Buying a home is a very responsible and important step for every person. That is why it will require preliminary theoretical training on many issues, ranging from legal to technical. Let's consider the most basic of them, which will allow you to finally decide what is better to buy - a house or an apartment.

It is worth noting that until relatively recently, life in the city was characterized by a higher level of comfort than in private ownership. However, today a lot has changed. The construction market offers autonomous engineering equipment and new materials, telecommunication technologies are improving, motorization of the population is increasing, and in general the well-being of people is improving. Thanks to this, the answer to the question of what is better to buy - a house or an apartment - is becoming increasingly difficult. Indeed, today the comfort of private housing is often higher than that of a multi-storey building. At the same time, in addition to their home, the owners receive an environmentally friendly environment in the form of their own plot and independence from public utilities.

So which is better - an apartment or a private house? Let's try to figure it out.

City real estate

When considering the question of where it is better to live - in a house or an apartment, there cannot be any rigid assessments. Each of these options has its own characteristics. Whether they are advantages or disadvantages - all this will depend on the priorities and composition of the family, its capabilities and requirements, specific conditions, as well as on the psychological attitude that the future owners have.

Anyone looking for housing in the city may be offered a choice of three options. Among them:

• secondary housing;
• apartment in one of the new buildings;
• city ​​cottage.

And here the following question will immediately arise for buyers: house or apartment - which is better? Each of the options discussed above has its own advantages. For example, a new building is attractive with its modern layout and freshness of housing. At the same time, it is most often considered as an option for a mortgage, starting to pay the necessary amounts gradually, already at the construction stage. As for secondary housing, it is attractive due to its price, as well as the opportunity to immediately celebrate a housewarming.

New neighborhoods and private developments

Often, buyers cannot decide which is better - an apartment or a house in the city. If the question concerns housing in high-rise buildings, then those who chose it do not need to take care of the site and maintain the building. At the same time, apartment buildings, as a rule, are located much more conveniently in terms of infrastructure and transport.

Nevertheless, finally decide which is better - an apartment or a private house , it’s still very difficult in the city. After all, living in a cottage is still more pleasant and calmer. And this is not only because its owners are the only owners of the building. With a successful selection of the location of the cottage in the city, all the benefits of civilization become available. At the same time, there are no various problems associated with car parking, access to the house, poor sound insulation and neighbors. Moreover, even part of the house can be purchased as property. And it will give its owners a feeling of solidity and calm. This can never be said about apartments, especially those located in panel buildings. It is simply impossible to feel alone with yourself in them. The noise comes from everywhere - from behind the wall, from the street, etc.

Anyone who wants to quickly decide on the question of what is better - to build a house or buy an apartment, needs to consider the existing disadvantages of housing in high-rise buildings. Thus, new houses will continue to shrink for another 10-15 years. Such a process can lead to some problems. Sometimes the walls become distorted and cracks appear on them. Sometimes, because of this, the commissioning of a new building is delayed for 3-4 years. All this time, the builders are bringing communications to the required state and drawing up documents.

Secondary housing and private developments

Sometimes people prefer to buy apartments in old buildings located in the city center. Of course, this secondary housing will not have the problems that are typical for new buildings. However, in this case, even despite the readiness of the building, such apartments, especially inexpensive ones, will most likely require major repairs. In this case, there is a need to replace batteries and pipes, plumbing and wiring. Many owners, in order to decorate the interior according to their preferences, decide to remodel the premises. As a result, the contribution to such repairs sometimes amounts to a third or even half of the cost of the apartment. In addition, moving into an old house will quite possibly give you an environment that is very far from the idea of ​​ideal neighbors.

A private house also has certain disadvantages. New owners will inevitably have to face some specific problems, the solution of which will fall entirely on their shoulders. This applies to keeping the roof and basement, fence and yard, water heater and bathroom in order, as well as the heating system. It is also worth noting that utility bills charged to the owners of private cottages are several times higher. If we consider the monthly payment, then the question of what is better to buy - a house or an apartment - is decided in favor of housing in a high-rise building.

Thus, pitfalls are everywhere. That is why, before buying a home, it is necessary to choose an option whose shortcomings can be tolerated by future owners or they can correct them.

Selecting a location

Can country houses be better than apartments? And in this case, an alternative choice also arises, which has certain reasons. For example, a young couple may strive to move to the city from the village in order to live as close as possible to their places of study and work. On the other hand, a family that is crammed into a small apartment in a metropolis dreams of their own home, where they will be spacious and comfortable. Sometimes middle-aged people change the city for the suburbs. At this age, many people have increased financial capabilities, and there is a desire to build a good house, leaving an apartment for their children. Someone already has a plot of land and decides to build housing on it. Very often, retirees move out of town. In this way, they strive to maintain health and occupy their time with pleasant chores in their own area. The opposite situation, when pensioners living in the countryside want to move to a city apartment, can be observed extremely rarely. Most likely, people who are accustomed to a large space, which includes a house and a plot, find it difficult to imagine themselves in urban housing with a limited area. But those who live in a metropolis and at the same time have a dacha are, as a rule, satisfied with a small but comfortable apartment.

