ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

What are pros and cons to living on either the 1st or 2nd floor??

Dh and i will most likely be relocating sometime in or after Nov. And im looking online at some places just to get an idea.

We now live on the second floor (of my parents house) and i can only come up with cons to living on the second floor i was hoping maybe someone can change my mind and or agree with me that looking for only 1st floor places is a good idea!

my current cons:
- it gets sooo hot up here both winter and summer. Winter because heat rises and we sweat. Summer because the air control is only one zone in my parents house so its freezing with the AC downstairs we need to have window ACs to keep it cool (which is fine with me as long as it cools down)
- I HATE carring grocerys up a flight of stairs and making 10 trips just to get it all. i cant imagine doing that AND adding the baby to that.
-

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

when we rented an apartment, i liked the second floor better bc our balcony was not at ground level, i felt safer.

i do like being on groundlevel better all around bc it is just easier in general.

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

We are on the second floor of a 3 floor building. My biggest complaint is the people on the 3rd floor right above us. My building doesn't require the typical 75% carpeting in the apartments so I always hear them walking around or most times stomping My building has an elevator so that's a plus. I dont' think I could handle dragging stuff up and down the stairs all the time.

Good Luck

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

I have only lived on the top floor in any place I rented and wouldn't have it any other way. I can't stand living with someone on top of me, you can hear them pounding across the floor or if they have a dog running all over the place. Although you can still hear them downstairs it's worse if they are above you!

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

I lived in a co-op for 4 years on the first floor. I would always go for a first floor.

1. A big one, you said it, the groceries and baby up stairs, ugh! We live in a split ranch and just relocated our kitchen from the second floor to ground level for this reason (of many).

2. I was able to have my bike and kayak right on the back terrace and just carry them out easily. Think of baby's toys and ride on cars!

3. Depending on your location, you can use the front and back door as an entrance, depending where you parked that day.

4. People always bring up the fact that a 2nd floor is more secure for robberies/window entry.... In my 4 years in my complex, there were two break ins... on second floor units!!! Both times they pulled a van or box truck up to the terrace and helped themselves! It's more likely for a 2nd floor resident to leave windows and doors unlocked!

5. I've locked myself out a few times and had to climb through a window. Couldn't do that in a 2nd floor and would have to wait for maintenance or a locksmith.

6. Being on the first floor, I was able to plant my own flowers. I guess it depends on your complex on whether you can or not or if you split the garden with your upstairs neighbor. But I liked to do it and the neighbor did not care so I did it.

7. I had a cat and a dog (chihuahua) so I could just tie him to a leash out back and not have to walk him. And the cat came and went as she pleased.

That's what I got so far! So I vote first floor!

ETA: On PP's reply, check with management. My complex was required that all upper units had carpeted stairs and like 80%-90% carpeting on the rest of the floors. I lived in two units and rarely heard anything more than simple living upstairs. Not enough to outway all of the above for me.

Message edited 5/21/2009 5:23:46 PM.

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

Posted by BnBdreamin

I lived in a co-op for 4 years on the first floor. I would always go for a first floor.

1. A big one, you said it, the groceries and baby up stairs, ugh! We live in a split ranch and just relocated our kitchen from the second floor to ground level for this reason (of many).

2. I was able to have my bike and kayak right on the back terrace and just carry them out easily. Think of baby's toys and ride on cars!

3. Depending on your location, you can use the front and back door as an entrance, depending where you parked that day.

4. People always bring up the fact that a 2nd floor is more secure for robberies/window entry.... In my 4 years in my complex, there were two break ins... on second floor units!!! Both times they pulled a van or box truck up to the terrace and helped themselves! It's more likely for a 2nd floor resident to leave windows and doors unlocked!

5. I've locked myself out a few times and had to climb through a window. Couldn't do that in a 2nd floor and would have to wait for maintenance or a locksmith.

6. Being on the first floor, I was able to plant my own flowers. I guess it depends on your complex on whether you can or not or if you split the garden with your upstairs neighbor. But I liked to do it and the neighbor did not care so I did it.

7. I had a cat and a dog (chihuahua) so I could just tie him to a leash out back and not have to walk him. And the cat came and went as she pleased.

That's what I got so far! So I vote first floor!

ETA: On PP's reply, check with management. My complex was required that all upper units had carpeted stairs and like 80%-90% carpeting on the rest of the floors. I lived in two units and rarely heard anything more than simple living upstairs. Not enough to outway all of the above for me.

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

We're on the 1st floor and have horrible neighbors above us. We hear them at all hours of the day/night. The kids and constantly running jumping and you even hear the adults walking around.

I've lived in both the upstairs and downstairs condos.

This is my pros for upstairs:
No one above you waking you up and keeping you up at all hours.
safety, the windows, sliders to balcony are all upstairs so you don't have to worry.

Cons for upstairs:
the obvious- the STAIRS, and lugging everything up and down them. Good thing is with some things you can just toss it down the stairs.

Re: ladies who rent or have condos/co-ops

I live on the second floor right now & it's awful. We are moving in July to a first floor apartment. Going up & down the stairs with two kids is hard & it's near impossible when I have stuff to carry too. It was tough with just DD when she could walk up the stairs on her own, but now that I have the infant carrier I kind of dread going out sometimes. Plus, I'm always worried about the kids running or jumping becuase I don't want them to disturb anyone. On the ground floor they can run & jump as they please. Plus I won't have to worry about the kids on the stairs when we are on the first floor.