Suburban apartments are being built and young professionals and families are weighing their options for this new lifestyle opportunity. Here are some things to think about and our top 3 pros and cons of suburban apartments. Could you swing a move to suburbia?
3 Pros of a Suburban Apartment
More Space & Lower Rent
Want more space? A suburban apartment may be exactly what you need! usually offer more space than their city counterparts. With larger bedrooms, living spaces, and kitchen as well as outdoor spaces to enjoy, the suburbs afford renters with more amenities, more space, less tenants and lower rent costs. All sound too good to be true but are what attracts people and families to the 'burbs. Being able to escape some of the hustle and bustle of the big city is a huge selling feature of suburban living, which brings us to our next pro on our list.
Peace & Quiet
The peaceful and idyllic setting of the suburbs appeals to renters looking for a reprieve from city living. Suburban apartments often have outdoor space and are surrounded by gardens or woods.
Suburban complexes are also smaller than those in the city. The fewer tenants also bring more peace and quiet to your building. Larger crowds aren't going to get in your way of some peace and quiet in your new location and thus lowering your stress and anxiety that can arise from city living.
More Family-Friendly
Another bonus is that families can get more space, larger outdoor space with the added bonus of better schools and more opportunities for their kids give suburban living a leg up. Cities are expensive and can lack the needed space for families giving families a chance to gain those key pieces while adding privacy, more amenities and security to the list of good things within suburban living.
3 Cons of a Suburban Apartment
There are plenty of pros to living in suburban apartments but nothing is perfect, so here are three cons to be aware of as you weigh your options.
Sleepy Suburbia
You aren't in Kansas, anymore! The lifestyle and pace of the suburbs can often feel mundane compared to the more lively urban settings that cram a ton of various places to dine, shop and experience in a few short blocks near typical apartment living. As you hunt, survey the landscape of what there is to offer, the commute times to get there and try to find the best opportunities to unwind, relax and enjoy yourself in your new location.
More Furniture
With suburban apartment living comes the need to furnish a bit more space. Bonus, right?! Well brand new furniture adds up quickly and can break the bank before you know it. Rule of thumb is to only furnish what you need right away and slowly add to those basic pieces. You stretch your bank account while really being intentional in your furniture sourcing/hunting. This lowers stress and is more of a hunt, deciding on each piece which also adds to the overall feel of your space.
Curated and layered furniture is the goal, never matching sets of your living or bedroom furniture. That is the old way of buying furniture. Don't be above freebies or things put out on the curb. What do they say about trash and treasure? Hmm, anyway, those pieces just need good bones and with some TLC and sweat equity, may just end up being your favorite pieces! Open studio apartments are a nice way to decrease your furniture needs, too. Short on funds? Always be open to secondhand findings, like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and other second hand stores like Goodwill, the DAV and local spots that sell gently used furniture.
Cars + Commutes
Cars are simply part of living in the suburbs. Unless you Uber or have a personal chauffeur (man, I wish!) buying a car is in your future in order to navigate suburban life. This cost can be steep if you've got to buy one, plus gas is at an astronomically high price per gallon. The life of a city-goer using quick public transportation to get around is now in the rearview as you make your decent into suburbia.
Commuting is also a part of daily life that eats away time and gas for the suburbanite unless you are lucky to find that high-paying corporate job that allows you to work from home. And to get to your fun things or just well, the grocery store, you’ll need a car. At least parking is often free in suburbia, however, so your car costs along with gas for longer commutes will be offset slightly by readily available parking lots in the land of suburbia.
Designing & Decorating
Adding your own personality to your space is the key to creating a home within your new apartment. After relocating to West Virginia with 3 small kids for my husband's job in 2021, apartment life was sprung upon our family and I quickly decided to add as much to our 2-bedroom apartment while we lived there as possible. Why sell your space short just because you are renting? The answer is simple-- DON'T!
Gallery walls, blue glass-fronted bookcases, vintage rugs to protect the carpets and absorb our noise and layered lighting all were key in creating a space we felt comfortable in.
Within the world of interior design there are so many ways to add form, function and fun within your apartment. In 2022, there are easy, affordable, and convenient ways to ensure a quick and effective design is reached for renters on any budget! Whether wanting a major space lift with removable wallpaper, peel-and-stick tile for flooring or backsplashes and plug-in sconces to add some visual appeal, renters have a multitude of options to take their drab walls to major drool-worthy design results.
Save space with a sectional and add texture and pattern with a large rug to ground your space. Gallery walls give plenty of personality and make a major statement! Matching side tables and lamps give symmetry to our living room while window treatments grant serenity and privacy.
Check out the recent Redfin article we were featured in:
