So You Want A New Home...
I
Jasmine Ta
n the same way people puzzle over troubles in their head, I write stories about the puzzles in mine. So in the winter of my junior year of high school, I wrote a story about two fictional characters and their ‘home’. The reason I mention this is because, at the time of my writing the story, I was extremely interested in what living in an apartment and a house might be like. In this story, I made up daily routines, arrangements of furniture, and circumstances that might have led my characters to live in their apartment/ house. I was interested in the idea of ‘home.’ As a junior in high school,
I was curious about what it would be like living away from my parents’ house. And of course I was going to leave home, but I had no idea how to go about doing that. And besides that, what was the point of living in an apartment or a house? Which was better? I am not the only person to ask these questions, as I figure other high school and college students or anyone with no general experience were also curious and probably hitting that deadline soon. In fact, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council, in 2015, about 35% of America rented
their homes, while 65% owned them (National Multifamily Housing Council). The population of 2015, as stated by the U.S. Census Bureau, was 322,060,152 people (U.S. and World Population Clock). This data serves to show the sheer quantity of people alone who live in apartments, much less the amount of people who were currently looking for a space to call their own. So with some further research and multiple interviews with apartment renters and homeowners, I came to the conclusion that the final decision ultimately depends on a few factors: your budget, what you want out
Home Sweet Apartment
2
of your home, and your intentions for the future. The decision for a new home doesn’t come out of nowhere, but is preceded by events that spark the decision: the sudden realization of what the future might be like, the need to move homes for opportunities, or the desire to raise a family; there is always a reason for the search. For example, Trang Ta is currently a homeowner in California, a resident for the past six or so years. In Ta’s case, it was because of family circumstances that forced her to move into three
different apartments across the United States and two houses as well, before finally settling in California, where she works a job and takes care of her scatterbrained family. As an experienced homeowner and former apartment owner, Ta offers much advice on the process of buying, and the happy rewards of living in a house. Indeed, there might be circumstances which force you to move, but there is always the desire to raise a family. For the Ferchos, a couple who have recently become new homeowners, raising a family was exactly the goal
they had in mind. Newly married and each working their own jobs, they moved from their previous apartments and houses to live together in their newly bought and renovated home. Julie Fercho is a new homeowner, while Derek Fercho has prior experience with maintaining a house. Together, the two offer equal parts experience of living in an apartment in the city and stresses of buying a house for the first time. Finally, though there might be a good reason to move, for Uyen Lai, who is a long time apartment owner, it is the
A small decoration sits on a shelf
calm before the storm, as she moves into her newly rented apartment, with space enough for her dog. A prospective homeowner, she is hoping to raise a family with her soon-to-be husband. Having moved into two apartments recently, and being a prospective homeowner, Lai offers the experiences and responsibilities of maintaining an apartment. It’s always good to begin with what desires and needs you have for this new home. It’s important to separate these desires and needs as you might have neither the time nor budget to look for and afford this dream home. To begin, according to Resident Shield, a company specializing in renter’s insurance, it’s important to consider the amount of space you need, the budget for this new home, the surrounding area (such as convenience stores, nearby friends/relatives), and the need for privacy (Ancag). There are other factors to consider as well, such as the desire to have pets or families,
or the possibility of roommates. It’s always good to list what requirements you might have for this home. Now, keeping track of your list, there are several reasons why an
“...you do share walls...sometimes if they play loud music or have a party or something like that, you can hear that.” apartment might be extraordinarily great, and just a little bad. Apartments are, short term, much cheaper to afford than buying a house, especially in areas where the housing
market is expensive. But if everywhere is expensive, such as in the Bay Area, Uyen Lai, an apartment owner, advises, “If you plan to stay here long term, and you’re going to get an apartment, then find a decent apartment with a vision in the end… it’s more cost efficient to purchase a place than to just rent the place.” While apartments usually don’t afford a huge space, when it’s just you and a dog, like Uyen Lai and her adorable Husky, space isn’t such an issue. For apartment living, it is infinitely more comfortable if you are living alone, or have a single roommate. Of course, though, the issue of privacy might be troublesome for apartments. On the subject of privacy, Derek Fercho said, “And I think one thing that’s bad about [apartment living] is… you do share walls so… sometimes if they play loud music or have a party or something like that, you can hear that.” Though in the
A plant finds itself hanging 5 feet above the ground
3
A desk sits, waiting for its owner to arrive home.
