Looking for a new apartment can be a fun and exciting adventure. However, as with all experiences, it can sometimes be a little overwhelming too. With so many types of apartments to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start or which apartment type might be best for you.
How about we start with mid-rise apartments? Let’s go over some basic information, pros and cons, and how mid-rise apartments differ from low and high-rise apartments.
A mid-rise is simply an apartment building between 4 and 12 floors high and has at least one elevator. Low-rise apartments stand below four floors, and high-rise apartments exceed 12 floors. Since many mid-rise apartments are several stories up from the ground floor access, they often include private balconies.
Mid-rise apartments are usually located in urban downtown metro areas where real estate is a little more on the expensive side. In some cities, strict ordinances limit building height, so developers choose to build mid-rises in these areas instead of high-rises.
The benefits of living in a mid-rise apartment are plentiful and often encompass a lot of the benefits of low-rise apartments as well.
To be considered a mid-rise apartment building, the building has to have at least one elevator. This is an excellent perk as it makes moving in more accessible, not to mention lugging groceries home up to your apartment. This feature also makes mid-rise apartments more accessible for those with disabilities.
You also won’t have to wait as long for the elevator as you would in a high rise, as it’s only going up or down a few floors. If you prefer to take the stairs, that option is open to you as well.
Depending on where your unit is located, you could have some beautiful views. Low-rise apartments are usually too short for these lovely views, and high-rise apartments often look out onto other high-rise apartments. With a mid-rise, you’ll more than likely have a stunning view of your beautiful cityscape or nearby parks and trees.
Many mid-rise apartments are situated above retail shops on the ground floor. Depending on the shops below your building, this could be a convenient setup if you don’t have a car or prefer not to drive.
At the very least, you probably won’t have to travel far to grab a coffee or pick up that gallon of milk you forgot to buy.
Mid-rise buildings often have great building amenities.
Covered parking or a proper parking garage is standard. If you live in a region that gets snow, you know how nice it is not to have to clean off your car before heading to work in the morning—no need to worry about it getting frozen shut, either.
Courtyards, private outdoor spaces like patios or balconies, and even swimming pools are common among mid-rise apartment buildings. Outdoor spaces like this can be aesthetically pleasing and can enhance your quality of living.
With the good comes a few drawbacks. Thankfully, many of the downsides of mid-rise apartment living are relatively minor.
Mid-rise apartments are often popular among young families, so you may wind up living next to some noisy, excitable children. Or, next to some young twenty-somethings with a vibrant nightlife.
Being closer to the street level and usually without a lobby, mid-rise buildings are sometimes more susceptible to break-ins as they are easier to access than high-rises. Depending on your area, you might want to ask around or do some research to learn more about the crime rate in your area.
You can look for a mid-rise building that provides a door attendant or a locked door with keypad access for added security.
Many mid-rise buildings do not allow grills on their balconies or patios, and for a good reason. Grills can pose a significant safety hazard to the entire building if they’re left unattended or situated too close to an exterior wall.
If you love your grill and look forward to cooking outside with your friends every summer, this could be a problem for you.
Besides neighbors, you might run into the problem of street noise. Unlike a high-rise, you’re much closer to street level, so the sound of honking cars and chatter could be a problem if you’re a light sleeper.
Overall, mid-rise apartments have many benefits, especially if you love to be in the middle of downtown. Mid-rise apartments offer an excellent combination of energetic, urban living with a few suburban-like perks. Lucky for you, Bigos offers many different mid-rise apartments (and low and high rises as well), so check out our available units here! We hope to see you soon for a tour.
