To have the lifestyle they want or need, many Americans have to work two or three jobs that pay minimum wage. In fact, 3.3 million people earned minimum wage or lower in 2013. A significant 1.66 million employees between 16 and 24 years old earn minimum wage as do 1.64 million workers who are 25 and older. That represents a huge portion of the population who are seeking affordable, comfortable places to live.
Enter apartment homes. The apartment lifestyle is perfect for minimum wage workers of all types, including foodservice employees, retail workers, day-laborers and countless other Americans. Here are the top benefits of apartments for hard-working restaurant industry staff and others:
1. Apartments are affordable. Even though apartments became more popular after the housing bust a few years ago, there are still numerous apartments available that fit many different price ranges. If you are looking for a comfortable, mid-scale apartment that provides a safe home for you and your family, there are a number of options. And we are not talking just bare-bones apartments. Most communities feature pools, gyms, community events, wi-fi and many other amenities that make them convenient, fun places to live.
And, if you find the perfect apartment for you but cannot afford the rent, you can get a roommate – possibly a co-worker – who will love the location as much as you and appreciate the significant cost savings that comes from sharing rent.
2. Apartments provide the perfect location. Think about it: if you are working two or three jobs – or even one hectic job or one with late-night hours – the last thing you need is a long commute home. Renting an apartment near your workplace saves you an incredible amount of money on gas and allows you to get home sooner and relax with family and friends. Plus, many apartment communities are conveniently located near buses, subways and trains, offering another fast, affordable solution for commuting. Plus, you can choose to rent an apartment near the things that you love to do. If you love the city nightlife, there are so many modern, urban apartments to choose from, right in the heart of the action. If you love to walk your dog and spend time outside, you can choose an apartment near one of your city’s many parks and walking trails.
3. Apartments provide a flexible lifestyle. People who are working 50 hours a week don’t need to come home and begin making repairs on their air conditioners and mowing their lawn. Homeowners spend countless hours weekly – and hefty amounts of money – to upkeep their homes. In an apartment, everything is taken care of for you. An appliance breaks down? You simply call the leasing office and a maintenance employee shows up at your door to fix it. The heater doesn’t seem to be working and it’s freezing outside? Again, someone else takes of that time and expense for you. When you wake up in the morning, the snow has been shoveled away from your door and plowed from all of the community’s roads. Whew! What a relief that, when you come home at the end of a long day, you can focus solely on what is important: taking care of yourself and your loved ones.
If you are looking for a new apartment that is more affordable, in a better location, or just one that feels more like home, ApartmentSearch is here to help. Pick your city, price range and desired amenities, and let the site create your own customized list that you can then narrow down by Walk Score and factors that are important to you. We will even give you up to $200 in rewards when you let your new apartment community know that you found them on www.apartmentsearch.com.
