Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a First-Floor Apartment

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a First-Floor Apartment


Having your apartment on the first floor has advantages and disadvantages. The first, that anyone who has moved into an apartment complex knows, moving up to say, a third-floor or higher apartment is exhausting. The up and down. The lifting the heavy stuff all the way up those stairs. Ugh. We all know that moment when we wish we were living on the first floor. And then there is the ongoing climb to get groceries in or coming home after a long day’s work. Sometimes you just want to get through the door with as little effort as possible.

First floor apartment living has some benefits, but there are also some things to consider on the opposite spectrum. Check out some advantages and disadvantages of first floor apartments, and what you can do to enjoy that first-floor living space.

Advantages

Moving is easy

As we mentioned, when you get to live on the first floor, moving in is a piece of cake. No stairs to haul boxes and heavy items, and the people you get to help you move will appreciate the fact you live on the first floor too. Not everyone gets the luxury of having an elevator when they move into those upper floors, so it is definitely an advantage to move into the first floor!

Cooler in the Summer

Warm air rises, so it is only a given that your first floor apartment will be cooler in hotter temps. Plus if you have an air conditioner, you won’t have to run it as long as someone living in apartments that are on upper floors.

More outside space

First floor apartments often have larger patio areas and you also gain easy access to open communal areas in complexes too. Upper floor apartments tend to have smaller patio areas than ground floor apartments, and with the extra space you may even have better coverage of shrubs or bushes to provide shade, grow plants, and have people gathering on your open patio versus someone living higher up.

Better rent prices

If you are living in a trendy urban locale, first floor apartments are not as popular as the higher apartments, so you may get better pricing when it comes to your rent. Higher apartments are perceived to have more privacy and security too, so you may benefit from a lower rent than your neighbors.

Better for kids and pets

Kids and pets need to roam and there is no better way to give them fast and easy access for playing outside than a first floor apartment. With kids or pets, lugging them up and down stairs is tiresome, plus when pets need to go outside in the middle of the night, there is just something nice about just stepping right out the door versus trekking down floors.


Disadvantages

Unfortunately, first floor apartments do carry some disadvantages too. Here are some of the most common things the first floor carries when it comes to apartment living.

Lack of privacy

Depending on the apartment you have and the set up, you may be more exposed living on the first floor. People may be able to peek into your home if you don’t have curtains drawn all the time. You may have more people walking past your entrances and windows, or there is the dreaded issue of having packages stolen because they are more exposed. Sometimes being higher up can provide added privacy to apartment living.

The neighbors

You never know the neighbors you are going to get when you rent, let alone the person living above you in an apartment complex. You may end up living underneath a night owl, a party person, or someone who walks hard or speaks loud. You just never know unfortunately until after you have signed the lease.

Flooding

All homes come with risk from water damage and flooding, whether by a burst pipe, an extreme weather incident, or the apartment above you flooding and seeping down into your apartment. When you are on the second floor or higher, there is an advantage in reducing the probability of flooding in your apartment; particularly by things out of your control. It is always a good idea to consider flood insurance protection when you live on the first floor, so keep this in mind if you have fallen in love with that first floor abode.

Prone to more break-ins

And the most notable disadvantage is first floor apartments are at higher risk of break-ins. First floor apartments are easier to gain access. They are easy to get in and out of, and burglars look for this, as well as the fact that without the noise of movement up and down stairs or neighbors to hear them walking around, they see first floor apartments as an attractive target.

Fortunately, you can do several things to protect yourself and take advantage of all the wonderful things first floor apartments offer by locking things up, covering things up, knowing your neighbors, and installing video surveillance.

And if you haven’t taken advantage of the perks of having a dog, living on the first floor with a dog not only is great for letting them in and out to play, but is one of the best deterrents for criminals' targeting you for a break-in!

Questions on Protecting You Living on the First Floor?

If you are renting and you haven’t considered renters insurance, give our Covered Insurance Advisor a call at 833-487-2683 or contact us. We provide all of our customers and those needing to just get more information on their insurance options, explain what all that policy coverage means, and anything else that is on your mind when it comes to ensuring you are protected. We offer unbiased insurance coverage counseling. Just reach out!

We’ve got you Covered.