Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment - IELTS Writing Task 2

Whether someone chooses a detached house or a compact apartment often depends on factors such as privacy, convenience, cost, and community living. The IELTS advantages–disadvantages essay ‘Advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared with an apartment’ explores whether living in a house offers more benefits than drawbacks when compared with apartment living, a topic frequently seen in Writing Task 2.

So, explore the essay topic ‘Advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared with an apartment’, one of the recent IELTS topics in Writing Task 2, with model answers, supported by relevant examples and vocabulary.

Essay Question for ‘Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment’

Outline for IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

The outline below will assist you in writing an IELTS Advantages Disadvantages essay, such as ‘Advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared with an apartment’. This will enhance your writing skills and help you achieve a band score of 7 or above on the IELTS exam.

Sample Answers for Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment IELTS Writing Task 2

Here are three IELTS Band 9 essay samples on the topic of the advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared with an apartment. These samples will help you write your own essay and achieve a high band score.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment - Sample Answer 1

Some people prefer living in a house, while others believe that apartments offer greater advantages. Although houses are often associated with privacy and spacious living, this essay argues that their disadvantages can outweigh their benefits when compared to apartment living. This essay will examine both housing options by considering factors such as cost, convenience, and lifestyle suitability.

One clear advantage of living in a house is the greater level of privacy and personal space it provides. Houses are typically detached, which means residents are less likely to be disturbed by noise from neighbours. In addition, many houses include private gardens or outdoor areas, making them ideal for families with children or pets. For instance, children can play freely at home without depending on public parks. However, these benefits come with notable drawbacks. Houses are usually more expensive to purchase, rent, and maintain. Homeowners are solely responsible for repair costs, security systems, and rising utility bills, which can place a significant financial burden on residents. Moreover, houses are often located in suburban areas, leading to longer commuting times.

In contrast, apartments offer several practical advantages. One major benefit is affordability, as maintenance costs are typically shared among residents through management fees. Apartments are also commonly situated in urban centres, close to workplaces, public transport, and essential services, which saves time and reduces travel expenses. For example, city-based professionals often prefer apartments to avoid long daily commutes. On the downside, apartments may offer limited space and reduced privacy due to shared walls and communal areas. 

In conclusion, while houses provide privacy and space, apartments offer greater affordability and convenience, especially in modern urban life. Therefore, the advantages of living in a house do not outweigh the disadvantages when compared with apartment living.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment - Sample Answer 2

People hold different views about whether living in a house or an apartment is more desirable. While houses provide privacy and a strong sense of ownership, this essay argues that apartments offer greater overall advantages in modern society. 

One major advantage of living in a house is the high level of privacy it offers. Detached houses allow residents to enjoy quiet surroundings without interference from shared walls or communal spaces. In addition, home ownership is often regarded as a valuable long-term investment, particularly in developing or suburban areas where property prices tend to appreciate over time. For example, families who purchase houses on city outskirts may benefit financially as urban expansion increases land value. However, houses require substantial financial investment, not only for purchase but also for ongoing maintenance. Homeowners must independently manage repairs such as plumbing issues, roof damage, or garden upkeep, which can be both costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, houses are often located far from city centres, leading to longer commutes and higher transportation expenses.

In contrast, apartment living offers a range of practical benefits. One key advantage is affordability, as maintenance and security are usually managed by professional teams and shared among residents through service fees. Additionally, apartments also foster a sense of community, as shared facilities such as lifts, gyms, or common areas encourage social interaction, reducing feelings of isolation, especially for elderly residents or young professionals. Moreover, apartments are generally more environmentally sustainable. Smaller living spaces and shared resources result in lower energy consumption. For instance, high-rise buildings typically use less land and fewer utilities per household than individual houses. On the downside, apartments may provide limited space and reduced privacy, particularly in densely populated complexes.

In conclusion, although houses offer privacy and investment potential, apartments are more economical, convenient, socially engaging, and environmentally sustainable. Therefore, apartments clearly present more advantages than houses in today’s fast-paced world.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment - Sample Answer 3

With the changes in lifestyle, preference of living standards, basic amenities and concept of luxury have also changed for each person. Earlier, people used to aspire for a house of their own due to the large number of members in the family. But now, most individuals, due to security issues and small families, feel a need to move to apartments. In this essay, the advantages and disadvantages of both sides will be discussed to reach a conclusion.

In former times, family members used to live together and so required big houses to accommodate them all. Owning a house was a status symbol in many places. As a house is built according to the individual’s convenience, it is a personalized space that is decorated or organized in accordance with the necessity. It offers privacy to everyone and is less noisy even though many people live in it. One can have a garden or a free space to relish some moments of peace. Unfortunately, everything has its own disadvantages. The freedom one adores in a house comes with a price. It is exorbitant to maintain the structure and facilities in place. The cost of buying the land as well as constructing the house is so high that many people tend to lose it to the banks to pay their loans. There is no safety. Anyone can enter it unless one is careful.

Buying apartments or flats instead of a house has become widespread. Families, nowadays, have become smaller and so they need less amount of space. Secondly, when a person owns a flat, he/she need not worry about security as every compound has assigned guards throughout the day. Thirdly, one need not worry about the regular maintenance as a certain amount of money is paid and upkeep is done by the building authority. Each society has their own conveniences like gyms, gardens, swimming pools and other. Further, most apartments are consciously built in areas with other accommodation like markets, transport facilities, etc. Like houses, apartments too have their drawbacks. The major problem is the lack of space and privacy. Although one can buy larger apartments according to their need, it will be extravagant. Yet, compared to building a house and maintaining it, an apartment is less costly. Moreover, there are various rules and regulations that the inhabitants have to follow in order to maintain the living standard of the society.

In conclusion, it can be said that although both of them have their benefits and difficulties, it completely depends on the prerequisites of the person who will buy the house or the apartment. In my case, I feel owning an apartment is more suitable.

Vocabulary to Use for Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a House Compared with an Apartment IELTS Writing Task 2

Below is a list of some good vocabulary words to use in an IELTS essay related to the topic ‘Advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared with an apartment’ that will help you boost your overall vocabulary and showcase your lexical resources.

To conclude, advantages and disadvantages essays comparing houses and apartments require you to evaluate lifestyle, cost, and practicality objectively. Such topics are excellent practice for developing comparison skills, coherence, and evaluative language in IELTS Writing Task 2, and you can present well-reasoned arguments that meet Band 7+ criteria.

Useful Links:

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