Moving from Detached Home to Apartment

[FIREd]

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Originally Posted by NW-Bound I may want to move when I am older, but right now I love the ability of listening to loud music whenever I want to. And I mean at midnight, up in my 2nd home in the boonies. Or lounging out on the rear deck, and not seeing some people all day. Urban dwellers do not understand this, but down the road from me are a couple of woman retirees who live by themselves like hermits in very comfortable mountain homes.

You can listen to loud music all night too if you live in an apartment. Just wear headphones!

I sometimes need a break from the city noise. Then it's time to head to the Santa Cruz Mountains for some hiking, like I did this weekend.

[tuixiu]

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Originally Posted by Bestwifeever +1 on sound deadening. I think the newer the multi-unit building (whether rental or condo), the quieter it will be.

Yep, our townhome is fairly new build and two of the things I really like are we never hear stuff thru the walls and it has fire sprinklers in all the rooms.

Granted it might just be luck of the neighbor we landed too.

[Alan]

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Originally Posted by superdave We are considering selling the now empty nest and moving to a luxury type apartment located a couple blocks from current home. Primary motivation is ability to travel south in winter for extended periods, but there is also a considerable dollar savings. We have toured a new luxury condo style apartment building nearby, and think we would be happy there. Overall, I would say that little of our 'psyche' revolves around home ownership. Anyone had any similiar experiences to share?

We have done this for the reasons you list and it has worked out really well for us. We are now in our 10th year of luxury type apartment living, and it is all working brilliantly well for us. Each year when we go on long trips of several months at a time we inform them and ask that they keep an eye on the place.

[Amethyst]

Just as an aside, I am wondering when the term "detached house" came into common parlance. I think it must have been during the townhouse-building boom in the 1980's, as I never heard grownups use that term while I was growing up. It sounded quite funny to me when I first heard it, as if the "normal" condition of a house were to be attached to another house.

Amethyst

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Just as an aside, I am wondering when the term "detached house" came into common parlance. I think it must have been during the townhouse-building boom in the 1980's, as I never heard grownups use that term while I was growing up. It sounded quite funny to me when I first heard it, as if the "normal" condition of a house were to be attached to another house. Amethyst

Very common terms in England in the 60's and 70's were terraced houses, semi detached houses and detached houses.

We finally made it into a detached house for the first time in our lives in 1985. Our parents never made it out of terraced houses or semi detached, nor have my 2 sisters.

[Amethyst]

That's interesting. I remember figuring out that a "terraced house" in England was similar to what's called a "row house" here. In the U.S., row houses are found in cities, and "town houses" became the term for row houses built outside of cities, where suburban land for houses was getting expensive. (Naturally there are exceptions to these usages - it's a big country).

I thought the word "terrace" might refer to the fact that in England, such houses seem usually to be built along a sloping street, so their roofs are at increasing heights.

It was fun seeing how English and American speakers used slightly different words to mean the same thing (e.g. "still" instead of "pause" for the act of stopping on a particular scene in a video).

Apologies to OP for slightly jacking the thread. I will now depart, taking my etymological urges with me.

Amethyst

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Originally Posted by Alan Very common terms in England in the 60's and 70's were terraced houses, semi detached houses and detached houses. We finally made it into a detached house for the first time in our lives in 1985. Our parents never made it out of terraced houses or semi detached, nor have my 2 sisters.

[Alan]

I'm sure town houses are a recognized term in England. Same as terraced houses built on flat ground

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Just as an aside, I am wondering when the term "detached house" came into common parlance. I think it must have been during the townhouse-building boom in the 1980's, as I never heard grownups use that term while I was growing up. It sounded quite funny to me when I first heard it, as if the "normal" condition of a house were to be attached to another house. Amethyst

Actually the terms "detached" and semi-detached" came into common parlance during the 19th century. Semi-detached homes are the most common type of suburban homes in Ireland, where I grew up, and the term has been used throughout my lifetime there. Having said that, our first family home was an 18th century terraced house and when I was 4 years old we moved to an Edwardian terraced house built in 1901. The terrace of houses was all on the same level plane.

