The internal debate that usually takes place when people decide that they want to move out and find somewhere new to live is most commonly waged between renting an apartment and buying a house. There have been countless arguments weighing the merits of both and trying to figure out which is the more advantageous path to choose when considering all of the options. However, there is a third option which is typically overlooked when it comes to what is the best route to take, and that option is renting a house.
When you rent a home, you get a little bit of both worlds: you get to live in a house with all of the space that you want and none of the burden of living in close proximity to other people, but without the commitment of a long-term mortgage that you would get if you bought the house. You can get the freedom that renting provides you, with the independence that you'll get from having a house.
Of course, there are differences between renting a house and renting an apartment. Some of these differences will be readily apparent, and some may be more understated, but the differences are there. To better help you decide if moving into a rental home instead of a rental apartment is the direction you want to go in, it will benefit you to familiarize yourself with these differences and become acquainted with what to expect when you rent a house as opposed to renting an apartment.
Differences in amenities
When you rent a house instead of an apartment, you do so with the expectation that you will be provided with more amenities in a house than you would if you lived in an apartment, and you'd be right. Houses are designed for a different lifestyle than apartments are, and they are much more accommodating to people who need more living space. For example, with a house you're going to get a bigger yard most of the time and even a garage or shed, something you might not be able to have access to if you rent an apartment. If you have a big family with kids that need a nice, contained outdoor space to play in, a house would be much more sensible.
Apartments aren't without their share of amenities though. Depending on where you live, some apartments or apartment complexes may have complimentary access to community gyms or pools, something that you may not find in a house (unless the house has its own pool).
However, another benefit of renting a house over an apartment is the space and freedom to own pets. Some apartment complexes don't allow certain types of pets to people who rent the apartments, and many times dogs are out of the question, which makes renting a house with a backyard for the dog to play is a great option for pet lovers. Also, owning multiple cars and having ample space to park them without having to pay for permits or parking spaces is a huge benefit as well.
Privacy
A big reason why many people choose to rent a home over renting an apartment is the issue of privacy. Simply stated, living in an apartment building offers less privacy than living in a secluded single-family home. While the difference in privacy is not dramatic, there is some added privacy that comes with living in a home separated from your next-door neighbors and being able to put some distance between yourself and any unwanted noise or unnecessary distractions. A noisy next-door neighbor can really create a lot of tension in a close-knit apartment building, but on a street with individual homes separated from each other, it's nothing more than a slight nuisance.
More freedom to customize
When you move into an apartment, you most likely aren't going to go around painting every room and changing the layout of the place. The appliances that come with the apartment are going to stay and save for some light decorative touches, the apartment will stay mostly the same as it was before you moved in. However, when you rent a house, you'll usually have more of an opportunity to customize the place to your liking.
Of course, you'll still require the permission of the landlord to make any changes or modifications to the layout of the house, but landlords are far more likely to allow modifications to a home as opposed to an apartment, and you'll find that you have many more options to customize the interior of the home and the design scheme of the place if you rent a house instead of an apartment.
Weighing your options to buy
If you envision yourself buying a home sometime in the future, renting a house is definitely one of the best places to start. When you rent an apartment, you will typically rent it on a year-to-year lease, meaning that you'll have to periodically renew your lease and won't have an option to buy the apartment unless the building it's in is in the midst of a transition from apartment complex to condominium.
However, if your ultimate goal is to own a house, starting out by renting one can be a great way to see if owning a home is for you. Some house rentals do offer rent-to-buy options that will enable you to eventually own the property if you've rented it for long enough. This option is great for people who wish to rent long-term but cannot afford monthly mortgage payments, and is a perfectly practical alternative to home ownership.