There's a lot I love about our apartment.

We have a utility room with enough room for a washer, drier, and medium upright freezer.

We have a small amount of attic space above the utility room for storage.

We have a really nice sized patio, with enough room for our patio table plus four chairs and a grill.

They're really cool about us doing anything we want to the apartment as long as we return it to it's original state before we move out (stuff like replacing the utility room door with one with a cutout for the cats to get at their litter box, replaced the chandelier in the dining area with a non-hanging fixture, hung curtains). In fact I think the manager is really impressed with everything we've done to make it our own.

Speaking of cats, they allow more than one pet, they even allow big dogs if you want them. It's the only apartment I've ever lived in where we could get a second cat and not risk eviction.

They provide a storm window to put up over the big double window in the livingroom to insulate it in the winter.

And, this one came as a surprise to me, I love the small amount of garden space we have. I never thought I would be into gardening, and I have to admit I let it go really bad last year, but the first couple years I went all out. This year it'll be enough work just cleaning it up, so I doubt I'll plant anything new.

Oh yeah, and the fact that they are ranch apartments (nobody above or below us) with private entrances is way cool too. We don't even have an apartment number, just a street address. No shared hallways, no security door to buzz guests through. I even installed a wireless doorbell.

And one of the best parts, the rent only goes up about $15/mo a year. Everyplace else I've lived the rent went up at least $30/mo each year.

There's a lot more that I like about the place than not. Unfortunately the things I don't like are biggies. But they are mostly typical apartment dislikes, not enough space, sick of sharing walls with others, etc. Oh, and not being able to paint cuz every wall in the place is covered with wallpaper! The only apartment we've lived in long enough (4 years at the end of this month, and just signed another year lease) that it would have been worth it to paint, and there's friggin wallpaper everywhere!!! UGH!

It sounds like a great apartment, Judy. It would be nice to have that garden space (mainly to keep DH busy). I'm surprised that there is so much wallpaper though, as most apartment don't any. I like wallpaper, but only the kind I choose. ;-o

It's good to hear some positive points of view for renting...thanks!

#1 No roommates! Everything in it is mine and I don't have to share. When I put food away, I know it'll still be there when I get back. I can play my music anytime or watch movies (within reasonable hours), without irritating somebody else.

Hmm what else? It's a simple one bedroom floorplan, and is easy to clean and maintain. If I need to buy something at the last minute, or want to eat out, there are convenience stores, and a few restaraunts within walking distance.

That's what I'm looking forward to, vw-driver--stuff close enough to get to conveniently. However, my "roommate" of 25 years is coming along, and that's a good thing! ;-o

Patti,

It is a pretty nice apartment. I was suprised at all the wall paper too, I've never had wallpaper in an apartment. At first I didn't mind, but once I figured out that we were going to be here a while it bugged me.

VW-Driver reminded me of another thing I love about our apartment....location! I've never lived in a more convenient location. We can get to the mall through the subdivision behind our apartment, the main drag is half a mile away with every store and restaurant you can imagine along about a 2 mile stretch, it's just a great location. I'll be a little sad when we get a house, because we can't afford to buy in this area and I'm going to miss the convenience.

Well, this is for my old apartment:

The utility room was off the patio (Southern California), which meant it didn't take up valuable interior floorspace.

Community had 3 pools, 3 hot tubs, and a gym, plus a volleyball court and kids' playground.

A kitchen I didn't realize was so big until I moved to a different complex in a different state!

Noise really wasn't bad, and in the rare cases when it did get bad, the complex acted on it right away if the neighbor didn't.

Gorgeous view of the mountains as well as overlooking the city.

They allowed pets, but did have limits, which was good for someone like me who's terrified of dogs but adores cats.

Fantastic office staff!

It really wasn't until I moved that I realized how big that apartment really felt. My two-bedroom in the midwest feels tiny compared to my little one-bedroom in LA, but is probably twice the size. The rent out there was astonishingly high, but boy did I get a lot for it!

We sold our home after 33 years and moved into our apt last September. I didn't want to but I am now really glad I did. I love it here.
We have a one year lease but after one year we can go month to month.
Kitchen is large enough to hold our table and chairs, water cooler, small freezer and small cabinet. There are plenty of built in cabinets with stove, fridge and dishwasher.
The living room is large and bright and the balcony holds a table, two chairs and grill. We are on the back of the bldg and look out over a highway and then a beautiful forest and lake. Sunsets are amazing. We can't see anyone else when we are on the balcony.
Large storage room in the apt with washer and dryer and built in storage shelves.
Both bedrooms are a good size with large closets.
Both bathrooms are large.
Except for the bedrooms which are carpeted, the entire apt is ceramic tile.
Underground parking for one car and designated spot outdoors for the second car. (We take turns month to month).
We are allowed any pets except dogs or snakes. Some people have two to three cats.
Building seems to sound proof. I never hear anyone unless someone drops something upstairs which could be once every two months. Building is well maintained and kept very clean.
We are very happy not to have to shovel snow anymore or replace things when they go like hot water heater,etc. I wont have my large hosta garden but it was getting to be a lot of work anyway.
I am very happy here.

