The Future Is Here 

Okay, so we’re not living in a conglomeration of floated dome cities, puttering around in sky-cars, and walking our dog named Astro on a treadmill. That fantasy is basically kaput. But today’s living options do have greater variety than anyone in the sixties, when The Jetsons was produced, may have imagined. Have you ever heard of a digital nomad?

Instead of renting or owning, these individuals make money online, go to hotels, hostels, couch-surf, and live in RVs until they’re ready to settle down. Now, this certainly isn’t residential in the technical sense. The term comes to define the status of residing, rather than a particular property or tenancy.

Deep, right? Well, understandably, this isn’t representative of the mainstream. Today, residence considerations tend to fall under two primary categories: renting or owning. You can own an apartment the same as you own a house, and rent a house like you’d rent an apartment.

Then again, an apartment may be more valuable than a house in a similar neighborhood—it all depends on where you’re looking to buy. Consider L.A., for example. There are districts throughout the city with a variety of diverse values. You’re going to encounter something different in downtown Hollywood than you will in southeast Orange County, or South Central L.A.

To Rent, Or To Buy?

When it comes to renting versus buying an apartment, you’re going to find there are positives on both sides. One value of the rental route, as an example, is the ability to “try before you buy”. A six-month lease can really give you an idea of the local community, as well as available nearby amenities.

If you really want to get the Hollywood experience, you could always live in these Hollywood apartments; according to the website: “Eastern is situated in a prime location, right in the center of Hollywood. You’ll find restaurants, bars, shopping centers, entertainment venues, transportation options, and so much more—all within a few blocks…”

If you like the apartment you decided to rent for a while, you could buy it and sublet it in order to pay the mortgage—unless the financials doesn’t represent any kind of issue. The point here is that there are options even for those who aren’t necessarily on the highest echelon of financial security.

The truth is, there are a lot of things to consider as you go about finding the right apartment to rent. There are just as many when you consider whether you want to buy a property or not. With a home just outside of the city, you’ll have a difference in noise saturation, a decrease in crime, and some “elbow room”. But there’ll be a commute.

Considerations Consolidated

So to recap: people can make residency a term defining their present state of being and go globetrotting, they can rent an apartment—or even a townhouse; they can own an apartment, they can rent a property outside of town or even own that property, or combine qualities of property management to offset rent/mortgage costs that recur monthly.

The best way to go will be to do a little searching around, figure out your budget, and make a decision based on your specific needs. Everyone is different and perhaps the most positive takeaway from this writing is that there are a great number of options you can pursue today—you’re sure to find something that fits your needs.