Positive aspects of suburban housing

Anyone who has lived his entire life within a metropolis is unlikely to fully imagine the specifics of life in a private home. Especially if such housing is not very close to the city. What is better - a house or an apartment? Reviews from those who have acquired a suburban home clearly indicate the different possibilities of these two options. That is why, when making a choice, it is necessary to proceed from the availability of available benefits and decide for yourself which of them are obligatory for the family, and which ones can be sacrificed. Among the issues under consideration, it is necessary to address the most significant of them, which relate to:

1. Sufficient area for living. After all, many people really want each family member to have a separate room. The ideal option is to have your own plot, which serves as a wonderful area for relaxation, playing with children, etc.
2. Availability of an environmentally friendly environment. So, far from the metropolis, the air is fresh, the silence is pleasing, the proximity of a pond, forest, etc.
3. Availability of all the benefits of civilization (pharmacies and shops, sports and entertainment facilities, clinics and kindergartens, children's clubs, schools, etc.).
4. Conditions for social life (opportunities to relax in accordance with one’s own interests, communicate with relatives and friends).
5. Convenient communication with organizations and enterprises. This, if necessary, will allow you to get a choice of work if you want to change your old place.
6. Security. It consists of protecting housing in the absence of owners. Living in a house and apartment should also be calm. The site also requires some protection.

In addition to those listed above, each family, as a rule, has its own additional wishes for living conditions. They depend on the profession of the owners and their age, as well as on the habits of the people.

Where is the best place to live? An apartment or a private house is most often chosen when considering the cost of time and money for transport and maintenance of the home.

Modern tendencies

If we consider the life of cities in developed countries, we can note that their growth today is insignificant. As for capitals and megacities, the number of residents in them is even decreasing. People are trying to escape the environmental and transport problems that exist in large industrial and economic centers, settling in the suburbs based on their own requirements and understanding of comfort. Thanks to this, the lifestyle of megacities is becoming increasingly widespread in villages. In many countries, people living outside the city do not engage in agricultural labor at all, which is traditional for these territories. They consume services and work, as a rule, within the city.

However, according to statistics, the world has seen an increase in urbanization. However, it comes at the expense of developing poor countries. It is in these states that the number of urban populations and the area of ​​megacities is growing very quickly. People move here in an effort to leave their poor villages and find work that would improve their living conditions.

Benefits with conditions

Why is a house better than an apartment? Yes, because country life has its own attractive features.

First of all, the house has sufficient internal space. Each family member in a private home can be assigned their own room. In addition to comfortable accommodation, the owners can arrange in their home an office and a dining room, a winter garden, etc. Where is it better to live - in a house or in an apartment, for those who have many children or several generations living together? Of course, only the first of these two options can provide the highest level of comfortable living. In a standard city apartment, normal conditions are achievable only for families consisting of 3-4 people. And even then, in this case, it is necessary that the housing have 4 or 5 comfortable and spacious rooms. However, when discussing which is better - your own private house or apartment, it is worth noting that large areas of the home will require significant costs for its maintenance.

Another advantage of country life is the opportunity for cottage owners to spend a lot of time outdoors. Having your own plot, it is not at all necessary to go to nature on weekends and on vacation, or send your children to the village during the holidays. However, the environmental advantage of a private house arises only when the building is located not in a dusty village near the railway, but in a clean area.

For those who have not yet finally decided which is better - a house or an apartment, the advantages of country housing should be considered in the possibility of using your own plot for a hobby or for farming, as well as as a place where you can park your car without worrying about parking and without paying anything for parking.

What else is good about a private house? It provides the opportunity to swim in the pool, invite large companies and arrange a barbecue for them. This is simply impossible to do in an apartment. However, you should not rush to sudden conclusions about where it is better, in an apartment or in a house. Your area needs some maintenance. Moreover, the more comfortable and extensive it is, the more time will need to be allocated for its maintenance. In this case, only the person who really loves to do this can receive pleasure.

One of the important advantages of a private house is the absence of neighbors behind the wall. This guarantees peace and quiet at night. High-rise apartments, as a rule, have poor sound insulation. Because of this, they can hear a lot of what is happening in the neighborhood. In addition, the city lives its own 24-hour life, giving its residents constant noise. In the form of a certain sound background, it is present in megacities even at night. In this regard, the acoustic comfort of a house is much higher than that of an apartment. However, those who have decided to purchase suburban housing are advised to first make sure that the people living behind the fence of the neighboring property are quite decent and will not periodically start rows, causing problems for others.

If the owners like to receive guests, what is better to choose, a private house or an apartment? You can host receptions of any size in your own cottage. After all, in such a home there is quite enough space. Friends or relatives will not restrict the freedom of the owners, even if they intend to stay longer. Separate rooms may be allocated for them. On the territory of some country houses, guest houses are built especially for such cases. There are no such opportunities in the apartment. However, even in country houses, guests prefer to come in the summer. In autumn and winter, darkness comes early. With its arrival, life in the villages practically comes to a standstill, which causes an unpleasant feeling of isolation, uncharacteristic of the city.

Another advantage of the cottage is the possibility of increasing it. For example, you can add an additional floor, rooms and a veranda. It is also easy to find a place on the site for some additional buildings (workshop, garage, house for children or parents, etc.). And this point is also important when deciding what is better - a house or an apartment. After all, you can expand your living space in an urban environment only by moving to another house. It is also possible to purchase and join a neighboring apartment.

Safety regulations

When figuring out for yourself which is better - a house or an apartment, you need to remember that the risk of robbery in a cottage located outside the city is higher than in city housing. This issue especially concerns those buildings that are remote from busy places.

The safest in this regard are cottage villages that have a fenced protected area. But it is worth keeping in mind that living in such towns is quite expensive.

In a private home, individual protection methods can also be used. So, owners can get a dog that will become a good guardian of the property. A wonderful remedy against robberies is a video surveillance system, which is connected to the village security console. It will allow you to control the situation in cases where the owners are not at home. Effective is the automatic complex control of the cottage, which at a given time turns on the lights in the absence of people, lowers and raises the shutters, etc.

Purchase Features

After the future owners have finally decided which is better - a house or an apartment, they will need to move on to solving the first practical problem, which can also affect the final choice. Indeed, in this case, a certain difference arises between the two options.