Thanks for all the responses to my question. Gosh, y'all have (or had) great apartments. Mirren, like you, I have my doubts about apartment living, but the more we think about it the more we like the idea. DH is the gardener around here, since we're in the woods and I get bitten by every bug out there. We're doing small repairs and getting ready for a huge garage sale to shed many years of collecting. Then we'll go to our No. Georgia mountain place and sell our camper and them come back and hopefully sell.

So thank you, thank you all so much again. Glad it doesn't have to be a terrible experience.

Patti

Another thing I forgot to mention is groceries. I do the grocery shopping and I always hated carrying them into the house. Now I park underground. They have grocery carts down there. I just load from the trunk to the cart and then up the elevator to the apt. Then into the kitchen and actually put the groceries away from the cart. It is wonderful. If it is my month to park outdoors, I plan groceries for when my husband is not home and I use the spot.

I sold my manufactured home this past December and moved to an apartment in January. I had owned two manufactured homes over ten years but became tired of mowing the lawn and shoveling snow in winter. Now I am in a ground floor one-bedroom end unit apartment. It has a really nice den area with a large south facing window. There is plenty of green space and there are trees outside my unit, then a freeway and beyond that more woodland. There is a rail/trail at the bottom of the hill which extends into the woods and the other end into town. Just this morning I took a long walk in the woods and it was wonderful!

With regard to noise; I do hear some of my upstairs neighbor's activity in his kitchen and bathroom from time to time, but I have never heard blaring stereos or TVs. Other than that, it is very quiet here. Since this is an end unit, I only have two neighbors attached to my unit; one upstairs and one behind my unit. Below me is a maintenance/storage area used by the maintenance staff. Since this is a college town, there are plenty of students in this and just about all other complexes in the area. It seems that most here are graduate students, though there is a mix of ages as I have seen middle age people like myself and some senior citizens as well.

The kitchen is small, but adequate for my needs, but I especially like the den as it is almost like a sun room because of the south facing window. This makes my unit very bright. The other side of the building faces the parking lot and those units never see the sun.

I am only 2.5 miles from work and can either walk or ride my bike into work when the weather is nice. I have done this all of this past week and it is great. I could not do that from where I lived before. With gas prices going out of sight, this is great! I am more and more happy with my move.

Mirren, we'll be living just across the street from a Publix (supermarket). It'll be such a joy to have a decent grocery. My sister has the same as you in her condo. Parking in the basement and carts to take on the elevator up to her floor. Very handy.

Severus, we're moving to a college town also. We picked up a couple of rental guides when we were there once and one of them listed "Tenent Profiles". The two we like have grad students and professional people. Humph! Didn't say anything about retirees like us! We need to consider the way the apartment faces as we like lots of light, too. Thanks for that tip.

I love having my own washer and dryer and I have a great view of the mountains. Best of all, though, is my large balcony, which is off the master bedroom. There is a large tree next to the balcony, and when I am sitting in my bedroom I feel almost like I'm in a treehouse.

I'd sure like a view of the mountains, irish52. Your balcony sounds so cool! Darn--now I want mountains (except I don't like cold weather very much). Anyway, that sure sounds nice.

Severus, I've noticed most of the kitchens are pretty compact. I think I can live with that, but I have a great big kitchen now with lots of cabinets and counter top space. I love to cook so I hope it isn't too much of a challenge. Or, maybe now that we'll live in an actual city, we'll get carry-out more often ;-o

I love my apt also, have lived here for 17 years, its co-op, I own it, and its almost all paid off.
I have large windows in all rooms, and they are front of building and 1 in the courtyard in the rear, gives great cross ventilation. It is nice and bright, and I have washer and clothesline out my kitchen window in the courtyard.
Im on the 4th floor, no one above me, and neighbors on either side of me are same age, and very rarely hear them. Kitchen is large with a lot of cabinets.

Only drawback is it is the 4th floor, and its a walk up, food shopping is not fun......and the bedroom is in the front of the building so sleeping late never happens......

Patti,
No cold here - I live in Phoenix! Our "mountains" are small by Colorado standards, but to someone who grew up in the midwest plains, they are beautiful!

irish52, sounds like heaven to me. Only problem is it's too far from the kids. I grew up in the Midwest--Indiana but now I'm in FL and it's just as flat as Indiana. Go figure! Guess I'm just a flatlander.