I used to live in a highrise apartment outside of the city in Atlanta and am currently considering moving back into one. I was thinking it over, weighing pros and cons- and I started to remember some of the quirky things you'll learn about life while living in a high rise. I decided this would be worth sharing!
I can say hands down that I feel compelled to only live in highrise apartments, if you can afford the extra 15-30% markup- solely because the views you will catch lead to an infinite amount of moments of deep thought. I cannot say how nice it would be on any afternoon to come out to a view and enjoy your favorite vice while watching the sunset.
I was previously paying nearly the same amount living in a very comparable apartment with no view at all. It's one of those things you may not know you are missing until you try it out. So, I've started with a positive- how about a negative.
It gets very hot. I don't know if this is actual science, but I felt like I was closer to the sun and the rooms would get very hot much more easily than my previous ground floor apartment. The evenings here would bring radiant sun into the unit and apply direct heat on to any surface, including yourself if you have the blinds open. On top of that, summer time in Atlanta is hot.. most of the year actually. The balcony of your highrise may be completely unusable during these times of day where the sun is blazing hot.
Another con is, well, the people. People above, below, left and right. You would never think it could be so noisy if you chose to live in the sky. Well, it can be very noisy- if you go for a budget highrise, the walls may just be paper thin. On another note, a building with 30 floors and 3 elevators could spell trouble during certain hours. Definitely something to note if you are needing to go in and out often. A typical trip to my car for a forgotten pair of headphones would take up to 15 minutes some days! 7 minutes down and to the garage and back each way.
I'll end on a positive- FREE dates. Having an amazing view in your apartment leads to cheaper/free dates. I don't mean to be funny but there's nothing as economic and pleasing as laying out on the balcony with a giant bean bag chair and a bottle of wine with your significant other. It makes for very affordable entertainment and everyone loves a sunset.
So, yes- I'm on the apartment hunt again and I'll most definitely look for a highrise apartment. You end up paying just a tad more but you get these benefits that I think far outweigh the costs.