It is much easier to build or buy an apartment than a private house. First of all, when choosing the first option, there are much more offers. And even despite the fact that the quality of construction of modern high-rise buildings generally cannot be called ideal, their construction still complies with existing standards and technologies.

If the apartment is located in a ready-made building, then you can purchase it quite quickly. This process is not complicated even with unfinished construction. Here you just need to wait a while, without delving into numerous problems and the process of connecting engineering equipment. If desired, the apartment can be redeveloped even before moving in. The main thing is to invest in the available budget.

The process of buying a country house is somewhat different. It will require considerable effort and time from future owners. If the cottage has already been erected, then it is not possible to determine the quality of construction work. It is worth noting that technology violations can be found almost everywhere. Obtaining a guaranteed result when building your own home is possible only in a case where the owners delve into the intricacies and are also involved not only in organizing, but also in controlling the construction processes.

Buyers often ask the question: what is better for a mortgage - a house or an apartment? There is no difference in this case. The only thing worth keeping in mind is that when building a house, the collateral will also include the land occupied by the building and necessary for its maintenance.

Alternative options

Having considered all the positive and negative aspects of purchasing apartments and houses, many potential buyers probably began to think about buying their own cottage located within the city. However, not many people can afford such luxury. As a compromise option, the modern real estate market offers developments that combine the advantages of suburban and urban housing, which does not have any associated disadvantages.

The first of these options is multi-storey housing located on the outskirts. Today, many complexes are being built, which, on the one hand, are located within the city, and on the other, close to a forest or other natural environment. Such houses have playgrounds and parking lots. Their territory is a protected area. In such residential complexes you can buy two-level apartments, the layout of which resembles a country house for a large family. When purchasing such housing, there is no need to independently monitor the serviceability of engineering systems and maintain the site. At the same time, high-rise buildings are provided with convenient transport services, as well as social and living infrastructure.

Another alternative option is townhouses. They are residential complexes, which include interconnected 2-3-story individual houses. Each such dwelling has a separate entrance. Sometimes there is a garage on the ground or first floor of such a cottage. Next to each house there is a small private plot of land ranging from 0.5 to 2 acres. All engineering communications of townhouses are integrated into a system that is maintained centrally or partially autonomously. Residents of such houses, which are located, as a rule, on the outskirts of cities, are provided with an ecologically clean environment, sufficient area of ​​premises located on several floors, a garage, a plot that does not require much care, as well as socially close neighbors.

What is better to buy a house or an apartment - find out the pros and cons, finally weigh all the PROS and CONS!

What is better to buy a house or an apartment: let’s decide

The concept of “better” is quite elusive, or rather very vague and sometimes not at all unambiguous for different people.

Nevertheless, I will try to highlight the pros and cons of the house and apartment. But first, let's draw a picture of an ideal home. Most likely, if it differs little from an apartment in terms of infrastructure development and quality finishing.

Let it be a brick house (one or two storeys) and close to the city center, ideally with central heating.

Even if your own home does not match the picture I drew, it doesn’t matter! There are pluses in the house and here they are! Neighbors don’t drill or hammer into your wall, and you don’t have to carry shopping bags with groceries to the fifth floor (I mean five-story buildings without an elevator).

The feeling of constantly being in a concrete birdhouse disappears already in the second week of living in your own home.

It is very nice to have a small plot of land along with your house for an orchard and a small vegetable garden. In Soviet times, for example, they allocated 6 acres - this would be quite enough now.

The advantages of buying your own house with a garden plot will be felt by families with small children, who can be fed with vegetables and fruits from their garden, and there is also a place to play on sand that is not soiled by yard dogs.

If the plot is larger, you can even prepare jams and pickles for future use, which is also very nice. The territory of the house is not limited to the rooms and the corridor in the entrance - children, if there are any, can run anywhere and however they want and quite safely (unless, of course, you forgot a few rakes in the yard..)

Finally, you will get rid of conversations about the janitor not cleaning the yard, the HOA constantly raising fees... No general house needs: maintenance, routine repairs, major repairs.

And you can install a pool right in your yard! Of course, there are some shots who do this in an apartment, but everyone decides for themselves whether to risk it or not.

Minor inconveniences of your own home

When buying a house far from the city, you will have to have at least two cars in case one of them breaks down. It should be taken into account that you most likely will not have a janitor, which means clearing snow, cleaning the territory and weeding is all yours.

Don’t rule out small chores, for which you will at least need to acquire a small set of tools. There are also financial expenses: fixing the fence, sidewalk, etc.

If you have a harsh winter, your water supply may freeze - a minor nuisance. It is much more important to have a trouble-free sewer system.

Ideally, take it to the central one; if this is not possible, then you will have to buy a shambo and regularly order a cleaning service.

Or is an apartment better?

At the same time, living in an apartment has its advantages. For example, the location of apartments often gravitates towards the borders of large settlements, although if the city expands its borders, then an apartment building may stand on a vacant lot and without developed infrastructure.

Okay, let's not touch the new buildings, but let's draw a picture of the apartment as follows: located in one of the good areas of the city with developed infrastructure, on the middle floor in a brick building, not on the corner... Well, there are already more requirements than for a house..

Apartments often have no problems with running water, central heating and the Internet. Repairs can be done once every 5 years - re-paint the wallpaper, tint, whiten, change household appliances.

Having an apartment in the city, you will be freed from digging in the ground, because the only piece of land will be in front of the house and it is not a fact that it will not be rolled under asphalt and a parking lot will not be arranged.

If by some miracle this does not happen, then local dog breeders will constantly fertilize the fertile soil.

