Though some people are quite definite about what they prefer when it comes to choosing between a villa or a flat, not everyone is quite so categorical in their choice. Whether it’s going to be a holiday let or your residence for decades to come, it’s always a good idea to think about the different advantages each type of property offers so you can make a fully informed choice.

The advantages of a flat

Contrary to what you might think, flats have many advantages to offer. The first thing to mention is inevitably the cost of maintaining the property. Though there are obviously sometimes service charges and other kinds of costs to pay when living in a shared building, on average, and over the long term, these tend to be lower than the costs involved in house ownership. Renovating the roof, changing the boiler, insulating the walls and loft — the bills can quickly mount up with a house, an issue you don’t encounter to the same extent with a flat.

To live in a flat means to also opt for a lifestyle that allows you to enjoy the advantages of urban living. Because flats tend to be located in or close to city or town centres complete with private and public transport facilities, this makes it easy to go shopping or out to restaurants, cinemas, bars, etc. There’s no need to plan your journey and think about where to park with a flat as everything’s already close at hand.

The advantages of a villa

Living in a villa or other kind of house is all about a state of mind. Firstly, there’s the search for peace and tranquillity with respect to the neighbourhood. This is a given when you have the option of a property set in its own large grounds. Even on a housing estate in which the plots are smaller, you can still end up in a quiet, peaceful environment. It all depends on your neighbourhood: on the location of your residence or estate.

In the vast majority of cases, you can take it for granted that a house or villa will be quieter and more peaceful than a flat. No matter how high quality the latter, there’ll always be neighbours below and above (and in many cases at the sides too). The desire for the kind of isolation a house or villa provides is therefore an absolutely key consideration.

A villa is also a complete lifestyle choice, When you live in a house, you of course live in its interior, but the exterior parts such as the patio, the garden and the swimming pool are also just as much part of the house as the rooms inside. This, of course, is not the case with a flat, as flats don’t allow any outdoor living of this kind.

Above and beyond the house itself, a villa also offers a certain non-negligible advantage, namely the garage. Whether it’s simply in the grounds, on your drive or in an actual garage, you’ll have no problem parking your vehicle, which isn’t necessarily the case when you live in the kind of flat where garages are an extra you have to buy separately and aren’t always located immediately next to where you live. Having the car available right next to the house is therefore a definite advantage, especially if you need to use it a lot to get to work each day, for example.

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Villa or flat: a weighty conundrum

There are some people who want a flat, whilst others wouldn’t be seen dead in anything but a house. In truth, there’s no deciding who’s right or getting them to change their opinions, as there’s no such thing as a good or a bad reason. Instead, it’s important to understand that these two types of residences offer two different kinds of home living.

If you still haven’t made your mind up, a very good way of finding the answer that best matches your needs and requirements is to ask yourself all the different questions and consider all the arguments.

Do you need to be close to a town or city centre? Do you like spending time outdoors when the weather allows? Would you prefer to invest in carrying out work on a property that belongs to you yourself, or would you prefer to invest less, but on improving the communal parts of a building? Are you looking for the peace and quiet of a house in the countryside or on the outskirts of a town or city, or are you instead seeking the antique charm of a 19th century building located in your chosen town or city centre?

You need to weigh all the options and take the time to find valid answers to each question. This is the only way to ensure you make the right choice. And once you’ve made your decision, please feel free to contact Haussman Real Estate, who’ll be able to help, advise and support you in your search.