Survey suburban home owners and you’ll be surprised how many confess they don’t even know their neighbor’s last name. Neighborhood “events” may be the occasional multifamily garage sale or the driveway cocktail hour attended by a few homeowners who live on the same street. There isn’t that sense of fellowship you had when you lived in the college dorm, or the camaraderie you felt when you played a team sport.

If you’re looking for a close-knit community and opportunity to network and socialize, apartment living is king. Here are four reasons why an apartment community fosters fellowship, belonging and a sense you’re a part of something bigger than yourself.

Proximity to others
Living next door to someone doesn’t mean you’ll be best friends, but the odds of meeting like-minded people increase when you factor in density and location. Apartments are built for density, so there are many people living in a relatively small footprint. Oftentimes, people select the apartment based on a certain metro, community or even street.

The Cedar Springs area, for example, appeals to young urban professionals who gravitate to the work-live-play lifestyle. In this neighborhood, you’ll find a bevy of restaurants, bars and retail, many of which are frequented by the people who live in the area. Cedar Springs is also conveniently located near Uptown (but benefits from less noise and traffic) and is in proximity to the Dallas North Tollway and work centers.

Common area congeniality
Fitness centers, pools, green spaces and elevators give you the opportunity to meet and mingle with others. By and large, these are the amenities of apartment living, and although they are included to provide convenience and fun, common areas also help people get to know who lives down the hall.

Common areas are a place to converse, hang out and relax, and they provide residents with a go-to area for meeting up, sharing ideas, giving support and building relationships.

Onsite interests
One of the signs of an apartment community’s success is that people talk about how much fun it is to live there. A community that gets rave reviews is ilume Park, which was created for discriminating residents and their furry friends.

Here, canines are catered to. The community includes a dog walk, enclosed dog play area, bone-shaped splash pool with fire hydrant fountain, Pawspa® (which features professional groomers and grooming equipment), and dog sitting. ilume Park has mastered the art of appealing to residents’ interests with onsite amenities that transcend the expected. (There are even dog treat vending machines.)

Fun and games
Many apartment communities encourage resident activities where you can meet others who share your interests and passions. Again, ilume Park has the ideal setup.

The apartment community features a Grand Lounge that was designed to feel just like an enormous living room. Inside there are five flat-screen TVs, board games, poker table, media room and movie library; there is a complimentary happy hour every evening. Grand Lounge is designed to encourage residents to mingle and have fun.

The community also offers a complimentary brunch each month, cigar night and holiday events. You won’t find this kind of social mixer in a single-family home community.

Whether you’re looking for new activities or want to expand your inner circle, apartments are designed to foster the work-live-play lifestyle.

Whom have you met in your apartment community? Please use the space below to share your story.

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To learn more about where luxury living meets your pet’s paradise on Cedar Springs, visit the ilume Park website.

Dogs and their humans love the splash pool at ilume Park.

Photo courtesy of ilume Park

Dogs and their humans love the splash pool at ilume Park.