Closer or further away from the city?

2. 3. 2018

Before buying or renting a flat we should have a clear idea of for how long we need it. A flat is also a product, although of a different type and more expensive than a car or furniture. It can’t be replaced or modified so easily, which is why we need to think about for how long we need it and when we might sell it or let it out.

Of course, an essential part of it is money – and not only our savings but also the monthly mortgage repayments. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to buy a three-bedroom flat if there are just two of us and if we only expect our adult children or our mother-in-law to visit us. On the other hand, the fact that we only have one child should not make us opt for a double bedsit, which might become a stressful reason for divorce a few years later. It is generally recommended that a young couple should have the opportunity to rent a flat and then move as their needs change because buying a flat and repaying mortgage means settling down in a certain place.

Although we are not Americans, who are said to move five times in their lives on average, we should get used to the fact that we might have to move because of our jobs. Also, in different periods of life we prefer different kinds of housing: a young childless couple (not to mention singles) will be happy with a small reconstructed flat in the city centre, where entertainment and job opportunities are not far away, while a family with three children will appreciate quiet housing in a place with lots of greenery, near the school, and will be happy to pay for the peace and quiet by commuting to work. If we work from home a lot and very often, which will be an increasing trend in the future, we don’t care as much about the travelling distance to our workplace as we do about the quality of our environment and the nearness of services.

In any case, you should tell about such defined requirements to experts, i.e. architects, only after you have got a clear idea of what you really want. Let them advise you. You might not even think of what could be done with your flat. Don’t forget your hobbies, growing children and the increasing number of skates, bicycles, snowboards, etc. And don’t be afraid of changes.