General Discussion

The Genealogist

(4,739 posts)

22. The last apartment I lived in was not a happy place.

Fri Dec 25, 2020, 04:49 PM

Dec 2020

I lived in Florida for grad school, and could only afford a dump. The man upstairs used to chase his wife around the apartment, I guess beating her. The man in the apartment next door would drag his kid out into the stairway and beat the tar out of him. Another neighbor was a big old right winger. There was garbage strewn all over the complex, because there were not enough dumpsters, and trash went everyplace. Cars were broken into all the time. The landlord was a complete jerk. Mail got stolen all the time. I live in a small single family house now, and I am much happier with it.

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It's time to rethink the single-family home as the American dream, author says [View all] Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Dec 2020 OP

I've lived in a town house, apartment and single family home jimfields33 Dec 2020 #1

My condo has concrete insulation on all sides. Silent as a tomb. Irish_Dem Dec 2020 #5

My condo was made of cast concrete, but there were a lot of buildings and we got echoes Hekate Dec 2020 #13

I am sorry to hear about your condo. Mine is so dead quite it is almost eerie. Irish_Dem Dec 2020 #15

See my post #74 to Baine for more about that condo Hekate Dec 2020 #76

After the pandemic hit last spring, condo prices dropped quite a bit. Irish_Dem Dec 2020 #84

My townhouse.had echos from the back where we parked Demovictory9 Dec 2020 #69

That is great. I wish when they find success they'd implement it nation wide. jimfields33 Dec 2020 #50

Basically 6 inches of concrete on all sides. Probably not that expensive. Irish_Dem Dec 2020 #51

Same for me -- praise be for hurricane building standards and codes! obamanut2012 Dec 2020 #86

Nice Demovictory9 Dec 2020 #67

I lived in every type of housing including townhose so no the disadvantage 9f each Demovictory9 Dec 2020 #6

The last apartment I lived in was not a happy place. The Genealogist Dec 2020 #22

1st floor folks experience the lives of the 2nd floor people Demovictory9 Dec 2020 #68

home ownership is the number one means BainsBane Dec 2020 #2

I'm skeptical of that idea now Buckeyeblue Dec 2020 #41

As opposed to rent? Happy Hoosier Dec 2020 #48

I've owned two houses and if I had it to do over I would rent/lease Buckeyeblue Dec 2020 #54

Mine certainly has BainsBane Dec 2020 #63

But that's my point. Those expenses detract from any overall profit you might realize. Buckeyeblue Dec 2020 #64

You pay for repairs and property taxes when you rent too BainsBane Dec 2020 #65

Then you must've had your house a long time Buckeyeblue Dec 2020 #66

When you rent BainsBane Dec 2020 #71

Agree with your points, BB, *especially* about taking equity out. ,,, Hekate Dec 2020 #74

Good God, this would be way too much excitement for me. Irish_Dem Dec 2020 #82

My renting experience wasn't quite as colorful BainsBane Dec 2020 #90

Experiences differ. But home ownership created much of our wealth. GulfCoast66 Dec 2020 #72

I live in a detached condo. llmart Dec 2020 #58

I Grew up in, and Currently Live in, a 900 Sq. Foot House. MineralMan Dec 2020 #3

Mine was the same. Built in 1948. Phoenix61 Dec 2020 #8

That's true. Not so many clothes, and not so many toys. MineralMan Dec 2020 #9

Nature abhors a vacuum. nt Phoenix61 Dec 2020 #10

You are so right! MineralMan Dec 2020 #12

Me too! When I got married, I bought a small house on the same street as my childhood home liberal_mama Dec 2020 #14

About a third of my neighborhood is the 900 sq. ft. housing built in the 1950s. GoCubsGo Dec 2020 #23

Our first house was 1000 sq ft LeftInTX Dec 2020 #29

This was our house exactly, minus the basement. Same exact layout. Parents and Nay Dec 2020 #45

I grew up in one that I even doubt was 900 sq. ft. llmart Dec 2020 #59

We bought a 1000 sq ft 1952 build... EarthFirst Dec 2020 #4

Yup. Our current 900 sq. ft. house has 3/4" oak floors and MineralMan Dec 2020 #11

I am still irritated with my mother in law exboyfil Dec 2020 #7

Nothing wrong with a 1950's 900 sq footer. Wellstone ruled Dec 2020 #16

I wouldn't give up my 1961 Cape Cod. NutmegYankee Dec 2020 #17

I need my own house cause I'm crazy friggin' loud ... or rather, devices that I own are ... mr_lebowski Dec 2020 #18

Lol..you would get warning letter from my hoa Demovictory9 Dec 2020 #70

If developers refused to build low-cost AFFORDABLE housing FakeNoose Dec 2020 #19

Where are you at that homes are sitting empty? Here in AZ there aren't Vivienne235729 Dec 2020 #57

It's a seller's market here in the Triangle area of NC. mnhtnbb Dec 2020 #83

This message was self-deleted by its author Hortensis Dec 2020 #97

Indeed. And just where do developers refuse to build houses Hortensis Dec 2020 #98

The big McMansions aren't selling very well where I live, either. Mariana Dec 2020 #111

