Comparison Essay Essay, Research Paper

Places To Live

Throughout our country, there are many different ways people can go about living. The diversity in America is greater than ever. Depending on an individual s lifestyle, there are several different choices one can have when looking for a place to call home. While in the market for a place to live, it is important that one looks at the advantages and disadvantages of the community, prices, crime, and maintenance involved in living somewhere.

While looking for the ideal community, one must consider his/her options. The first decision to be made is whether a house or an apartment is desired. If a house is chosen, then there are a few things to look at. If the person likes to have their privacy and is not very social, it is better for them to look at a rural area to live. In a rural district, one has a lot of land as well as a lot of isolation. They do not have to worry about noisy neighbors, or homeowners associations keeping on their back. If more of a community sense is desired, than one can look at a suburban neighborhood. Such neighborhoods provide a strong sense of closeness. All of the homes are close together, and families seem to have a sense of closeness. Such events as block parties and trick or treating at Halloween time bring families of such neighborhoods closer together.

For those who cannot afford to live in a house or do not enjoy the work that comes along with owning one, there are apartments available to rent in both urban as well as suburban areas. Such apartments do not provide as good of a community feeling as houses do, especially urban apartments. In urban areas, it is typically businessmen, or married couples without children who work in the city. In suburban areas, there are usually more families. While the community feeling is not as strong as it would be in a home, most apartment complexes offer a public pool and playground area for their residents to meet.

While looking for a new home, it is also very important to look at the prices. Wealthier people will tend to look more at the suburban houses and the urban apartments. Typically those who have families will specifically focus on purchasing a house in a suburban community. Those who do not have families, usually businessmen and young couples who work in the city, prefer to live in an urban apartment close to their office. Those who do not have a lot of money and are looking for a house are better off looking in a more rural area where homes cost less. Once again, those individuals with families are more likely to favor the idea of buying a house as opposed to an apartment.

Another aspect one must look at while looking for a place to live is the crime rate. It is important to find an area that is proven to be safe from such crimes as burglary. In a suburban neighborhood, whether it is an apartment or a house, crime is very low. If safety were the biggest concern, a suburban home would be the ideal choice.

In a rural house, crime can tend to be a little bit more of a problem. Due to the fact that houses are more secluded than those in a suburban town, if someone were to commit burglary of a house, they are less likely to be seen by neighbors. There are also not as many police officers patrolling the streets of a rural town.

In an urban apartment, crime is a lot heavier. Cities are often known to having a bad part of town. Such areas contain many poor people who are desperate for money. They can be so desperate that they are forced to steal from those who are wealthy in order to survive.

Finally, the last part one wants to investigate in the search for a home is what type of maintenance is involved. Owning a house takes a lot of responsibility. In order to keep the house looking good, it is important to take proper care of it. Mowing the lawn every week and watering the flowers every day helps keeping the yard look its best. It is essential for the house to be painted every 4-5 years in order to keep it looking its finest. Along with the appearance of the house on the outside, it is equally important to have the house working its best on the inside. Such services like air conditioning and heat, or electric and plumbing have a tendency to stop working. It is the homeowner s responsibility to have those things fixed.

There are some people who do not want to worry about having to take care of a yard or any other maintenance issues. These people would be better off living in an apartment. In an apartment a lawn mowing service cuts the grass. There is no yard to maintain, and when something inside the apartment breaks, there is usually a maintenance crew provided to fix it.

Finding a place to live is a lengthy process. It is imperative that one takes his/her time in finding the right place for them. While shopping for a new home, it is crucial to consider the advantages and disadvantages of community, prices, crime, and maintenance. Making a decision on where to live will greatly impact the person s lifestyle.

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