You certainly feel safer in the apartment - it is located high (if it is not the first or second floors) from the ground and therefore you can hardly expect a random guest coming through the window, living on the 8th floor...

Central heating in the apartment is provided by a thermal power plant, which cannot be said about your own home. Your only problem may be running batteries, but you don’t need to prepare solid fuel and periodically add it to the potbelly stove so as not to die from the cold on a winter evening..

And if you are planning to install a gas boiler, then be prepared for the fact that first you need to properly install it and get it working, and then make sure that it performs its functions properly.

Otherwise, when carbon monoxide appears or the pressure weakens, the shutdown will go out.

Minor disadvantages of apartments

But the question of whether it is better to buy a house or an apartment would not be completely resolved if we did not consider the disadvantages of apartments. They flow smoothly from the positives.

You can wait 40 minutes for a mechanic who has not yet remembered his name, while hot water is gushing out of your radiator.

Yes, this happened to my friend: I just installed new batteries and one of them just fell off.

During the 40 minutes that the water gushed, the wallpaper flew off not only in his apartment, but also three floors below. But the mechanic was in no hurry...

Or not so long ago there was a domestic gas explosion in one of the apartments where marginalized people lived. I also don’t really want not only such a neighborhood, but also surprises in the form of a fire show by the Ramshtein group..

Example from life:

Here is a very recent example from my practice of communicating with neighbors. There was a need to call a carpenter to work for several hours on a weekday from 18:00, because... Previously, for objective reasons, I could not free myself.

The guy started drilling, sawing and other wisdom that spewed out decibels... The neighbors were not long in coming. After 40 minutes, the doorbell rang and the neighbor, with “white” eyes, asked until what time we would make noise.

The employee replied that until 22:00, I repeated to her. She was indignant and asked to finish earlier, but I can’t rush the specialist, otherwise the quality will suffer. In general, I promised not to delay it. An hour later her husband came. He smiled.. (he probably did something nasty before that, I thought)

He gave an example of how they do it - all repair work is completed before 18:00. May everyone be happy to live in such a way as to do so! In general, he also went home, because the carpenter had already finished!

I even learned something useful from this incident - I got to know my neighbors and their patience better)) I hope we will be friends!

This is how you have to live with your neighbors if you decide that buying an apartment is better than buying a house. And this is just one small example, one evening..

This can go on ad infinitum and not be decided objectively, because everyone decides for themselves whether it is better to buy a house or an apartment.

If you have your own opinion on the question of what is better to buy, an apartment or a house, write below!

Opinions and personal experiences of entrepreneurs.

A couple of years after the wedding, the question arose: a house or an apartment. And in the fall of 2017, it will be exactly seven years since we started living 15 km from the Moscow Ring Road. We have a townhouse with an area of ​​about 300 square meters, six acres of land with a garden and sociable neighbors with small children.

The advantages of owning your own home: fresh air (and breakfast on the veranda), the ability to quickly switch (from working at the computer to your own flower garden), your own yard in which children play, the absence of solid fences. And if you choose a house in a good area, there will also be convenient infrastructure (kindergartens, school, sections, sports club).

The road to the Moscow Ring Road usually takes about 15 minutes. Then there are the usual Moscow traffic jams. I plan my week like this: I’m at home for several days (working on the computer, on the phone). A couple of days - in Moscow (I schedule several meetings in a row in the city).

Shopping days follow a planned route, and I do a wardrobe analysis at the client’s home. Taking into account the developed habits and free schedule, there are no particular problems with movement.

Disadvantages of owning your own home: dependence on a stable, above-average income. Utility bills and general costs of maintaining a house are higher than for an apartment. Territory maintenance, site maintenance and other expenses range on average from 15 to 30 thousand per month. Separately, gardener services, snow removal and maintaining the house in good condition.

The costs of social infrastructure are also higher. A good kindergarten costs on average 60 thousand rubles per month, schools - from 120 thousand rubles per month, a sports club - 100 thousand rubles per year, a sports section for a child - about 30 thousand rubles per month. Children in local schools usually talk about “cool cars” and the latest phone models.

The main disadvantage of living in your own home is the time spent traveling to Moscow. Any unplanned meetings during busy hours can result in stuck in traffic jams.​

Diana Laretskaya

Founder of DL Image School, RANEPA expert

While you are young and passionate about your work, it is better to live in a city apartment than in a country house. The main thing is that you can easily get to your home and place of work. I get to the office in half an hour. All the locations I need are approximately equidistant if you drive from the center. This is very convenient, especially when the entire calendar is filled with meetings.

If you live in Moscow, you can do without a personal car by using taxis, car sharing and public transport. In the case of your own home, this possibility is excluded: not having a car is inconvenient and involves large expenses.

My parents live in a house outside the city and are happy with this life. They really value peace of mind, the opportunity to spend more time in nature, and to improve the area around the house. Maybe with age my views will change, but for now I feel like a resident of the capital.

A house is an autonomous living organism, in which something often breaks down: something is wrong with the gas, or with the heating, or the gates begin to open poorly. In winter you need to clear snow, in summer you need to mow the lawn. The main costs are expressed primarily not in money, but in personal time.

Anatoly Emelyanov

CEO of digital agency One Touch

​I live in an apartment in a gated community and I love it. One summer, when we were undergoing renovations, my husband and I rented a house in Aprelevka (Moscow region). We were tired of driving because we spent at least three hours a day on the road.

We had to solve a lot of problems that an apartment resident doesn’t even think about: heating, cleaning the pool, poison for mice, and so on. I realized that I was emotionally not ready for such changes.

Besides, I'm only 37 years old. Most of my time is spent working. My friends and family also like to travel to warmer places. If you spend less than two or three months a year in a house, there is no point in buying it.

