Flats vs houses: The many benefits of living in a flat

The light and the views are amazing and no burglars are getting in through your windows up here. These are just some of the many benefits of living in a flat.

They fell out of favour during the pandemic, but flats are well and truly back in fashion. So why not rekindle your love of lateral living and snap up one of these amazing apartments? Whether you fancy a period conversion, a pristine new build, a holiday home or a city centre abode, this selection caters for a variety of tastes and budgets.

1. Newent, Gloucestershire, £300,000

This period conversion has oodles of character and period charm, and because this is a flat – you only pay a fraction of the upkeep costs.

An area of nearly 1,200 square feet makes this apartment easily as big as a house. On the first floor of Stardens, a Gothic-style manor house surrounded by communal gardens and countryside, it includes a magnificent 18-ft long living room with a bay window and fireplace, a smart galley kitchen, an adjacent dining room, two double bedrooms and a single bedroom currently used as an office. There are high ceilings and original cornices and other plasterwork throughout. Find out more from Yopa.

2. Manchester, offers over £350,000

Stylish living right in the heart of the city. Flats are cool and convenient for both your work and your social life.

This fourth floor apartment is in a 200-year old converted mill in the heart of the hip Ancoats neighbourhood, and just half a mile from Piccadilly station. It’s in fantastic condition and comprises a large kitchen/living/dining space, two double bedrooms – one with an ensuite shower room – and a bathroom. Features such as exposed brick walls and metal-framed windows give it a cool warehouse vibe, and it comes with the bonus of a secure allocated parking space. Via Purplebricks.

Read more: What sort of house £1m buys you around the UK

3. The 1840 St George’s Gardens, Tooting, London, from £399,000

In a block this size you are bound to make friends with other residents. And your children will have playmates on tap.

One, two and three-bedroom apartments in a Grade II listed Victorian former hospital, which has survived with its grounds largely intact and is part of a new residential village. Every home has a different layout, but all combine contemporary interiors with beautifully restored original features, and many have private outside space and beautiful views across the grounds. A concierge is based in the impressive entrance lobby, and a work hub and a small outdoor kitchen are planned. City & Country.

4. Mykonos, Greece, €750,000 (approx £668,000)

Did I mention that views from flats are often awesome?

If you’re after a place in the sun with nightlife on the doorstep and peace and quiet when you need it, don’t miss out on this gorgeous apartment at the top of a traditional whitewashed house in the centre of Mykonos town. Sound-proofed double glazed windows that block out external noise were installed during renovations in 2019, and it’s fully furnished and air-conditioned, consisting of an open plan kitchen, a living room, a double bedroom, ensuite and guest bathrooms, and a fabulous roof terrace looking out over the island and Aegean sea. For more information contact Beauchamp.

Read more: 8 homes on the market which have secrets

5. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, offers over £850,000

No one is going to break in through your windows up here.

Probably not the best buy if you suffer from vertigo as this wow-factor flat is on the 24th floor of Hadrian’s Tower, the tallest building in the city. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the massive open plan kitchen/living/entertainment space and all three double bedrooms make the most of the panoramic views, and residents have exclusive access to a rooftop lounge, restaurant and bar, and a concierge. The property has been rented out for £4,500 per month. From Sanderson Young.

6. Salcombe, Devon, offers over £1.3m

This super stylish new build flat in Devon is in the UK's most sort after seaside town.

Located on an estuary with sandy beaches, sheltered waters and fantastic views, it’s not hard to work out why Salcombe was recently revealed by Halifax as Britain’s most expensive place to buy a seaside home. This three-bedroom, three-bathroom flat is one of just four in Brewery Quay, a new-build scheme right on the waterfront, and has been designed to make the most of the gorgeous setting as both the living room and primary bedroom open on to a wide balcony. The building has a lift, secure allocated parking and rooftop solar PV panels that generate electricity. Through Marchard Petit.

Read more: 9 eco-friendly homes with solar panels

7. Chelsea, London, £6.25m

Rub shoulders with aristocracy in this exquisite Chelsea apartment. Photo: Alex Winship (www.alexwinship.com)

Sloane Square and the Kings Road are just down the road from this three-bedroom, raised ground floor apartment in a beautifully maintained Grade II listed mansion block with a porter. As you’d expect in a home of this calibre, rooms are big and well-proportioned, and include a double reception room with two bay windows, a modern eat-in kitchen, a redesigned main bedroom with a dressing room and ensuite bathroom, and two further bedrooms. Get in touch with Tedworth.

8. Paris €13.7m (approx. £12,133m)

You don't get views like this from a house.

Unobstructed views of the Eiffel Tower are among the myriad highlights of this incredible 9th floor apartment, in the sought-after 16th arrondissement. It consists of a double living room leading out to a huge terrace, a library, a kitchen/diner, a principal bedroom suite and a second double bedroom containing an office, bathroom and dressing room, plus a gym and a hammam and sauna to unwind in after workouts. Find out more from Paris Ouest Sotheby’s International Realty.

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