Graphic by Jacqueline Ta
4
end, they admitted it was a case by case scenario; some buildings have rowdier tenants than others. Additionally, Realestate.com notes that apartments allow for low commitment and an easy move-in. Anyone looking for a place close to the city, but without the cash for a house, can rent out an apartment instead (Jacobs). Apartments, after all, do have a certain advantage compared to houses in terms of location: it’s far easier to meet different and interesting people and to take advantage of nearby conveniences and entertainment. Julie, the proud owner of a rescued dog, explains, “ My dog was probably more popular than I was...there’s a doggy day care right
down the street. And so I dropped him off there everyday like it was school for him. And they would take him for walks. And whenever I went around with him in the neighborhood, there were people I didn’t know... saying hi to him.” Indeed, when asked about location requirements, Uyen Lai also answered, “What I was looking for was places where there was a lot of stuff to do around, like restaurants and bars and shopping.” In the end, however, when faced with the desire to raise a family, the space and permanence houses afford outweighs the cheaper costs and terrific location apartments offer. For Julie and Derek Fercho and Trang
Ta, their decision for a house was sweet and simple: private space. A house is far bigger than an apartment, affording a yard and a garage for pets or kids to play around in, without worrying about
When you first start living alone, try an apartment first. Landlords are responsible for maintenance and it’s a small space to take care of! (Thank you Ta for the advice!)
Apartments help build essential skills for later in life, such as remembering to dry the laundry or wash the dishes! (Thank you Lai for the advice!)
In general, apartments are low cost and low maintenance (some apartments do get pretty expensive, watch out!). (Thank you Derek Fercho for the advice!)
Be aware that intentional damages, like drilling a hole in the wall to hang a picture, will have to be fixed when you move out! It isn’t your property after all. (Thank you Lai for the advice!)
5
A box of plants from Ta’s backyard
Home Sweet House neighbors below, above, or right next to you. A house is an ideal place to raise children in, which are the biggest goals Ta, the Ferchos, and Lai are focused on. When asked what influenced her to buy a home, Trang Ta answered, “Cuz I believe...you need a place to stay and… grow your roots and branch [out] from there.” For Trang Ta, it was a dream to settle once and for all into a home, after the constant moving around in her
childhood. For her, her home were the ‘roots,’ where she could plant herself solidly, and from there, her family could ‘branch out.’ A huge advantage buying houses afford is stability and permanence, no landlords giving you a month to pack up and ship out. Of course, though, in terms of cost, houses are expensive. Kimmy Palmer, a writer for U.S. News wrote an article on ten reasons why buying a house is better. She advises buyers to keep
an eye on the housing market, taking advantage of it when houses are cheaper (Palmer). According to Trang Ta, when asked about whether one should move right away, “If you don’t take your time... you might [regret it] because if you can not afford it, just stay in your apartment…” For Trang Ta and Julie and Derek Fercho, buying the house meant buying all its little and big imperfections. Renovations had to be
Dishes pile up daily in the Ta Household made to fix plumbing and electrical systems, and sometimes these repairs are made again and again over time. In short, a house is high maintenance. There are exceptions to this case, such as buying a newly built house, but repairs are usually expected over time. On the bright side, within these renovations, a house could be made to feel like home - painting new walls, installing new furniture, and even making an entertainment room. “We have our own space…” Derek Fercho commented. “...you can do whatever you want with it, you can repaint it, you can change things in the inside. You can’t necessarily do that in an apartment… a lot of apartments don’t allow you to do any of that.” Besides all those homey renovations though, homeowners are often faced with much day-to-day care of their home, including yard work, laundry, dishwashing, and generally picking up after themselves. “We have to maintain the house on the outside…” Derek Fercho also noted. “if you let your yard die, or if you don’t maintain your house, you can have the neighbors
Karaoke for the stressed.
