Moving from a house to an apartment....questions

[kami]

Well I just talked to my mom and she wants to leave the house and move into a nice apartment instead. She says it's because she doesn't want to take care of all the crap you have to do with a house and also the house is starting to need lots of work done (plumbing, electrical, the roof). This is going to be weird since I've lived in a house all my life. But I can see why she wants to...and I will only be living there for the next two summers during school and then I'm out of the house for good. My sister is off to college in a couple years too so it make sense. It's not an issue of money (she just got a $20k raise).

Is it 1300 square feet a big apartment?

Gonna be weird not having a yard and stuff like that. This is a brand new place and they said it's really sound proof so that'll be good for home theater and stuff like that I guess.

Just weird.

 

[rival]

imo, 1300 sq ft is a big apartment, mine is 400 sq ft, crappy studio...whats the sq footage of the house you live in now?

 

[kami]

<< imo, 1300 sq ft is a big apartment, mine is 400 sq ft, crappy studio...whats the sq footage of the house you live in now? >>


I have no clue, but its pretty big. Two stories (it's actually 4 floors...basement, rec room, living room/kitchen/etc., then bedrooms upstairs. Big yard too...about 450 feet long

 

[N8Magic]

I personally dislike apartment living. No matter how soundproofed they say it is, if you have a boomin system (as I know you do), the neighbors WILL complain.

You don't have a yard, so that means no BBQ, and no throwing a football or whatever around in the yard. Also, consider everything you purchase has to come up in the elevator. I used to HATE doing groceries for that very reason.

It IS nice for the fact that you always have a nicely taken care of property, and nice amenities like a pool that you may not have been able to afford on your own.

 

[Balt]

<<No matter how soundproofed they say it is, if you have a boomin system (as I know you do), the neighbors WILL complain.>>

From the other perspective, you will always have neighbors who make too much noise. That was my biggest gripe moving from my parents' home into an apartment. Many people apparently can't hear their car or apartment stereo without turning it up (including bass) all the way, and they also apparently love to have their car alarms go off if someone so much as breathes on their car.

Probably won't be as bad for your mother, as I'm in a college town in a student's apartment complex, but I've never been in an apartment anywhere that didn't have people on the upper floors with lead feet.

 

[BlueApple]

It should be enough room. Is it 2BR/2BA?

 

[VTBigBear]

sounds more like a town house than an apartment...

have fun~~

 

[TomC25]

<< Big yard too...about 450 feet long >>



When I first read that line I thought you meant your house was 450 feet long. :Q

Nice yard you will miss.

Get used to talking with neighbors more often and not having enough storage space.

 

[sohcrates]

1300 sq ft is comfortable, but you're certainly not gonna be able to "get away" from your family very easily, like you could in a house

and yeah, it sucks about stereos....there's just no winning with apartment neighbors!

 

[b0mbrman]

<< I personally dislike apartment living. No matter how soundproofed they say it is, if you have a boomin system (as I know you do), the neighbors WILL complain. >>


In my condo, I can play my music extremely loud...in the past few years, we've only gotten one complain and that was when me and about 10 friends got drunk and tried our hand at breakdancing



<< You don't have a yard, so that means no BBQ, and no throwing a football or whatever around in the yard. >>


There should be some sort of common area...we have a deck here big enough for a good-sized barbecue...



<< Also, consider everything you purchase has to come up in the elevator. I used to HATE doing groceries for that very reason. >>


That truly is annoying...especially since we have no elevator here



<< It IS nice for the fact that you always have a nicely taken care of property, and nice amenities like a pool that you may not have been able to afford on your own. >>


Definitely...

 

[RossMAN]

1,300 is huge for an apartment.

 

[Heisenberg]

<< 1,300 is huge for an apartment. >>



It is pretty big. I used to live in a 2-bedroom house (1 story, no basement) that was around 1,100 sq. ft.

 

[Napalm]

Kami - an average 2 bedroom apt is probably 800-1000 sq ft in Toronto. 1300sq ft for an apartment is huge. Wife and I are currently building our first house and it is smaller than that (mind you it is downtown...).

N

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<< (she just got a $20k raise) >>

:Q

!!

 

[d33pt]

i personally would never do something like that. . i am trying so hard to move out of damn corporate apts and getting my own house with my own yard and my own garage where i can park my car..work on stuff.. apts are just crappy.. i'd rather work on my own house than live in a small apt..

 

[Dragnov]

1300 is good I say for up to 4 people comfortably living. 5 will seem a bit too crowded to me especially if you have guests over.

 

[amdskip]

does it have broadband is what you should find out first

networking already done??

 

[Zim Hosein]

<< Get used to talking with neighbors more often and not having enough storage space. >>


Amen to that

 

[conjur]

Hmm...give up equity and mortgage interest deductions for paying rent that offers nothing to show for it in the end?

Hmm...give up your own space and privacy and storage for neighbors above, beside, and below and no closet space?

If she got a $20k raise I doubt the plumbing/roof/electrical would run that much. If it does, dump that house and get another one. Interest rates are still pretty darn low and building equity is a major benefit.

But...that's just me.

 

[im2smrt4u]

<< 1,300 is huge for an apartment. >>



That is a massive apartment! The house I'm in now isn't much larger. The only way we were able to fit our stuff is because we have a garage! :Q

My advice...garage sale!

 

[kami]

Thanks for the replies.

I just don't think she wants to deal with a house anymore, especially since we (the kids) will be gone soon. She'd much rather prefer a nice apartment.
So 1300 is huge eh? good to hear!



<< personally would never do something like that. . i am trying so hard to move out of damn corporate apts and getting my own house with my own yard and my own garage where i can park my car..work on stuff.. apts are just crappy.. i'd rather work on my own house than live in a small apt.. >>


Yeah but understand my mom is in her late 40s....lived in BIG houses for the past 25 years and now she just wants a change I guess. Especially since the kids will be gone soon...plus she's single right now. Who needs a whole house?

There is still about $40k to pay off on the mortgage for the current house and she figures it'll sell for at least $140k as it is now, so there's a wad of money in the bank :Q I think the apt. is around $1100 (Canadian) per month which includes everything except cable and phone. It's in a pretty good area too...close to lots of stuff.

If broadband isn't available (it should be without a doubt), I would go insane during the next two summers :Q:Q:Q:Q:Q