It's great to have a summer house. Many Russians rent apartments in Spain for the summer with a barbecue and a swimming pool. It would be nice if Russia also had such houses or apartments.

Inna Alekseeva

General Director of PR Partner Agency

​I live in Rostov-on-Don. Definitely my choice is home. I spent my entire childhood like this. As a student, I lived a lot in rented apartments. I can't stand these “boxes”. You constantly have to get along with your neighbors (this is a real challenge for an introvert). Loud music, fear of being flooded by those above, or of flooding those who live on the floor below.

The only advantage of the apartment is the price and availability both for purchase and maintenance. In Rostov-on-Don, two-room apartments cost from 2-2.5 million rubles, houses of the same area - from 4 million rubles. At the same time, the cost of maintaining housing for the home owner is much higher.

What the management company does for the residents of the apartment - takes out the garbage, cleans the yard, clears snow, repairs the fence, trims trees and much more - the owner of the house takes upon himself. But the comfort is worth it.

Alexey Puzanov

Owner of the literary website “Buklya”

​I live in a private house, as I was not born and raised in an apartment. I want freedom and privacy. The house has a small disadvantage from the point of view of an entrepreneur: you grow on it. Selling a house is more difficult than selling an apartment. And, accordingly, if the business requires moving or in general wants to change the sphere, region, country, there will be more problems.

I wouldn't buy a house, but rent it. But in my region, houses that would suit me in terms of price, location and layout are not available for rent. Having purchased a house and lived in it for some time, I began to understand that dreams of it and reality are two different things.

When I bought a house, I thought that every evening I would sit by the fire and go to the river. But everything turned out differently. A house is a constant job of maintaining order and cleanliness in the building and on the site. You can solve the problem yourself or hire workers. The first option ruins dreams, the second increases maintenance costs.

I bought my house on the secondary market: I chose the area where I was born, not far from my parents. To bring the building to the condition I dream of, according to preliminary calculations, it is necessary to spend the same amount as the house cost when purchased.

Roman Alekhine

Founder of the Ortho-Doctor group of companies

​My husband and I have a family business: wholesale and retail sale of Vologda products in St. Petersburg. When we opened the business, we lived in a St. Petersburg apartment. In 2016, due to business needs, we left for Vologda. First we rented an apartment, and then we bought a small house 15 km from the city where we now live.

Everything in the house is 100% satisfactory: clean air, silence, a bathhouse, 10 acres of land, space for a barbecue and a sports ground. The only infrastructure is a store, but there are good transport links: the city is 20 minutes by car or 40 minutes by bus.

The price of the house corresponds to the cost of a one-room or two-room apartment. Maintenance of 50 square meters for two people costs the same as apartment utility bills.

In a year we plan to return to St. Petersburg (again because of business) and will again live in an apartment. To find a house there, you need to settle at least 15 km from the city - otherwise housing will be too expensive.

The best option for this city: to have an apartment in St. Petersburg and a house in the Leningrad region. Distance is a significant limiter: don’t go to the theater again, don’t visit the doctor, don’t sign up for courses or trainings. And if the car breaks down, getting home is a real problem.

Irina Statsenko

Co-owner of the wholesale and retail chain “Dary Vologda”

For 32 years I managed to live in different districts of Moscow. But then, unexpectedly for relatives and friends, he moved to live in the Moscow region (Chernogolovka). This is a cozy scientific village, which was specially built far from large cities near Moscow. Chernogolovka has everything you need for life. And children here can go to school themselves (Muscovites do not have this luxury).

For the first few years I lived in an apartment. In 2017, he moved into the house. It has more space. There is an opportunity to sunbathe on the lawn or grill meat for dinner.

Our house is located next to the forest. Two hundred meters from it there is a picturesque lake. In order not to spend a lot of time commuting to work, I moved the agency’s office from the center of Moscow to Chernogolovka. This decision was not easy for me, but as a result, I have several free hours a day that I can spend with my family in nature.

In my opinion, there is no point in buying a house. Firstly, it is much more economically profitable to rent it (we pay only 60 thousand rubles per month, including all utility costs). Secondly, it’s easier to move to another place if you don’t like something about it.

Aleksey Ivanov

​I lived for a very long time in different areas of St. Petersburg - including in the center. As a result, I came to a consensus between an apartment in the city and a country house: I bought a two-story house within the city limits. Now there are quite a lot of such offers on the market, especially in the northern part of St. Petersburg.

Owning your own home is convenient. You are your own boss and are in your own territory. You are fully responsible for the condition of your home and should not wait for someone to do something for you. If necessary, you can always add something.

An apartment does not provide such freedom. There are noisy neighbors, high rents, poor communications and other disadvantages. At the same time, the cost of the house will not be more expensive than a four-room apartment. And it will provide much more amenities.

When choosing the area, I wanted it to be green and as convenient as possible in terms of transport: there are practically no trees in the center, and in the summer I go to the office by bicycle.

Our area has very calm neighbors. Even if someone celebrates holidays, you can hardly hear them. The quality of the roads is excellent, since the house is located in the city. There is no question about the inconvenience of moving. No car - you can get there by public transport.

Alexey Bannikov

General Director of the Fotosklad.ru group of companies

​I don’t have my own home, but I’ve already lived in a lot of places. I tried different options: a private house in the city center, apartments in the suburbs and the center, an apartment in a Khrushchev building, in an attic. I came to the conclusion that it is most comfortable to live in a private house.

Now I rent a house with an area of ​​almost 80 square meters. No one is running over your head or under your feet (it was nice in the attic, but the pigeons stomped like elephants), and most importantly, you open the door - and you are already outside. In addition, I have three children. Fresh air and free space are very important for them.

