Should you buy a house in the city or in the suburbs? This is a legitimate question that many people preparing to purchase a house contemplate quite seriously. The following are pros and cons to living in the city versus living in the suburbs.

Living in the City

Pros

1. Close to all the fun action. If you’re young or young at heart this is a serious thought to consider. The further away from the city you live the less likely you will hear about the new events and cultural activities happening in the city. Of course with the internet at our fingertips this is less of a problem since you can probably look on the internet and find the new events happening in the city.
2. Save time and gas. Most people work in the city. Living in the city will avoid having to do a sometimes long and frustrating commute.

Cons

1. Pollution: With a city comes traffic and congestion. Most big cities have major smog issues that can make it very bad for your lungs to be outside particularly on warm summer days. For the particularly outdoorsy person this may be an unacceptable situation.
2. Expensive housing: Typically the closer to the city you live the more expensive it is to buy a home. Consider your financial situation before you consider putting money down.
3. Higher crime rate: Typically big cities have much higher crime rates than the suburbs. If you decide to live in the city be more aware of your surroundings and get an alarm system.

Living in the Suburbs

Pros

1. More affordable housing: The further away from the city you go the more house you can buy for your money. If you have a family it will probably be more comfortable to have more living space.
2. Less Pollution. The less people that live there the less the smog, the less the pollution. Your kids can play on hot summer days outside with less risk to their lungs.
3. Less Crime: The suburbs typically do not have as much crime as the city does. Of course this does not mean that crime does not occur in the suburbs. Being aware of ones surroundings and investing in a good alarm system is good no matter where you live.

Cons

1. Further away from work, more gas: Most big cities have major traffic congestion problems. This can put someone who only lives 20 miles away with an hour long commute. This problem can be fixed if you live in a city with a good transit system or a city that has car pool lanes and you find a good car pool group with work.
2. Away from the nightlife: For some this may actually be a pro. But the further you are from the city the less likely there will be an exciting nightlife at your fingertips. If you are not a family, but a young couple, or single, living in the suburbs may prove to be a bit boring.