Across the pond, an apartment is usually called a flat, unless it is a condo, in which case it is often called an apartment. (?!)

Semi-detached - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Look at the menu options under "type" on this page.

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/cor...n-ballincollig

Detached houses for sale in Ballincollig, Co. Cork, detached houses in Ballincollig for sale

Semi-detached houses for sale in Ballincollig, Co. Cork, semi-detached houses in Ballincollig for sale

And in other news….

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ3fjQa5Hls‎

[Walt34]

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Originally Posted by harley Good luck to you. Personally, next time I share walls with someone else will be when I'm involuntarily committed, whether it be nursing home or insane asylum.

I'm in your camp. Every apartment I lived in (all three of them) had significant issues that made it annoying. Mostly it was noise and shortage of parking. Having to take a long hike at 2:00 AM in the rain was not what I wanted to do after a long shift.

When I went house-hunting two absolutely nonnegotiable items were my own driveway and in a quiet area.

[Mikegt4]

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Originally Posted by NW-Bound I may want to move when I am older, but right now I love the ability of listening to loud music whenever I want to. And I mean at midnight, up in my 2nd home in the boonies. Or lounging out on the rear deck, and not seeing some people all day. Urban dwellers do not understand this, but down the road from me are a couple of woman retirees who live by themselves like hermits in very comfortable mountain homes.

I am with you NW-Bound. I grew up in the edge of the suburbs ie, farms or woods across the street. When I was married I lived in a typical suburb and couldn't stand sitting on the back porch and looking at my neighbor sitting on his back porch 75 ft. away. My ex-wife wouldn't live more than 5 minutes from a major mall.
I built my retirement home on 5 acres in the country. Corn behind me, horses and alpacas nextdoor. All my neigbhors are excellent. I could go out of town for 2 weeks while leaving $3000 worth of tools lying in my driveway and they would still be there when I return, unless a neighbor puts them in their garage until I get home. I have a large shop and garage so that I can work on my sailboats, cars, dozers and tractors to my heart's content. 10 minutes to a college town, 25 minutes to a major city and 15 minutes to the boat ramp at a state park w/lake. I can't even imagine living an urban lifestlye.

[NW-Bound]

About loud music, I often turn the music on loud in the evening while laying on the sofa reading. Then when it gets cold, I move to the bedroom to continue reading in bed until I doze off. Then, I would wake up an hour later and thought to myself "wow, that's loud". Then, I stumbled out to turn the music off.

This place is in the boonies and the nearest grocery store is almost 40 mi away. It is a good place to come up and be in isolation for a few weeks or a month at a time. If I stayed longer, would miss Trader Joe's and other amenities. We came up to read, and to listen to loud music Flamenco music sounds good in the warmer summer breeze at 85F with no humidity, out on the sun-drenched deck overlooking the highway and the national forest, with a favorite drink by the side.

My other home is in the suburb, with all the shopping within 3-4 miles. The international airport is less than 15 mi away. The walkability is poor of course, as everything is spread out. However, a 25-sq.mi. state park with many hiking trails is only a 15 mi. walk away.

[NW-Bound]

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Originally Posted by haha In most human interaction, this would likely be seen as extreme behavior, and it is totally beyond my understanding. However, I believe that on this board it may be common, or at least not unusual. It's lot easier to save money if you rarely do anything. Ha

The hermits who live full-time up there are the type who would not shop or go out much if they are close to town anyway. RE tax is the same as it is based on valuation even though public services are minimal. Utilities are not cheaper either.

I am not a full-timer, so the place gives me an escape, even though my metro home is a typical detached suburban home as most homes here in the West.

I used to think I might try a townhome or condo in a more urban setting, but I am getting tired just thinking about moving. If and when we cannot enjoy the boonies home anymore, I think I would sell the place as is with all the furniture and only take my personal stuff. The new owners can build a bonfire and burn what they do not want.

