Have you ever thought about how much easier it would be to move in and out of your apartment if you didn’t have to deal with a flight of stairs every time? Well, a first-floor apartment is the best solution to that dilemma. At most, you’ll encounter a few steps before you reach your door. But first-floor living isn’t all glitz and glam — you may also have to endure lack of privacy, disturbance from the nearby street, less security and noise from every person who walks in and out of the complex.
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At Triple Crown Corporation — home to a wide variety of apartment rentals — we’ve been searching for the answer to one of the most difficult questions known to apartment seekers: Should I live in a first-floor apartment? And finally, we came up with the pros and cons of living in a first-floor apartment.
Advantages of a First-Floor Apartment
Let’s begin on the right side of things, some of the many pros of living on the first floor include:
- Convenience: First-floor living is extremely convenient when you’re relocating. Have you ever tried to move a heavy couch up or down a flight of narrow stairs? Not easy. Living on the ground floor is also more convenient when your hands are full of grocery bags. Plus, loading or unloading your car will become a walk in the park when you don’t have to go all the way to the fourth floor each time. Finally, if you’re an outdoor person and have a fair share of gear to carry around every day, you’ll have an easy time moving in and out of your apartment.
- Lower costs: Most people prefer to rent upper floors, but choosing a first-floor apartment could mean lower rent because there’s lower demand. This difference is usually not advertised, but ask the leasing agent and you may be in for a pleasant surprise.
- Privacy: If you like to host guests on weekends, you may want to move into a first-floor apartment so that all your neighbors won’t know every time you invite someone over.
- Pet-friendly: First-floor apartments are traditionally more pet-friendly, especially for dog owners since they give you faster access to outside areas.
- Outdoor access: Some first-floor apartments have doors that lead to the outdoors, making outdoor access a reality. This setup is also convenient because it will give you privacy when you have guests.
- Cooler temperatures: Because hot air rises, your AC bills will likely be lower in a first-floor home because it will be cooler during summer.
- Less noise: If you play guitar or are heavy-footed, it may be a great idea to choose a first-floor apartment so that you don’t risk annoying neighbors downstairs.
- Easy outlet: In case of emergency, being on the first floor means you’ll have a quick exit. No struggling to move down a flight of stairs if there’s a fire.
Disadvantages of a First-Floor Apartment
Now, on the less fortunate factors:
- Lack of privacy: If your apartment faces a busy street, you may want to invest in heavy curtains, blinds or shades to block the whole world from peeping into your apartment while you eat or sleep.
- Noise: People who live on higher floors will always be tromping in and out of the complex, and you’ll hear every bit of the noise. The first floor is a central area, and everyone will always come through the front door that’s close to yours.
- Higher rent: Most people prefer to rent the first floor, so choosing a first-floor apartment could mean higher rent because there’s higher demand.
- Safety: Since bottom floor apartments are viewable by those passing-by, that can make them more prone to crime in certain areas.
- The view: This is a big deal breaker if you love a good view. First-floor apartments typically don’t have great views.
- Street disturbance: You’ll be closer to every sound and smell from the street: car horns honking, garbage cans, garbage trucks and people chatting away. Also, more dust and bugs will have access to your apartment than if you lived on a higher floor.
- Higher heating bills: Heat rises, so during winter, you may have to incur higher heating bills — it’s likely to be very cold on the first floor.
As with any apartment search, you’ll want to carefully weigh what you can and cannot tolerate. Everyone’s needs are different. While noise may be a big red flag for you, it could be a godsend for plenty of people who enjoy the hustle and bustle of the street. The biggest plus in first-floor living is that it usually costs less to rent or buy, and you may just find yourself in the best neighborhood for way less.
If you would prefer to live on the ground floor, let Triple Crown Corporation know. Don’t forget to also check out our apartment listings. You could just find yourself a serene, affordable first-floor apartment in an equally good neighborhood.
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