6 PERKS OF APARTMENT LIVING ON THE SOUTHERN GOLD COAST
Whether you are preparing yourself for retirement, or you are just a small family, living in an apartment has some perks you may never have considered.
Whichever your reason to downsize, I am sure this will get you thinking more about apartment living and whether this is the right change for you.
Low commitment
A popular notion among many of our clients is that people still want to be able to travel and not worry about the security, costs, and upkeep of their home.
Many beachfront buildings will have an onsite manager/holiday letting service, why not rent out your apartment for a few months of the year to help pay the mortgage and strata fees whilst you’re on vacation?
Whilst Coolangatta is super close to the Gold Coast Airport, this is a growing trend among many retirees in our experience of selling beachfront apartments on the Gold Coast. Even Sydney siders are among this trend, purchasing low commitment holiday units where they can simply come and go as they please.
Unfortunately, life can take unexpected turns and sadly a lot of our clients have had no choice but to move to an apartment from a house when their other half suddenly falls ill, simply because it is a lot less work and upkeep.
Budget Friendly
Smaller areas to heat/cool will mean you will save money on your electricity bills. These utilities are sometimes purchased in bulk for the bigger apartment buildings which means the cost will be split between owners.
Whilst I realize a lot of people find it daunting to even consider not having a backyard area, one of the greatest things about the Southern Gold Coast is there are plenty of apartment buildings that offer ground floor unit living with an outdoor patio area – so you can have the best of both worlds! Contract me to find out which Gold Coast Suburbs offer this style of apartment…they are even close to the beach!
Apartment living is much more budget friendly in terms of repayments and other outgoings. Yes you will have strata to pay, but this is in your best interest and is going toward the preservation and maintenance of your property, which brings me into my next favourite perk of unit living!
More time to enjoy doing what you love with less upkeep!
Since my Dad (Principal of Coastal Space) has downsized to an apartment after many years of farming and keeping up with the gardening maintenance of the home, he has never looked back and loves having such a free lifestyle. Even driving anywhere is a rare occasion for him now since his apartment building is positioned super close to everything he needs in Coolangatta.
In apartment blocks there will be a maintenance person who will take care of all communal gardens and areas, again – a bonus for that work/life balance we are all trying to work on.
If you aren’t too sure about the ins and outs of strata titles – this will form part of my next blog so stay tuned
Increased security
Most apartment buildings will have a security system in place with intercoms, individual security cards/fobs for each resident, making it difficult for thieves to get access to your home. These are quite expensive to replace so I would recommend having a spare one handy.
Larger apartment buildings will also have secure underground car parking, and secure storage areas which are only accessible with a security pass of some form.
Lastly, living within close proximity to others means it is also trickier for thieves to go unnoticed. Apartment buildings do have quite a homely and community feel with owners often helping each other out and socializing.
Facilities
A lot of apartment buildings will offer pools, gyms, entertainment areas, BBQ areas, and even a mini theatrette, sauna, spa, or wine cellar in the luxury high-rises!
Having an onsite BBQ area means you also won’t need to spend money on expensive BBQ equipment, and you can entertain family friends without using up unnecessary room on the balcony or eating out.
Pet Friendly
Did you know that most Body Corporate accept ONE (1) small pet under 10kg subject to body corporate approval? From my involvements with property contracts, after you have entered into a contract on a unit, you may apply to the body corporate and supply a vet letter, photo and details of the pet for their consideration - however be sure to speak to your lawyer and include any clauses in the contract to protect you, shall your pet not be approved to reside in the building.
**All of the above incentives of apartment living mentioned have all been formed from my own experience of working with clients in the property industry.