My family used to live in a 74-square-meter ground-floor house before deciding to move into an apartment of 70 square meters. The two spaces are similar in area, but the living experience is completely different. Despite having read plenty of online arguments on the topic, I only come to understand the benefits and problems of each property after having lived in both.
Our ground-floor house was about VND500 million (US$19,000) more expensive than the apartment we bought in late 2023-early 2024. However, the apartment management, maintenance, security and parking fees that we now have to pay every month will eventually close that gap. The convenience of living in an apartment therefore comes with many additional expenses.
Still, the biggest benefit of moving to the apartment is the location, which is closer to my wife’s workplace. Our old place was 12 kilometers away from her office. Now she only has to travel 5 kilometers. Our daily life has also become more convenient as supermarkets, markets and schools are only a few minutes away. We likely could not have afforded a landed property within this area.
But that also brings issues. There are many restaurants around our building, so the atmosphere is always busy and sometimes feels overwhelming. Late afternoon and evening are the noisiest times with the constant sounds of children playing and running in the hallway.
While our unit has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, the ceiling is quite low and feels stuffy because of the building’s design. One issue that bothers us most is the trash chute on our floor. Our unit is far from it, but every time we open the door, the smell of garbage always rushes into our home. Problems from upstairs neighbors are also hard to avoid, such as dust, water or even objects falling onto our balcony. If they have a waterproofing issue, the lower floors will suffer first.
Furthermore, waiting for elevators is something we never dealt with when living in a ground-floor house. During peak hours, the wait can be long and the crowded cabin only adds to the frustration. Taxis must park quite a distance from the lobby, so we sometimes have to brave the rain to walk out to them and cannot ask drivers to help load our belongings.
Some people compare apartments with renting a small house in an alley, but I find this inaccurate. While an apartment has its problems, living in a home you own feels more stable and completely different from renting a place.
Of course, landed houses also have disadvantages. Given the same price point, a house is usually smaller or farther from the center and amenities. It also lacks the security that apartments provide. Life can feel quiet because there is little need to interact with neighbors.
Having experienced both, I realize there is no perfect choice. A landed home gives me a sense of freedom and privacy while an apartment offers more convenience and safety. Each family will favor different things in each type of home.
For my family, moving from a ground-floor house to an apartment presented us with a tough consideration: Should we prioritize having a comfortable living space or daily convenience? But the answer is likely unique to each family and their preference and circumstances.
*This opinion was submitted by a reader. Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match Read’ viewpoints.
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