If you don’t have your heart set on a high-rise penthouse apartment with sprawling city views, then consider a garden apartment when weighing your options for renting or buying a building unit. Consider the pros and cons of a Garden Apartment before your next move.
Not to be confused with a basement apartment, garden apartments are units located on the ground floor and often have access to patios or backyards. Garden apartments are usually set back from the street and are only partially below street level.
But is living in a garden apartment really that different from above-ground units? As with everything, there are pros and cons to living in a garden apartment. Check out why you should (and shouldn’t!) rent a garden unit, from Apartment Therapy:
The Pros:
Easy accessibility
Garden apartments are perfect for anyone who needs an easily accessible home that doesn’t require a lot of stairs. Some garden units even have ramps in lieu of the usual four or five steps into the apartment.
Energy efficient
Heat rises, which means you’ll stay cooler than your upstairs neighbors in the summer months. On the other hand, the low ceilings usually found in garden units will help hold on to heat in the winter. All in all, a garden apartment could help keep the cost of your electric bill down.
Save money
You won’t just save on utilities in a garden apartment. On average, garden units can save you up to 30% compared to renters who choose upstairs units, since they rent for less than above-grade apartments.
The Cons:
Lack of natural light
As we know, garden apartments are partially below ground which means less exposure to natural light. If you dream of big bay windows offering light on sunny days, then a garden unit may not be for you.
Dampness
Below-street level apartments are more likely to attract dampness than their above-ground counterparts. If you live in an area with high humidity, moisture can especially make your home prone to pests and bugs (although you could always ask your landlord for routine pest control).
Appreciate slower
If you’re looking to buy a garden unit, it’s important to know they generally sell for less and often take longer to increase in value. Fewer buyers specifically seek out garden apartments, so similar above-ground units usually sell for more money.
Though there are a lot of pros to living in a garden apartment, our favorite thing about them is that they are easy to move into! If you decide on a below-ground unit the next time you move, be sure to compare the price of local movers on Move Matcher.
