8 Ways Living in a High Rise or Skyscraper Is So Different from Living in a Single Family Home

Ever wondered what it’s really like to swap a cozy, single-family home for a chic high-rise apartment or even a towering skyscraper?

To outsiders, high-rise living can certainly seem glamorous — picture stunning views, high-end interiors, and the prestige of an address that practically screams “success.” Spoiler alert: They’re not all glamorous, and living in one comes with some unique challenges that you might not imagine, if you’re used to living in a single-family home.

Here are 8 things that people living in a high-rise or skyscraper have to be comfortable living with:

1) It can take a while just to get out of your building…

If you live on a lower floor, the stairs can be a great way to get your daily steps in, as well as avoid long waits for the elevator. But if you live on the higher floors, you either need to be down for some serious cardio, or down with waiting for an elevator to pick you up, especially during peak hours when everyone is coming and going.

2) You need to be prepared to make small talk…

In suburbia, you can strategically avoid making conversation with your neighbors by waiting until the coast is clear for you to make a dash to your car or into your home. But if you live in a highrise, good luck not bumping into someone who wants to chat in your hallway, on the elevator, at the mailboxes, or in the lobby every time you come and go.

3) Carrying groceries can be even more challenging…

No matter how skilled you are at carrying every single grocery bag in one trip from the car to your kitchen in a single-family setting, you probably wouldn’t be able to duplicate that feat as easily living in a highrise. You really need to think through how much you can carry from the store all the way up to your kitchen, before filling a grocery cart.

4) Taking out the trash isn’t always easy…

Some highrises have trash chutes on each floor that you can just walk down the hall and toss it into and let gravity take it to the basement. But some don’t, and you need to lug bags of garbage all the way down. Think about that the next time you groan about having to wheel your garbage cans out to the street on collection day!

5) You need to take a walk in order to take your dog for a walk…

Letting your dog do its business in the hallway or lobby is frowned upon, so in order to take your dog for a walk, you need to take the trek all the way through the building, just to get outside. If you and your pooch prefer a parklike setting, you’ll also need to walk to the nearest one, which can be quite a hike in some urban areas.

6) If you have kids, it’s not easy for them to play outside…

Not that kids play outside like they used to, but if you live in a single-family house, it’s usually a lot easier for them to do so when they get the urge. Kids who grow up in a highrise might have a great view of some parks in the distance, but getting to them is a whole other story.

7) Sometimes your view isn’t so grand…

Living in a highrise can mean looking out at some amazing views! But it can also mean looking out at the side of another building…

8) You need to be cool with your building swaying in the wind…

Architects and engineers design highrises to sway, and they’re almost always moving a little bit. But when the wind whips up, residents really feel it, and can often hear the building groaning and creaking.