What is a loft?

Anyways, back to the "loft"

The word originates from German and means "air" which, applied to housing, is pictured as a spacious, open household full of light and freed from cluttering inner constructions or items. Normally, lofts are located right under the roof. The reason for that is quite understandable: since this type of household lacks supporting constructions, it can't have many levels on top. It just wouldn't be safe to live in.

Are lofts good for living?

Lofts are different from other types of apartments thanks to their very specific architectural style, explains David Whitelaw, a real estate advisor with the Atlas Team at Compass Florida. Most lofts are former storage facilities. Which makes them a perfect space to be featured for comfortable living based on your own imagination and budget. Here you can find some wonderful examples of loft apartments designed for both comfortable living and creative art of their owners.

What types can lofts be?

• There mainly are two types of loft apartments:
• Hard lofts
• Soft lofts 

Hard lofts are the ones designed on top floorspace of old buildings and especially featured for living or art studios. Sometimes hard lofts are former industrial buildings totally transformed into loft studios.

Soft lofts generally support the same idea of open space. Pretty much the only difference is that soft lofts are constructed in new buildings designed to be lofts from scratch. 

How old is the concept of a loft apartment?

Yet at the beginning of the XX century huge underroof spaces suddenly became attractive for artists, photographers and designers in the United States who needed a lot of open space and sunlight to keep working and creating. In Europe lofts became popular even earlier. Artists found it extremely convenient to be able to work and live downtown just a stone's throw from their favorite restaurants, theaters and which is even more valuable, from their customers. 

Within a blink of an eye all available lofts were occupied and the idea of building such constructions from scratch not only became obvious but inevitable. Thus, by the mid 80s we can see loft apartments in almost every popular movie or a sitcom. If you want to follow a more detailed transformation of lofts from mainly workspaces to a living variation of them, follow us here.

Is a loft apartment good for me?

Another very nice question, the answer for which you probably already know. 

Every time you see a beautifully designed loft, full of light, air and freedom of movement, you must be catching yourself trying to remember your realtor's phone number. Before you dial it, stop for just a second and give yourself a good deal of reflexive thinking. What kind of thoughts do you follow:

• What a wonderful, dream-come-true one-piece living or working space this must be?

Or

• I wonder where they keep their bikes and strollers. And is there any room for privacy in this, no doubt, wonderful, luxurious apartment?

See, statistically loft apartments are more often purchased by singles or young childless couples. Which doesn't mean of course that you have to be single or a newly married young couple to own it. That is why we strongly recommend listening to your heart and your realt advisor.

How about a loft room instead?

What if you are totally charmed by a loft style but not ready to share your open space with your teenage children? 

You might find it perfect to redesign part of your household into a loft style. It will give you some open space within a home's second floor separate from the rest of the house. Now you can afford some privacy while also the place stays open and welcoming for relaxation or/and generating new ideas.

Pros and Cons of being a loft owner

Just like owning any other property, owning a loft apartment has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of them for you to consider before you make your decision.

Main pros of a loft apartment:

• Open space

This is one of the most obvious reasons why people opt for a loft apartment. Not so obvious though is the idea that wanting some more space means that your brain, your soul, your heart is ready to develop, absorb and generate new concepts. This might be a good time to listen to yourself.

• Natural light

Do not underestimate the natural light that a loft apartment gives you. Even if you are not an artist, and your productivity or working day do not depend on the day length, you will appreciate this great deal of natural light and a feeling of peace and harmony that it will bring into your life.

• Trendy design

It's been a while, and there are no signs of it to be over, that the industrial style of lofts with its exposed pipes and bricks, high or no ceilings, roof access is an iconic trend among interior designers. You don't even have to change a lot, your loft comes prepared. All you need is add a little personality and enjoy your trendy loft.

• Safe and sound investment

Ask any real estate agent and you will hear: the price of lofts is constantly getting up which makes it a very safe investment. You can find more on this subject if you take some time going through our thoroughly chosen articles on different kinds of real estate.

Cons of a loft apartment:

Don't get me wrong, but number one demerit of a loft apartment is

• Open space

In a house with no walls every single sound can be heard in every single corner. Same with the smells. God forbids you burning your scrambled eggs in the kitchen area. You'll bring this smell to work with you on your office jacket which was safely (or you thought so) stored in your bedroom closet. Lofts lack intimacy, that's for sure. That is one big disadvantage.

• Natural light

You might think I'm trying to confuse you, but it's true as can be: a lot of natural light brings some inconvenience. Your loft will quickly get hot in the summer and cold in the winter which will increase your electricity bill for cooling and heating subsequently. Truth to say, there are materials available that can help you deal with extreme temperatures in a natural way. And of course, if your climate is nice and mild, just don't mind this problem.

• Lack of storage space

With the walls missing we lack all those cupboards, in-built wardrobes and closets of a classic house. So, you will have to bring this up while discussing the design of your loft apartment with an interior designer. On the other hand, this may lead you to a total declattering and smart consumption. Those are two most eco-friendly trends we can think of, funds-saving too. Shall we move this point to the list of advantages, ha?!

Where can you find the loft apartment of your dreams?

Are loft apartments expensive? They definitely do not represent the low-budget real estate segment. But if you invest some time researching and comparing prices of the same size apartments, you'll find them to be no less expensive. Most of this research has already been done by our experts at Realt Advisor.

If you are seriously considering a loft apartment for living, there two obvious options:

• Rent
• Purchase

In either case you will need qualified legal advice and you would want some nice choice to be looked at. Both are available at a professional realty advisor. Our editorial team prepared a quick and informative guide that will help you find a loft for rent faster and avoid common rookie mistakes. 

A loft apartment is not a type of real estate that can be easily afforded. Purchasing it might be associated with additional costs. In that case you might want to consider some other appealing estate options. But if lofts with their industrial charm and open spacious footage answer your household requirements do not hesitate to contact us for help and advice.