There is another small one near our house. It houses the temporary office of my company. So everything is at hand. Over time, I plan to buy my own home. But first you will need to decide on the country.

Kirill Bragin

Head of web studio GoodSellUs

​I've been wanting my own home for a long time. But for now, I don’t think it’s advisable to move out of town. There are two main reasons: infrastructure and personal meetings.

Of course, I don't have to be in my own stores all the time. But sometimes you need to quickly go to one of them. But doing this while living in the Moscow region is very problematic. In addition, in the next year and a half we plan to open new points. This means that now we need to actively select premises. The office and banks are within an hour's reach from our apartment.

Also nearby are a kindergarten and clubs that children attend. In 2018, the eldest daughter goes to school. We would like the school to be of high quality, and not just any other one. Other serious limiting factors are the availability of clinics and emergency medical care.

Perhaps infrastructure issues could be resolved by purchasing housing in a cool cottage community. But this is completely different money: the cost of cottages, maintenance, annual fees, and taxes. Therefore, for now we remain in the city and are looking for a dacha for weekend trips and summer holidays.

Boris Zak

Owner of the chain of handmade stores "Plyushkin-Ville"

​The times when business was tied to a specific location are over. For the last four years I have been living in Kazan (my husband plays field hockey professionally and has a contract with a local club), and my business partner lives in Moscow. We have an office, but due to the specifics of the PR business, all work is mainly done online: on remote media, via email and instant messengers.

Someday we will return to Moscow. There we have a spacious two-room apartment in a new building in the north-west of the nearest Moscow region. Good location, developed infrastructure, pleasant neighbors.

We don’t have a summer house or land on which to build one. The market price of our apartment is about 10 million rubles. For this money you could buy a nice finished house or at least a section of a townhouse. However, I have neither the desire, nor the energy, nor the time to get involved in my own construction project.

Just a couple of decades ago, life in the city was characterized by a higher level of comfort than in a private home. Everything changed with the spread of autonomous engineering equipment, the improvement of telecommunications technologies, the growth of motorization, the emergence of new building materials and, in general, an increase in the well-being of the population. Today, comfort in a home is often higher than in an apartment and is complemented by an environmentally friendly environment, its own plot, and independence from utilities. It would seem that the advantages of an individual house over an apartment are indisputable, especially since there are no significant differences in cost between them. However, there are still many adherents of the urban lifestyle: the growth of cities does not stop, apartments are in demand.

Disputes about where it is better to live and harsh assessments are inappropriate here. Each of the options has its own characteristics, the assessment of which (both advantages and disadvantages) depends on the composition and priorities of the family, specific conditions, requirements and opportunities, as well as psychological mood.

Aspects of choice

The question of choosing between an apartment and a house arises for various reasons. A young couple from a village may strive to move to the city, closer to their place of work and study. On the other hand, a city family, cramped in a small apartment, sees salvation in a more spacious and free life in their own home. Middle-aged people can change the city to the suburbs due to increased financial opportunities, building a good house and leaving an apartment for their children. Someone has a plot of land and decides whether to sell it or build a house. It is common for retirees to move out of town, trying to maintain their health and occupy themselves with pleasant chores on the site. But the opposite situation, when pensioners from a village move to a city apartment, is extremely rare: probably, having gotten used to a large living space, including a house and a plot, it is difficult to come to terms with the limitations of urban housing. But living in the city and having a dacha, you can be completely satisfied with a small but comfortable apartment.

Many city dwellers have a vague idea of ​​the specifics of life in a private house, especially tens of kilometers from the city. Meanwhile, a house and an apartment provide a family with various opportunities to meet life’s needs. When considering a choice, you have to weigh which benefits are obligatory and which you can sacrifice. The most significant of them:

• in sufficient area for living (it is desirable that each family member have a separate room, and ideally, the availability of land, territory on which children can relax, play, etc.);
• environmentally friendly environment (fresh air, silence, proximity to forests, ponds, etc.);
• accessibility of the benefits of civilization (shops, pharmacies, clinics, entertainment and sports facilities, kindergartens, schools, children's clubs, etc.);
• conditions for social life (the opportunity to relax in accordance with your interests, communicate with friends and relatives);
• convenient connection with workplaces (different, so as to have a choice if necessary to change jobs);
• security (in an apartment, house, on a plot, on the way home, protection of housing in the absence of owners).

In addition, each family, as a rule, has its own additional requirements for living conditions depending on its composition, as well as professions, age, habits, etc. n. of its members. The question of costs (money and time) for housing maintenance and transportation can also make adjustments to your plans.

Trends

In developed countries, urban growth is insignificant; in capitals and other large centers the number of inhabitants is even decreasing. People are fleeing the transport and environmental problems of megacities and settling in the suburbs in accordance with their requirements for the level of comfort. The urban lifestyle is increasingly spreading in rural areas of many countries: living outside the city, people do not engage in traditional rural work, but work and consume services mainly in the city.

The global increase in urbanization is driven by poor, developing countries, where the urban population and the area of ​​cities, especially large ones, are rapidly increasing. People come to the city from poor villages in search of work and better living conditions. They do not always get what they want, they settle on the outskirts, but still do not leave the cities, where there are more opportunities for survival and the level of comfort is often higher.

Benefits with conditions

A number of attractive features of country life are undeniable, giving it an advantage over city life. But achieving these benefits requires certain conditions.

