Last Updated on 2023-07-01
Common Rental Terminology:
- Studio/Efficiency: A living space where the kitchen and bedroom are connected without any separation, resulting in cooking odors spreading throughout the entire room.
- 1b1b: Abbreviation for “one-bedroom and one-bathroom,” referring to an apartment or unit with one bedroom and a separate bathroom. (0.5b typically indicates a half bathroom without a shower or bathtub.)
- Apartment: A unit or dwelling owned by a property management company and primarily intended for rental purposes.
- Condominium: Often referred to as a “condo,” it is a personally owned apartment or unit that may also have common areas maintained by a property management company.
- House: A detached dwelling that typically includes multiple rooms, a garage, a lawn, and a yard.
- Townhouse: Similar to a house, but it is part of a row of connected units with a shared small courtyard. Townhouses usually do not have an independent yard.
Apartment vs House
| Apartment | House |
| Ownership | |
| Owned and managed by a property management company | Presonally owned, sometimes managed by a property agent. |
| Space | |
| Personally owned, sometimes managed by a property agent. | Typically includes a basement for storage, a garage, a lawn, and a yard. |
| Management | |
| Usually allows for 24-hour maintenance requests with prompt repairs. | Typically requires longer discussions and schedules with the landlord for maintenance. |
| Finding and Moving In | |
| Usually has a well-designed website for browsing and often comes with inherited furniture from previous tenants. However, it is important to note that due to the lack of turnover, the condition of the unit may deteriorate. | ach house varies greatly, and opportunities to inherit furniture from previous tenants are usually rare. It requires effort to search and may involve purchasing furniture anew. Landlords typically arrange for cleaning before move-in. |
| Environment | |
| Allows for social gatherings with neighbors, but may also be prone to noise disturbances from adjacent or upper-floor units. | Generally quieter. |
| Rent | |
| Renting the living room ($500-$600); for others, the monthly rent usually ranges from $700 to $1,300. | The monthly rent typically ranges from $550 to $850 |
| Summary | |
| Apartments offer convenience in finding and moving in, along with property management, but they tend to be more expensive. | Houses usually provide more space and cost advantages, but cleanliness and rental disputes may occur more frequently. |