I'm single and an empty nester, so I decided to downsize. I made some compromises on my new apartment to save money.

"When I got amicably divorced five years ago, I moved to a three-bedroom apartment across the street from my old neighborhood to make the 50/50 custody arrangement easier on our two school-aged kids. I loved mostly everything about my new abode, from the layout to the location. However, as time passed, I noticed a few downsides, including thin walls, noisy upstairs neighbors, and rent that incrementally increased by a staggering $1,000 over the five years I lived there."

"This year, with my 21-year-old living with their dad and considering a move of their own, and my 18-year-old starting college three and a half hours away, I decided it was a good time to downsize."

"My search for a new apartment included a few deal-breakers: it had to be on the top floor to eliminate the chance of heavy footsteps or loud children above me, with a spare bedroom for visits from my kids and to double as a home office, and a balcony for some outdoor space."

I moved to a three-bedroom apartment five years ago to facilitate a 50/50 custody arrangement for two school-aged children. The layout and location suited daily life, but persistent thin walls, noisy upstairs neighbors, and cumulative rent increases of about $1,000 prompted reevaluation. With one child living with their father and the other starting college far away, I chose to downsize. I rejected staying in the same complex to create symbolic distance. I considered buying but declined due to high local costs and plans to relocate to Europe in a few years. New apartment criteria included top floor, a spare bedroom/home office, balcony, and positive resident reviews.

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