Finding an apartment
Should I rent a house or an apartment?
Updated By the Housing Rocket moderators
Short answer
Rent a house if you want more space, a yard, fewer shared walls or room for pets and roommates, and you can handle more responsibility. Rent an apartment if you want lower total costs, less upkeep and on-site help. Houses often come with higher utilities and tenant duties like lawn care that apartments do not.
A rented house can be good value per square foot, especially when several roommates split it. It usually means quieter neighbors, a driveway or garage, and more storage. But the lease may make you responsible for things an apartment building handles:
- Mowing, leaves, snow removal and gutter clearing.
- Replacing air filters, smoke detector batteries and light bulbs.
- Utilities for a larger space, sometimes including water, sewer and trash, which apartments often bundle.
- Reporting and waiting on repairs from an owner who may not live nearby.
Apartments cost less to run and are easier to lock and leave for travel. You also get shared security features and, in larger buildings, staff for maintenance. The trade-off is less space, noise through shared walls and more rules.
Before signing for a house, ask for average utility bills by season, read exactly which maintenance tasks the lease assigns to you, and find out whether the owner or a property manager handles repairs. If you plan to split a house with others, make sure everyone is on the lease or has a written agreement.
Want the whole picture? Read How to Find an Apartment in Facebook Housing Groups.