If going for option 1, then a friendly builder once todl me that you should own the house and the ground it is built upon. if you go for a house, then it is all yours. If an appartment, you have management charges wevery year, which are beyond your conrtol. At least in a house, you can control the insurance costs, by increasing excess or reducing sums insured, you can put the refuse charges onto the tenant. If an appartment, yo ucannot do any of the above. Havin gsaid that, there are benefits too to the appartment in tha you do not have the hasle of insuring or dealin gwi h refuse.