If you are apartment or townhome hunting during the spring or summer months in Iowa, South Dakota, or North Dakota, it can be easy to forget about the convenience of having a garage, or at least a car port, during the winter months. T
The first time you scrape your windshield or scoop snow from your car will quickly remind you of the choice you made. Be sure to look into your options to determine what’s right for your lifestyle.
Is the additional cost a garage adds to your monthly rent worth it to you? Weigh the possible inconvenience of not having covered parking with the additional rental cost.
If your habit is to come and go quickly – no matter the time of day or night – it might be more convenient for you to have open, on or off-street parking. Or is going to a garage or carport more appealing to you? Consider the distance from your apartment to your parking space, and how much time it takes to travel both directions. If one way is upstairs, or uphill, how likely are to you to be carrying something? Do you have to carry things inside often, like groceries or children? This will likely impact your ideal parking style.
Does renting a luxury apartment with underground parking, so going outside is not even an option or concern, appeal to you? This can be convenient but can add time whenever you leave the property or come home. Similar to the extra time it takes to enter and exit a gated community, it simply takes longer with this type of parking arrangement.
As you continue your apartment search, keep your parking options and your priorities in mind. Thinking about the apartment or townhome throughout all of the seasons can help you make the best decision for you and your lifestyle.
Written by Melanie Olsen