[brett]

We had a large home but we really only used a few rooms. We sold it and travelled for six months. We only kept what would fit into an 8x8x16 container. It was a great way to prioritize and downsize.

We have always been home owners. We thought that we knew what we wanted to buy when we returned. But our tastes changed. We have been renting a condo for the past nine months. We like renting. One issue for us was that in our area a condo purchase did not make economic sense. I think that we may continue renting. It felt a little strange. Until we found that our landlord just paid a $35k assessment to the condo board. Between that, the condo fees, I estimate that she is in negative return for the next four years. All the while our investments are doing much better in the market.

We shut the door and left for seven weeks of travel in Asia last week. Our biggest issue as we were closing the door was which I of our neighbours would be kind enough to clear our mail box. Once or twice while we are travelling. That was it.

Bottom line.... we like having less space and fewer things, we like the freedom, and it is financially advantageous. The trick is finding the right place.

[daylatedollarshort]

We are decuttering and fixing up the house to sell. Once the kids are on their own, we plan to downsize to a rented lock and go apartment near a beach and do some slow travel. We are looking forward to less stuff, less space, less to clean, no more long list of home improvements to be done and no yard to take care of.

I like the idea of financial freedom = low overhead.

We might buy a condo or townhouse eventually, once we decide on a retirement location. I do not think we will own a single family home again. We'd rather have more free time and less expense.

[FIREd]

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Originally Posted by haha It pays to think about what other people will likely want as time goes on. I could not afford to go back into any of the prime urban environments I rented in before I became a homeowner in my 30s, except Seattle. And I have been reasonably successful. None of the tthese urban neighborhoods have become more affordable when adjusted for inflation. All have become much more expensive. My desire to own was based entirely on defense, not on any desire to own my home or choose my own wall colors or do remodeling. The manager's taste is likely at least as good as mine. Imagine someone who has been renting in prime London neighborhoods for 40 years- he had better be quite well off to compete in today's market. Ha

It's a concern. I enjoy being a renter for the most part. I pay my rent and I don't have to worry about anything. It feels grand. But I live in an expensive city and rents are going up pretty fast. My neighbors are seeing their already sky-high rent increase in the order of 15-20% this year. It's hard to keep up with that kind of inflation. At this pace, we too might get squeezed out eventually. That's why I am considering home ownership once again. HOA assessment fees have their own inflation problem, but at least the basis is much lower.

[REWahoo]

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Originally Posted by haha I remember paying $110.mo 2 blocks from the ocean smack in the middle of Venice Beach, $90.mo in Boston's Back bay, $375 for a nice three bedroom house in Berkeley North Campus area, $110 for a good house on Phinney Ridge here.

I'll bet you remember wearing spats, too.

[haha]

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Originally Posted by REWahoo I'll bet you remember wearing spats, too.

No, I think that was you.

[Options]

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Originally Posted by FIREd It's a concern. I enjoy being a renter for the most part. I pay my rent and I don't have to worry about anything. It feels grand. But I live in an expensive city and rents are going up pretty fast. My neighbors are seeing their already sky-high rent increase in the order of 15-20% this year. It's hard to keep up with that kind of inflation. At this pace, we too might get squeezed out eventually. That's why I am considering home ownership once again. HOA assessment fees have their own inflation problem, but at least the basis is much lower.

Absolutely. Major U.S city housing prices have become majorly bifurcated in the past 30 years: rich and poor. Rents have kept pace as well. In more rural locations not as much. I still haven't made a final decision about owning again or renting once I downsize.

[Nodak]

Here in ND my apartment rent has gone up by 4% in 3 years. That seems pretty good to me.

[daylatedollarshort]

I just saw this article on a couple who built their dream home of 704 square feet:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/ga...pgtype=article

It is a single family home but it is so small it doesn't take much upkeep.