Micro apartments usually range between 180 to 300 square feet, and these are surely becoming more popular among the bachelors and bachelorettes and even for some retirees. These people seek affordable places to live in the state’s most expensive cities.
The Micro Apartment Trends Spreading Across Cities
The mirco trend is hottest in Seattle. More than 40 micro apartment developments have been constructed in the city for the past three years. Most of these apartment buildings come with shared patios, roof decks and communal kitchens. Other places with emerging micro apartment trends are in San Francisco, Boston, Providence, R.I., New York, Portland and many more.
The key selling point for micro apartments is affordability. In Seattle, one can rent a 250-square-foot apartment for less than $800 a month, which is almost half the average $1,400 cost people pay for newly built studios measuring 400 square feet.
In San Francisco, a person can get 295-square-foot apartment for $1,600 month, which is about a third less than the current average rate for studios in the area.
But of course, living in tiny spaces like what a micro apartment offers requires huge lifestyle adjustments. It can be quite shocking at first. Your old closet can be bigger than the whole micro apartment. It may cause you to go out more often and do things. Most people living in such kind of apartments spend less time within the walls of their home. This is actually a perk since you can walk to your office, or spend evenings with friends that live within your neighborhood and more.
New York and its Micro Apartments
New York has long been known for the shoebox-sized apartments. The Mayor wants to add to the pile of small apartments. He recently sponsored a micro apartment design competition, which is aimed to fight the city’s shortage on affordable homes for one- to two-person households. In a number of Manhattan neighborhoods, 70 percent of the households consist of singles and couples. This can be a great initiative for other cities as well.
The said city recently awarded a firm a contract to build a complex with 55 micro apartments, ranging from 250 to 370 square feet homes. It is projected to open in the year 2015 and it will be the very first micro apartment complex built in Manhattan since the year 1955. The building will be offering communal living areas, dens, a fitness room, as well as a rooftop garden.
Micro Apartments Today
Most modern micro apartments have innovative and efficient designs with flexible features. The dining room tables can often turn into beds. The excess vertical spaces hold shelves. The banquette lids may open for additional storage space. The kitchen may have refrigerators, dishwashers and microwaves, but no conventional ovens.
The Target Market
As previously stated, most people that come looking for micro apartments are singles and couples. But surprisingly, a great number of seniors have moved into these micro apartments. They seek to downsize their full-sized homes, looking for a more affordable and less high maintenance choice. No matter how old or how young you are, micro apartments can take some getting used to.