1. The house has sufficient internal space. Each family member is provided with his own room, you can arrange a dining room, an office, a winter garden, etc. If the family has many children and/or it consists of several generations, then in this case high living comfort is possible only in the house. In a city apartment, the same conditions are achievable only for a family of 3-4 people, provided there are 4-5 comfortable rooms. However, it should be taken into account that the larger the house, the more expensive its maintenance will be.
2. The house has the opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors. The site becomes “green for nature on weekends, vacations, sending children to the village, etc. But the environmental advantage of the house is valid only for those cases when the building is located in a clean natural environment, and not in a dusty village next to the railway.
3. The house is located on a plot that can be used for farming and hobbies: keeping a car without paying for parking,
4. throw a barbecue for friends, swim in the pool, plant flowers and grow fruits and vegetables. All these benefits are not available for an apartment. But we must remember that the site requires care - the more extensive it is and the more comfortable it is. You will have to devote a significant part of your free time to maintaining the site, and it can only be a pleasure for those who really love this activity.
5. In the house behind the wall there is no noise from the neighbors, there is peace and quiet at night. In an apartment, due to poor sound insulation, you can often hear everything that happens next door. In addition, the city has a constant background noise that does not always subside even at night. Therefore, in terms of acoustic comfort, the house outperforms the apartment, but it is important to make sure that the owners of the area behind the fence are decent people who do not cause rows and do not cause problems for others.
6. The house can accommodate any number of guests; there is enough space for them both in the premises and on the site. Relatives or friends do not limit the freedom of the owners, even if they stay for a long time, since, as a rule, they live in a separate room or guest house. In an apartment these possibilities are limited. However, guests usually arrive in the summer. In winter and autumn, with the onset of darkness, life in the villages comes to a standstill and an unpleasant feeling of isolation may arise, which is uncharacteristic when living in the city. For those who need society, it is better to live near the center of the village.
7. If necessary, the cottage can be enlarged by adding rooms, a veranda, and an additional floor. In addition, it is easy to find space on the site for additional buildings (for example, a garage, a workshop, another house for parents
8. or children). To expand your living space in a city, you will have to move to another apartment (or buy and join a neighboring one, which is very difficult to implement). The possibility of increasing a private building is an absolute benefit. But it is important to involve qualified specialists in the implementation of such an idea, otherwise the result may not live up to expectations, and the amount of costs will exceed reasonable limits.

Safety regulations

The risk of robbery in a country house is much higher than in an apartment, especially for buildings remote from busy areas. Cottage communities with a fenced protected area are the safest, but living in them is expensive. There are individual methods of protection. You can get a big dog that will be a faithful guardian of your home. A reliable remedy against robberies is the installation of a video surveillance system/connection to the village security console, which will monitor the situation in the absence of the owners of the house. Complex automatic engineering control in a cottage is also effective, which, for example, turns on the lights in an empty house at a programmed time, raises and lowers the shutters, that is, creates the effect of the presence of the owners, scaring off thieves. But the greatest danger arises during a period of prolonged absence of residents. Therefore, when leaving for a long time with the whole family, it is better to invite one of your relatives or friends to temporarily live in the house.

Features of the acquisition

Solving the first practical problem - choosing and purchasing an apartment or house - will show the difference between these options. Buying or building an apartment is much easier than a cottage. Their selection is greater than that of houses; the quality of construction, although not always perfect, complies with standards and is produced in accordance with technology.

You can purchase a ready-made apartment quickly, but if it is just under construction, it is enough to wait until the work is completed without delving into the process and problems associated with engineering support. If necessary, before moving in, you can redesign the apartment to suit your own needs. The costs of its acquisition are easy to determine in advance in order to invest in the planned amount.

In contrast, purchasing a country house involves a considerable investment of time and effort. When purchasing a finished cottage, it is difficult to determine the quality of construction, given that violations of technology are found everywhere. To achieve a guaranteed result when building your own home, you need to delve into the intricacies of the construction business, organize and control specific processes. Construction may drag on for several years, during which you will have to endure stressful situations. In most cases, the initially determined budget for the construction of a private house is exceeded, and additional funds have to be urgently sought.

SUMMARY. The house is more suitable for those who are ready to find out the nuances of construction technologies when purchasing and delve into the construction process. If you don’t have the desire or ability to understand technology and spend time on a construction site, it’s better to live in an apartment.

Service Issues

One of the differences between suburban and urban dwellings is the degree of responsibility of the owner for the safety of his home and its engineering support. City life is carefree compared to country life.

You can live in apartments without thinking about the safety of the structures and engineering systems of a multi-story building, just by paying for utilities and monitoring the condition of the equipment in your apartment. True, the ability to reduce utility bills is limited. In addition, the installation of any equipment - from water meters to energy-efficient boilers - is associated with long legal red tape for registration and within an apartment is not always economically profitable and can be varied over a wide range. You will not have to pay for services not provided, but you must be prepared for unexpected expenses. There is always a danger of emergency situations, dependence on natural disasters (for example, in winter a boiler may fail, during a hurricane the roof may be damaged, during a severe thunderstorm electrical equipment may fail, etc.)

Requires attention:

• to ensure the safety of structures (roofs, facades, foundations, etc.) It is necessary to monitor their condition and take measures (for example, remove snow, eliminate cracks in the walls, repair the roof). Detected defects must be quickly corrected;
• and ensuring the safety and uninterrupted operation of engineering equipment in the house and on the site. Problems with equipment are more common the more complex it is, and usually require a quick solution - by calling emergency services or doing it yourself. It is also necessary to carry out preventive examinations regularly and on time. If the house has systems that require adjustment (for example, dosing the supply of heat to individual rooms), then you need to monitor their operation. If you have a sewage storage tank, you need to monitor its filling level and call the sewer service in time.

