Best Location in an apartment Block

Hi,

i was recently looking at the plans for an apartment block. There was just so many apartments and levels to choose from, that i was confused as to how to choose a level & area within that level. I just wondered what is the best location in an apartment block to purchase & what influences this decision.

Do you go for ground floor, less distance to travel but may be subject to more noise & higher chance of break in. A top floor apartment, less chance of break-in but further to travel especially if no lift or lift breaks down.
Other factors:
- faces the afternoon sun
- nice view from balcony

I'm just interested in peoples views on how they select the best apartmet location in a block & the factors that influenced this choice.

i would personally think top floor is better, the noise is unbearable if any in most apt. yes teh drawbacks is u have to walk further and pricewise also goes up along with the height

All of those factors that you mentioned are normally reflected in the price. The dearest ones tend to be the best!

I know of someone who bought a groundfloor apartment that was dearer than the first floor equivalent because of the 'garden' that it comes with. In general south facing with a balcony tend to more expensive.

Key specs for me when viewing an apartment are;
1. Sq Mtr...as big as possible, not less than 60 sq mtr. I think this will become more and more important.
2. 2nd floor and higher...Better resale / rent prospects as is safer for girls.
3. Own Car park space ...a must
4. living space one side / bedrooms the other. (2)
5. lots of day light in living area
6. low number of apartments to lift ratio;gives an "own" door feel

My Quirk would be fire hassards etc. Ground floor with open out windows etc would attract me more. also the benefit of a side entrance and Garden would be far superior in my books anyway....

*star*

Nice point on number 6 Martin, i would never have thought of that one. Then again ive never lived in an apartment myself. Personally, if i could get a 2 bed for the right price then id take it, otherwise a 1 bed would suffice.

Higher u go the more expensive it gets!. I think security and noise are issue with groundfloor apartments, and the resale can be less for groundfloor if you sell on. I have lived on ground floor and top floor and prefer topfloor.

We live on the top floor and it comes with attic space, very useful when you live in a shoe box. Also we are at the end of the block so like end of terrace we only have neighbours on one side (and below us). I wouldn't consider the lift breaking down to be an issue as any decent management company should repair them super quick. Ours is not the nicest area so the ground floor sell for considerably less. Top floor has better views too. Don't know how many people consider aspect when they are viewing, though it makes a huge difference when you are living in the place.

Hi
I completely agree with Martinslan point about living spaces bordering sleeping areas. Party walls in modern apartments are of increasingly poor quality due to short cuts taken in construction. Some so called "sound proofing products" used extensively in apartments during the last 5 years have caused problems and have only very recently been taken off the market.


So when buying an apartment, avoid an apartment that has a party wall which could disturb you. Or choose an apartment that borders the common area in the apartment block or storage areas.

Rexo

The higher up you are, the more heat you get rising from the appartments below you, so the lower your own heating bills.

ground floor two bed flats are popular here in london as you can then have an ample supply of tenants who are either disabled, elderly, pushchair parents on benefits etc and a lot of the elderly who are downsizing to free up funds to support their pensions like to buy 2 bed maisonettes with a garden or a 2 bed ground floor. if you have decent windows and doors with good locks then no probs. also people like the grilles on insides of windows sometimes depending on location of the window.
personally if i was buying the flat for myself to live in, I would buy the top floor assuming the block was no higher than 3-4 levels high and i think if i was going to live in a flat with young children then i would buy a ground floor. i couldn't take the hassle of other people complaining about kids jumping about etc.

Fist floor just above a well heated shop / restaurant below is the warmest. + greatly reduces heating bills.

Top floor. Less vulnerable to leaking pipes. Further away from playing kids at ground level.

I'd never buy a ground floor apartment as I like to be high up with good views.

Almost all over the world (well, northern hemisphere, opposite for southern), the best location is the top floor with west or south orientation for light (as long as it isn't an attic with sloping roof).

I have seen exceptions in Spain, where foreigners want south and west facing, but Spaniards want North facing to avoid the sun. I have seen exceptions on top floor issue in Romania and some Russian cities, because of unreliable lifts. Bought a super top floor apartment in Romania once at about two thirds the price that was being sought for one exactly the same on the ground floor.

My top 10 factors:

1. Bedroom not against nextdoors living space.NB !
2. Bedroom at a gable end ( no neighbours full stop is ideal )
3. Top floor and corner is far and away best for sound.
4. End of corridor ( follows with above ) for less wear an tear and disturbance on your hall.
5. Top floor also is likely to have people use lift most of time, therfore the lower floors landings wear more and quicker.
6. The top floor being further as a disadvantage is not one. further from disturbance the better. The lift does the vertical work for you and then regardless of floor you are the same distance form the lift to any given unit.
7. Smaller blocks are better.
8. As above samller developments are better.
9. Avoid overlooking car park or main road, GF a nightmare in this situation.
10.If you eventually require to rent it and there are say 5 others to rent your TF one will go 1st and may get some extra cash.

All in all TF and with above factors is worth evrery reasonable extra penny from other floors IMO.
I live in a block where many have a problem with various issues but as we ( to my GFs credit ) got a TF for a couple of extra quid our life and privacy are not affected in a way that I know some of my less fortunate neighbours are.

I prefer ground floor ever since I watched Towering Inferno years ago! Also another poster on AAM had a fire in her apartment block which put me off top floor even further. If you do buy on top floor, make sure it IS the top floor and that builder has no future plans to keep going up.

There are usually some larger apartments at the gable end as OP states. so you only have neighbours on one side. These cost slightly more. I know a few people living in apartments now and they haven't any complaint about hearing next door neighbours, so I thought insulation had really improved over the years. West facing living room will get sun up to 9 in the evening in summer. Make sure lots of space between blocks as it doesn't matter what direction you face if your building is overshadowed. Also do not buy close to lifts.

liteweight said:

Also do not buy close to lifts.

Click to expand...

I have to disagree with this point - we are right beside the lift and we can't hear it operating at all - also it's very handy when you are bringing shopping home, returning from hols with 20 cases etc etc!

As previously mentioned an apt with neighbours on only one side if at all possible!!! Light is a huge factor and a separate kitchen is a huge bonus. As a lot of apts have kitchens cum living space, if possible a kitchen window at least. Agree with the top floor security feel. Just on the flip side re top floor apts. I lived in one for about three years in the city centre and the no. of break ins was as high as the lower floors because the top floor was quieter and thieves (according to the gardai at the time) used the fire exit stairs as access into the block. That said they could do that for any floor.

A lot of things to factor in. There is some great info there especially since i've never personally stayed in an apartment myself but a lot of it makes sense. I think personally now id prefer:
- top floor apartment at end of apartment block
- if bedroom is next to neighbours, then not against their living space
- a small apartment block
- the balcony/living space faces the midday sun.
- own parking space
- at least 2 bedrooms.

Now trying to get it & at a nice price is the problem

Thanks for all the replies.

En suite very important if you intend to rent apt