Are you thinking about downsizing into an apartment to simplify your life? While there have been a few stories out there about badly designed apartments, a well-designed apartment in a great location can enhance your lifestyle and wellbeing.
Here are some key features to look for in an apartment.
What’s your first impression?
If you stand out in the street in front of the apartment block, what’s your immediate reaction? Does the building look well-built? Often it’s the small details that will make all the difference and tell you whether the building was well-planned from the beginning. This is also a good time to call in any architects or builders you’re friends with for a trained second set of eyes.
How about the landscaping?
If the gardens and landscapes around the apartments are well-cared for, tidy and manicured, you can feel confident that the residents care about the liveability of the complex. It also means that the strata management company is active and responsive to the upkeep of the property.
What are the shared facilities?
Apartments now have pools, lifts, theatre rooms, shared gardens, gyms and more. These are paid for by all residents through strata levies, which can add up. If you will use them, great. But if you don’t swim, for example, there’s not much point paying for a communal pool.
Consider the size of the apartment complex
While some people will enjoy living in large complexes, others will be more comfortable in smaller ones that have a more personal feel. Consider your future needs and decide where you would be happiest.
Is the layout of the apartment functional?
Once inside, pay particular attention to the overall layout. Does it feel spacious enough for your needs without being too large or having wasted space? Could you imagine yourself living there and going about your daily activities?
If you’re thinking about buying off the plan, this can be a little more difficult. But you can take a close look at the plan itself and then get some measurements of all the rooms. Relate the size of the rooms to your current home to see how much smaller they would be and decide whether this will work for you. Look at the dimensions on the plan and work out how big these are in real life, look at window and door placement and ideally, have someone check the plans over for you who is skilled in reading them.
Consider the storage space
You’ll probably be doing some major decluttering before your move, but you’re still going to need adequate storage space.
Make sure that there’s enough built-in storage for clothing and linen. Plus, storage in the kitchen is important for all your crockery, appliances, pots and utensils. If you still want to do a little gardening, even if it’s only on the balcony, is there a shed or space in the garage for your tools? And is there extra storage space in the garage for residents?
How comfortable is the interior of the apartment?
Ideally, you want to consider how comfortable the temperature is inside the apartment and whether this will be easy to maintain without too much stress on your electricity bill. Ask whether the apartment is fully insulated and check that no draughts are coming through gaps around the windows or doors.
Also look at orientation to give you an idea of how much natural light the interior receives through the year.
Does the apartment provide enough privacy?
A well-built apartment should provide enough privacy and shield you from outside noises. Take a walk into the bedrooms when someone is inside an adjoining apartment to see whether the walls are thick enough so that you don’t hear everything happening next door.
Check the security and accessibility
Consider how far the car park is from your apartment and how easy it will be to transport a week’s worth of shopping from the car. Are there stairs that you need to climb or does the complex have a convenient lift? These are things you want to keep in mind for the future as you get older. You also want to check whether there’s a convenient visitor’s car park nearby.
It’s important to make sure that the complex feels safe and that the car park and communal areas are well-lit. Does it seem like there’s a neighbourly feeling to the complex? If neighbours are looking out for each other, it will help to make the complex a safe and secure place to live.
Are you thinking about downsizing, now or in the future?
Feel free to give us a call if you’re thinking of selling your current home and would like to know more about your property’s value and what you need to do to get the best possible price for it. We are always available for a no-obligation consultation.