SUMMARY. If the owner of an apartment in a force majeure situation only needs to dial the telephone number of the housing office dispatcher, then residents of a private house must be ready to solve any problem either independently or with the involvement of specialists who are not always in accessible proximity and are able to arrive promptly at the first call
in place. There must be a person living in the house who can quickly resolve technical issues if they arise.

Taking care of the site

Compared to an apartment, the care of which is limited to cleaning, a house and a plot require more care. Caring for a cottage takes a lot of time due to the large area of ​​​​the premises used. But the main focus is on the site, and throughout the year: in the summer you need to take care of the plants, in the winter you need to remove the snow. It is desirable that the territory
(or at least its “front” part) was completely cultivated, since weeds grow quickly in beds free of plantings. The complexity of caring for the area depends on:

• level of process automation and use of mechanization means. Any useful improvement leads to additional investment, but significantly increases the level of comfort. For example, if an automatic watering system is installed on the site, the owners will not have to periodically (or daily in hot weather) irrigate the area with a hose, and using a lawn mower will save time on weekly lawn mowing;
• assortment of plants. The use of (especially delicate exotic plants) will require regular fertilization, pruning, and watering. Unpretentious but healthy plants are quite capable of giving the site a presentable appearance;
• tool quality, used to care for plants. Technical work on the site will become more complicated if there is a pond, swimming pool, irrigation system, or summer kitchen. Periodic repairs are also necessary for benches, canopies, paths, etc.

“Field” work in the fresh air is good for health and will bring pleasure to those who love it and have enough free time.

SUMMARY. A site is a living organism that requires constant attention and maintenance, otherwise it will begin to create problems. You can make your life easier by taking a number of measures in advance: in order not to remove snow, install snow melting systems; instead of capricious plants and garden crops, plant unpretentious ones, etc. But if family members are not at all inclined to devote time and effort to maintaining order around the house, it is better to choose an apartment.

Dependence on distances

One of the most important differences between city and suburban life is the location of housing. From a city apartment you can walk to shops, pharmacies, cafes, and there is a large selection of these establishments. Public transport provides easy access to medical facilities, leisure facilities, offices and businesses. This accessibility, built into city planning, saves citizens money and time. In addition, living among people gives a feeling of security that is largely justified.

Country life does not always provide this weight. The attractiveness of living remote from the city depends not only on the quality of the natural environment, but no less on the availability of the benefits of civilization. The following features are important:

• distance to work place. If every day to get to work you need to travel 20 km, and then drive around the city in traffic jams, this will result in time and money costs, regardless of whether you use public transport or your own car;
• availability of public transport for communication with the city, school, work. As a rule, regular bus services are provided in large villages and along highways. The further the house is from a transport intersection and a large village center, the more time and money will have to be spent on any planned or emergency transfer;
• and the presence of a school or preschool institution (and their quality). If a child lives outside the city and studies in the city, then it is not easy to create a comfortable and healthy routine for him when he has to leave home early in the morning and return late in the evening. With several children the task becomes more complicated. Therefore, it is better when there is a school, kindergarten and sports and art sections near your home;
• availability of social infrastructure. It exists in large villages, but is absent on the territory of gardening partnerships and in small villages. Moreover, service outside the city does not always correspond to the usual urban standards - from the range of products in the store to the level of medical services. And if the necessary establishments are beyond walking distance, you will have to use a car for any reason;
• quality of engineering infrastructure. The most important advantage is the presence of a centralized sewerage system and a gas main. Issues of water supply and electrification are easier to resolve.

SUMMARY. Living in a remote area, it is difficult to travel to work every day, provide children with a good education, and sometimes even provide daily needs. Problems become less acute if someone in the family does not work, there are two cars, and the village itself has good connections with the city. For those living in a city apartment, these problems do not exist.

Who will appreciate country life

Living outside the city may be the dream of any family, but not everyone will be able to fully experience the convenience of this option. Those who will appreciate the advantages of a country house include:

1. A young, energetic family with high incomes, allowing women not to work or work remotely and support several children of different ages. It is convenient for them to live in a cottage community with a developed social infrastructure (sports complex, entertainment center, fitness), as well as a good school.
2. A large family of three generations, where grandparents will take care of the children and the plot, allowing the parents
3. work daily. It is important for such a family to live in a village with a good school, as well as shops and a clinic.
4. A family with children of high school age, students who do not require constant supervision from parents. It will be convenient for them to live in a populated area near the city with good transport links, so that everyone can independently get to their place of residence.
5. A family of retirees who are unemployed or work flexible hours, who are committed to working on the site, who want to take their grandchildren for the summer and who have adult children. Elderly people will find it convenient to live in a village at any distance from the city, but with shops, medical care and good bus service.

Compromise options

Perhaps it is best to live in your own house within the city. But such luxury is available to few. But today in the real estate market you can easily find examples of developments that combine the advantages of urban and suburban housing without the accompanying disadvantages.

Low-rise housing on the outskirts. These are residential complexes located on the border of the city and the natural environment, near the forest, with a protected area, parking lots and children's playgrounds. They contain apartments on two levels, similar in layout to a small country house and suitable for large families. Residents do not have to independently take care of the serviceability of engineering systems, the maintenance of the site, and they do not have to worry about children playing in a closed yard. Convenient transport services and social infrastructure are provided.

Townhouses (blocked houses). These are residential complexes consisting of a number of interconnected 2-3-story individual houses. Each block has a separate entrance (sometimes there is a garage on the first or ground floor) and a small plot of land (0.5-2 acres). Engineering communications are combined into a common system and are maintained centrally (or partially autonomous). Typically, townhouses are built on the outskirts of the city or not far from its borders (up to 10 km) - The resident of such a house is provided with an environmentally friendly environment, sufficient space on several floors, a garage, a plot that does not require much care, and socially close neighbors.