9 Factors to Consider When Renting a House or Apartment

By Ian Acosta on February 25, 2017

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Deciding whether to rent a house or an apartment is a big decision for some. There are both benefits and downsides to consider for both sides before choosing a house or apartment.

Some may like the added amenities that come with one compared to the other based on how nice the apartment or house is. Others may value other factors that will be mentioned in the article. Here are nine major factors to consider when renting an apartment or house.

Space

Typically, when thinking about space, a house is likely to have more area to roam in. In addition to more square footage inside, there will be a yard or outside area of some sort that will be amenable to pets, friends, and even neighbors.

Parking

While some apartments may offer parking space it is usually an added fee — a fee that some may be hesitant to dish out the extra money toward. If living with others with multiple vehicles, it might be a good idea to consider renting a house to have ample parking space for all automobiles and to save money in the long run on parking.

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Privacy

With a house or apartment, this could be up in the air. On one hand, with living in an apartment, you may run into noisy neighbors, unwanted guests, or simply an apartment complex that is not really ideal for privacy.

However, with living in a house, you can keep that contained to an extent. Based on who you choose to live with in a house, you could deal with roommates who like to be all up in your business or ones who know to leave you be and respect your space. In addition, living in a house, you’ll likely deal less with neighbors or the like.

Maintenance

Major key alert here. If you are not a fan of shoveling the walkways, keeping the land tidy (i.e. mowing the lawn), keeping the garden up to date, and keeping up the house, it may be best to consider going the apartment route. There are trade-offs for each, sure, but if you value tedious chores, this could be a huge factor in your decision.

Location

When relating houses to apartments typically in terms of location, apartments typically tend to have better locations in relation to distance to campus, bars, and the general hustle and bustle of college life. At least speaking from experience living in Champaign, most of the apartments (and excluding fraternity and sorority houses) were closer to the Quad and Green St. than a majority of the houses available. Want more of the urban scene? Consider renting an apartment.

Cost

By and large, the more roommates you have, the lower the cost will be between the group. Because of this and the fact that houses typically allow for more capacity compared to apartments, the cost per person will be lower on average than when living in an apartment. In addition, apartments will tend to be more updated than houses made available by many leasing companies. Because of the nicer layout and updated scenery, this too will affect the price.

Also, as mentioned before, keep in mind outside costs such as parking. With a house, you will most likely not have to pay for parking and the utilities and security deposit per person will be cheaper. The one obstacle to deciding to move into a house is finding enough people who you can potentially trust and see as roommates living in a house.

Roommates

By this I mean, who do you really want to be your roommate(s)? When searching for an apartment, it will most likely be with people you know well and can trust in terms of judgment, reliability, and other qualities. However, when searching for a house, it can be a hassle to find enough people as mentioned previously. Random roommates could be involved with a house, and it may be tough to keep everyone to a rigid schedule when it comes to daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities. If you enjoy the rowdiness and freeform culture, living in a house with friends is probably the way to go.

Design

Want to implement your own style and feel to the space you are about to choose to live? While both offer opportunities to express your creativity, a house gives you more freedom and space to do so. A room in a house gives more of a homey feel that you can truly mold into what you feel comfortable with the most. Personally, an apartment does not give that same feel or vibe of comfort.

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Pets

Almost a no brainer here. Almost no apartments allow pets inside them. Why? Too much of a hassle and possible damage to the inside. If you’re looking to get a four-legged companion, renting a house is the way to go.

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