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What Do You Need? Let's take a look at your housing needs. Use this checklist to help determine what kind of housing you should consider. Space needs:
Life-Style:
Now take a look at the space needs you indicated above. If you want a lot of special-purpose rooms, you probably will want a single-family house, a large duplex or townhouse, or a large mobile home. A place with three bedrooms can provide those extra spaces (assuming you don't need all three as bedrooms); a basement can also provide space for those special-purpose rooms, for pets, and for storage (assuming the basement has no water problems!).
Look at your life-style options. Having a pet can be a determining factor in your housing choices. Many apartment complexes do not allow cats or dogs, or charge an additional fee for having them. A small dog or cat might be quite comfortable in an apartment, whereas a large or very active dog may need outside space to run and exercise. If you love to work in the yard, to garden, and to work on a house, ownership of a single-family home is for you. But, if you don't enjoy those things or don't have time, then look at other options. An apartment (usually no maintenance for you) or a townhouse where you pay a monthly fee to have all yard work and outside maintenance done might be better for you. Of course, if you own a house and have sufficient income, you can hire someone to do that outside work, too. Would that fit your budget? If fixing up a place to reflect your style is important, remember that rental properties have limits on what you can do. Many have restrictions on what can be placed on walls, on window treatments, and on other decorating. Read the lease carefully to be sure you know what is allowed. |
On the other hand, if you need only a living room, kitchen, 1-2 bedrooms, and baths, an apartment or small townhouse may work well for you. As you look at housing options, be sure to keep your space requirements in mind.