complain and say hey, you have to clean up your yard, or you have to clean up your house. So you have to be mindful of your neighbors in that regard.” Apartment or house, keeping in mind your neighbors is a common issue. Nevertheless, in the comfort of your own home, you can begin Whobbies you might not have had the space or privacy to indulge in, such as gardening and karaoke. Trang Ta is supremely proud of her garden, where she grows fruits and veggies, such as oranges. And when the night hangs low, but the stress of the day is still flying high, she’ll crank on the karaoke machine and let fly the words. Her husband sometimes joins in as well. But at the end of the day, according to Trang Ta, “After work, you wanna come home and you wanna, you know, enjoy your peace, quiet...you... feel more comfortable living there.” Above all, home is a place to feel safe and comfortable in, whether that be an apartment or a house. For now, Trang Ta is considering another move, back to an old home with old friends and old family. Julie
and Derek Fercho are looking to get more acquainted with their home and someday raise a family, perhaps even move again before then. Uyen Lai is looking to get married and settle down into a new house with her fiancée, and someday raise a family as well. Finally when asked if there was ever a time he had regretted living in an apartment or house, Derek Fercho offered encouraging advice: “...Well, sure… you know they both have their good points and bad points... we have just focused on the good points. Because if you keep focusing on the bad points, you’re going to regret living wherever you’re at.”
7
A forlorn soccer ball from last spring sits in Ta’s yard.
A decoration from a fish tank sits outside in Ta’s backyard.
Houses sometimes come with the strangest things, like a wheel...
8
When you look for a house, you don’t need to consider a perfect or high end place, but one with a nice neighborhood, a safe one. (Thank you Ta for the advice!)
When you look to buy a house, start small and watch the market. Maybe someday, you can sell your house and buy your dream home. Just remember to save money! (Thank you Julie Fercho for the advice!)
Remember that houses also have property taxes! And you can save money by learning simple maintenance, such as unclogging a toilet or resetting the power! (Thank you Derek Fercho for the advice!) Consider the location of your house, such as possible crime issues or nearby schools and conveniences. (Thank you Julie Fercho for the advice!)
The fruits of Ta’s labor.
“You know they both have their good points and bad points... if you keep focusing on the bad points, you’re going to regret living wherever you’re at.” 9
Works Cited Ancag. “Renting a House vs. Renting an Apartment.” ResidentShield - Renters Insurance, https://www.residentshield.com/blog/renting-a-house-vs-renting-an-apartment. Peak Insurance Advisors, 3 Nov. 2013. Accessed 24 March 2017. Fercho, Julie and Derek. Personal Interview. 11 February 2017. Jacobs, Carly. “5 Reasons Apartment Living Is Awesome.” Realestate.com.au, http:// www.realestate.com.au/advice/reasons-apartment-living-awesome. Realestate.com.au, 17 Nov. 2015. Accessed 24 March 2017. Lai, Uyen. Personal Interview. 17 February 2017. Palmer, Kimberly. “10 Reasons to Buy Instead of Rent.” U.S. News and World Report, http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2012/04/24/10-reasons-to-buy-instead-of-rent. U.S. News and World Report, 24 Apr. 2012. Accessed 24 March 2017. National Multifamily Housing Council. “Quick Facts: Resident Demographics.” NMHC, http://www.nmhc.org/Content.aspx?id=4708. NMHC, Oct. 2016. Accessed 23 April 2017. Ta, Trang. Personal Interview. 8 February 2017. --, Personal Interview. 8 February 2017 U.S. and World Population Clock. United States Census Bureau. 2017.
Graphic by Jacqueline Ta 10
Bio
Jasmine Ta lives in California, where she juggles both being a Freestyle student and a junior at Los Altos High School. Besides spending her time on schoolwork, she often spends her time daydreaming about most things, like the future, and writing strange stories to satisfy her curiosities.
11
12