SPOTAHOME

The time has come to become more independent or to move to a different city to study or work. Renting is a really interesting alternative because it gives you so much freedom and it doesn't require a big payout that comes with buying a home. But there is one dilemma, is it better to live alone or to live in a shared apartment?

Obviously, the economic factor is going to be one of the main determining factors. In some cities like Madrid, more than half of the rental houses are over 800 euros. In others, such as London, the estimated cost is the equivalent of around 1,000 euros. Figures that are just not in most people's price range. But there are many other factors to bear in mind that will influence your decision.

At Spotahome we already have a lot of experience in this area, since we have helped more than 120 thousand people to find their ideal place to live. Because of this, our team of experts offer some tips that can help you choose which of the two options is best for you.

My house, my rules

We recommend that you rent a house just for you if...

You are conscious of your privacy. In a shared apartment there will always be communal areas in which you will have to give up part of your personal space and, in many cases, it will be with a stranger, at least at first.
You like peace and quiet, can't bear it when there is noise around you whilst you are studying, you don't want to listen to any music other than your favourite songs and you can't bear listing to other people talking on the phone.
You are fussy about tidiness and cleanliness. Living with somebody else is going to be difficult unless you come across somebody who is similar to you regarding this matter, so you will have to be patient or it will become the source of conflict.
The design inside is important to you and where the furniture is placed. If you share a flat, these will be the aspects of life that you will have to negotiate.
You regularly organise hanging out with friends and you don't want to ask your house mates for permission or you don't want them to join the party.

The Marx brother's cabin

Although it's not necessary to be so extreme, sharing an apartment with someone will be perfect for you if:

You are an extrovert, and you like to meet and establish new relationships with new people.
Patience is a strength of yours and you think twice before showing that you have a complaint to make or you are upset.
You hate to be alone and you love to spend every second of the day with people around you.
You have a collaborative and generous attitude with others and you don't care about giving a helping hand if necessary.
You are a saver and you prefer to split the expenses such as cleaning products and payments for supplies.

These are only a few ideas and as you can see, both options have their advantages and their disadvantages. The circumstances and the vital stage in which we find ourselves will determine which is the best option for us. You choose if you want to live an adventure like in "Friends" or if you want to pay homage to Macaulay Culkin in "Home Alone". What do you think?