over capacity light rail or bus networks.

100% agree.
Seems the thoughts here are apartments should be built near every train/luas stop.

Even in London this is not done.

Apartments belong in town centres and cities where all the facilities are in walking distance.

And there should be several areas that they must be a minimum height. Docklands, heuston, glass bottle site, Smithfield and probably others.
And no restrictions on height once design is right.

Some low rise apartments are suitable for other areas as many people don't want gardens or hassle of maintenance.

ladystardust · 16-05-2020 9:49am

I think it mainly has to do with the size and quality of apartments in ireland. I have lived in a converted basement flat, 2 duplexes and a few apartments. The newer apartments and duplexes were not only small but obviously thrown up, with no thought to privacy. My current apartment has literally no storage space. No press, nothing. All of my stuff is basically under the bed. I can hear my neighbours taking a slash every night..... I'm also convinced there may be a brothel above me. Anyway, I think apartments are efficient and a good option for some but have too many downsides when not built or maintained appropriately. I cant wait to own a house so that I have only one adjoining neighbour, my own front door, a garden, and a press to store my Hoover.

Why does everyone prefer houses over apartments?

Comments