10 Advantages Of Living On Higher Floors People Don’t Realize

If you’re looking to rent an apartment or buy a property inside a high-rise building, one of the factors that you should consider is the floor. The floor you live on is crucial as it can affect your day-t0-day living.

While many people are naturally drawn to higher floors because of the views, there are actually more advantages to living on these floors.

In this article, I will discuss the advantages of living on higher floors that people often overlook.

Perhaps this article can help you decide which floor to choose when looking for an apartment. Let’s get to it!

1. Higher Floors Offer More Privacy and Security

Higher-floor apartments are safer because they are less likely to be burgled or viewed from the street.

You have more privacy, and burglars are statistically more likely to rob a first-floor apartment. That is because it is easier to get and escape undetected.

You also have a better chance of avoiding disputes outside, such as with drunken apartment neighbors or disturbances in a city area.

Furthermore, the 2nd floor is almost as safe as the ground floor in an emergency because evacuating usually only requires going down a single flight of stairs rather than several.

5 Reasons 2nd-Floor Apartments Are Safer (Explained)

2. Higher Floors are Safer During Floods

Living on higher floors means you would be safer in case of a flood.

The most dangerous floods can be as high as 1 to 2 stories, so even second-floor apartments are not as safe when the water level rises.

Flash floods are common when you live in a country where you normally experience torrential rains that last a few hours.

The same applies if you live close to a shoreline, in case the tide rises to a dangerous level or a strong wind can cause a tsunami.

So you’d want to live on a higher floor to be safe, especially if you live in an urban area where floods can take a long time to subside.

3. Higher Floors Are Less Prone to Critters and Pests

High-floor apartments have fewer bugs and insects compared to apartments on lower floors.

Higher-floor apartments are not easily accessible for critters. It can be difficult for insects or pests to travel all the way up on high floors.

In big cities and urban areas, there are rats, mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, pigeons, and squirrels. Meanwhile, you get mosquitoes, raccoons, skunks, red foxes, snakes, and other wildlife if you live in a rural area.

If you live in a ground-floor apartment, you must be careful about cracks in the walls or leaving the windows open because these can easily let in bugs, pests, and other small animals.

Even though there are some things you can do to prevent them from entering your apartment, it generally feels nice when you don’t have to worry about them because you live on a higher floor.

Do Apartments Have Less Spiders, Insects, & Bugs? (We Checked)

4. It’s Quieter on Higher Floors

Ground-floor apartments get a lot of noise pollution, depending on how thin the building walls are.

If you live on the ground floor, you can hear the cars honking or the sound of tires screeching on the pavement. You can even hear the people from outside if they’re being abnormally loud.

You also hear people on the floors above you walking around, yelling, playing music, or dropping objects.

Higher floors are ideal when you work from home and need a quiet environment to focus on your tasks. They are also great when you don’t have anyone living above you.

5. Higher Floors Get Low Exposure to Pollution

Living on a higher floor means less dust, dirt, smoke, and other pollutants exposure.

Living on the higher floor means you don’t have to deal with smoke from vehicles on the street or someone smoking outside.

You also don’t have to deal with the smell of garbage every time the garbage truck passes by or any other unpleasant smell coming from dirty streets.

Because of this, higher-floor apartments generally do not get dirty quickly and are easier to maintain.

Additionally, this is a great advantage if you have babies or small children in your household.

Low exposure to dust, dirt, and smoke means that you have a safe and healthy environment at home with fewer risks of getting allergy attacks and diseases from these pollutants.

6. Higher Floors Have Reduced Heating and Electricity Costs

One of the best things about living on a higher floor is that the temperature is generally warmer compared to living on a lower floor.

During winter, higher-floor apartments have reduced heating costs.

That is because hot air rises during winter months, which help warm your apartment faster, so you don’t need to turn up the heating too much if you live on a higher floor. This means you get to save money on your heating bills.

Similarly, higher-floor apartments also get more sunlight, so you don’t have to depend on artificial lights as much.

If you live on a higher floor, you get more natural light in your apartment, decreasing the need for you to turn on artificial lights during the day.

Then you end up with lower power consumption, leading to lower electricity bills.

7. Higher Floors Have Better Ventilation

Another advantage to living on higher floors is that you get better ventilation in your apartment.

The air quality and circulation are better the higher you go, so apartments on high floors have better ventilation.

This also means that higher-floor apartments are less prone to mold, mildew, and other unwanted growths that can be caused by excessive moisture and poor ventilation.

8. You Get Better Access to Top-Floor Amenities

In some high-rise buildings, the amenities, such as a pool, gym, and laundry area, are not always located on the ground floor.

Sometimes, they can be found on the top floor.

If you live on a higher floor, then you get easy access to top-floor amenities.

Plus, if your building has a rooftop patio or an outdoor area, you also get better access to it. Some of these areas have amenities like seating space, outdoor tables, and even grills for barbecuing.

They’re great spaces for entertaining and hosting guests, relaxing alone, or spending time with your family.

9. You Can Get Good Cardio Exercise Living on a Higher Floor

If you live on a higher floor, you can get a good cardio workout just by climbing stairs.

Instead of using the elevator to go up to your apartment, you can simply take the stairs, which is a form of exercise. Doing this daily as part of your normal routine can keep you healthy.

Of course, doing this is not practical if you live on the 20th floor. You can choose to walk a few flights of stairs going up and then take the elevator once you get too tired.

This way, you still get a nice cardio workout.

10. Higher-Floor Units Have Better Resale Value

This applies if you’re looking for a residential property to buy instead of rent.

Units on higher floors generally have a better resale value than those on lower floors.

So if you see these properties as investments and plan to resell them in the future, you would want to consider getting one on a higher floor because you can sell it for a higher price.

Disadvantages of Living on Higher Floors

Everything has its disadvantages, including living on a higher floor, and here are some of them:

• Higher-floor apartments are generally more expensive to rent or buy.
• Higher-floor apartments can get very hot during summer, leading to higher electricity bills.
• Living on a higher floor means longer trips from the parking lot going to your apartment.
• It can be difficult to carry heavy groceries, furniture, and other bulky items all the way to a higher-floor apartment.
• If you have a pet, you can’t easily take them out when needed if you live on a higher floor.
• There are some safety risks on higher floors during earthquakes or fires because you may not use elevators during these scenarios.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of perks to living in an apartment on a higher floor, and there are some disadvantages to it too.

Ultimately, the pros can outweigh the cons, depending on what you want to prioritize during your search.

I hope this article will be helpful to you when you’re looking for a residential property to buy or even an apartment to rent inside a high-rise building.

Sources:

Pros And Cons Of Lower Floor And Higher Floor Living

Choosing The Right Floor In A High-Rise: Top 10 Factors To Consider

Pros And Cons: Higher Floor Vs. Lower Floor living – Which Is Better?