With growing population in cities, more and more people lives in homes with little or no outdoor space. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

With the recent global pandemic, where strict “stay at home” orders have been implemented to protect the health of the population and stop the spread of the virus, the discussion of whether is better or not to have an external area in our place has been a popular discussion. Personally, I believe it is important to have an outdoor area where we can change the setting and have fresh air.

However

, it will depend on the intended purpose of the property and who will be living in it. On one hand, if the property is owned by a property investor, from the economic point of view, it can be considered a good development.

This

is because they are cost-efficient,

for example

, small units without balconies require less maintenance, they are cheap to buy and

then

to rent it out.

Moreover

, they can target audiences like students or single people who are just starting their independent lives.

However

, small spaces are not suitable for everyone. Some people will not be comfortable in a house without a backyard,

such

as families with children ,

this

is because young kids will not have a place to play safely and recreate.

Furthermore

, living in a place without an outdoor area might become overwhelming and impact mental health,

for instance

, it has become evident in the level of stress and anxiety that COVID-19 has brought because of the strict lockdowns and people have been unable to take fresh air and being outside. In conclusion, whether having an external space is a good development or not, will depend on the perspective of who will live in the unit or house . While for investors is a good idea as small properties are cost-efficient, they will not be suitable for families with small kids and certainly not good for mental health. Personally, I prefer to have a balcony or patio, where I can escape and recreate my mind.