Our house is our dream house Johnny2X2X Dec 2020 #20

My house has two bedrooms and one bath 960 sq. ft. built in 1943. I bought it doc03 Dec 2020 #21

Yeah otherwise they might have to raise wages. Voltaire2 Dec 2020 #24

+1 Bingo appalachiablue Dec 2020 #46

Exactly!!!! SlogginThroughIt Dec 2020 #56

That's the winner Bettie Dec 2020 #60

Well-spotted Hekate Dec 2020 #75

I love my single family home MissB Dec 2020 #25

My son's home was built in 1928...craftsman bungalow LeftInTX Dec 2020 #30

Yours was a pretty standard size for a middle class family home Hortensis Dec 2020 #100

Every residential project being built in my area Mariana Dec 2020 #26

I'm surprised. Advances in construction materials, techniques Hortensis Dec 2020 #35

I'm sure they're structurally just fine. Mariana Dec 2020 #39

I've see houses where the only real solid piece of lumber was a header supporting the stairs. Klaralven Dec 2020 #52

Actually, building codes have become stronger and stronger, Hortensis Dec 2020 #96

I wouldn't live in an apartment or town house as I have dogs and need a yard. Demsrule86 Dec 2020 #27

Multiple dwelling unit living would be OK if - Klaralven Dec 2020 #28

Attached housing in Texas roaches & often rats LeftInTX Dec 2020 #31

Yes, owning condos was the "starter home" of the late 70s and early 80s...no one can sell them... LeftInTX Dec 2020 #32

There's also the HOA fees. Flaleftist Dec 2020 #37

That's what keeps me away from condos TexasBushwhacker Dec 2020 #42

All true, but nothing new, just another iteration of a very long discussion. Hortensis Dec 2020 #33

I've never related to that part of American life... I am an immigrant who grew up in NYC Blasphemer Dec 2020 #34

I feel sorry for people who need oversized houses to be happy Skittles Dec 2020 #61

Books Hekate Dec 2020 #77

Define oversized please? Bettie Dec 2020 #92

You read a whole thread by people who love their homes and Hortensis Dec 2020 #101

I seem to read the death knell of the single family home Sinistrous Dec 2020 #36

My single family home is a 1520 sqft 1970's double wide... haele Dec 2020 #38

My husband and I are ratteling around our five bedroom house Mossfern Dec 2020 #40

Same here, though now UV and heat will kill me if they can. Hortensis Dec 2020 #102

The downside of living close together is bad neighbors. Dawson Leery Dec 2020 #43

Yes, and sadly you can expect a larger proportion of people to be jerks Nay Dec 2020 #47

I think part of the problem is people buy more house ... Xolodno Dec 2020 #44

I think some of it depends on where in the country you live MustLoveBeagles Dec 2020 #49

I couldn't stomach living packed in with a lot of other people. Happy Hoosier Dec 2020 #53

I'm like you. I need my space. MustLoveBeagles Dec 2020 #55

It's partly what we've always been used to. People who've always Hortensis Dec 2020 #103

I grew up in small house... Happy Hoosier Dec 2020 #105

When the researchers defined "smaller," they didn't Hortensis Dec 2020 #106

It also depends on personal space needs. Happy Hoosier Dec 2020 #107

:) Absolutely. Sounds like a well-used home. Hortensis Dec 2020 #108

We live in an 1890 Victorian Bettie Dec 2020 #62

It's fun to read the responses in this thread to see how many DUers "need their space" Ron Green Dec 2020 #73

We hold onto our house and oil is anything but cheap here DFW Dec 2020 #79

Thanks for that contrast with what we've done in the United States. Ron Green Dec 2020 #80

Our town flourished due to the consumer economy, too DFW Dec 2020 #87

$5 a gallon deterred almost nobody in the States a few years ago. Ron Green Dec 2020 #99

Has remote working and the many other revolutionary changes Hortensis Dec 2020 #104

When the suburban development experiment began to flourish, Ron Green Dec 2020 #112

Well, that doesn't really fit my observations. Hortensis Dec 2020 #114

Yeah nah Thyla Dec 2020 #78

I gave up single family house living in 2017 mnhtnbb Dec 2020 #81

What a fucked up country the US has turned into ansible Dec 2020 #85

Do you realize that the oldest people around when you Hortensis Dec 2020 #109

Should you buy or rent. It depends where you live. marie999 Dec 2020 #88

I was raised in Piney Green. Tommymac Dec 2020 #110

Our house was built just before WW2 started... CTyankee Dec 2020 #89

If it still had a fuse box an electrical upgrade was probably way overdue. Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Dec 2020 #91

Yes. That family was probably living very simply. It was unimaginable to me. CTyankee Dec 2020 #93

The article is about living more as extended family treestar Dec 2020 #94

We should pay people to experiment with lifestyles having very small environmental footprints. hunter Dec 2020 #95

I like living in the suburbs in my own home 🏠 Raine Dec 2020 #113

Suburbia is like an amoeba devouring 'the commons" pfitz59 Dec 2020 #115

I agree with the premise Rstrstx Dec 2020 #116