Apartments offer privacy, security, comfort
Apartments offer privacy, security, comfort
T. Sima Gunawan Contributor Jakarta
Seeing a young woman returning home at midnight or at dawn, many people might frown upon her, wondering what she has been doing. The idea that a good girl should not go out at night still prevails in the country, even in a metropolitan city like Jakarta.
That's why Tisa TS, 27, is happy to know that her neighbors do not make a fuss about her activities late at night or in the wee hours.
"Sometimes I have to work until 3 or 4 in the morning, editing (films), previewing ..." said Tisa, a scriptwriter for the teen TV series Di Sini Ada Setan/ (Satan is Here) and Kapan Kita Pacaran Lagi (When We Date Again).
Privacy is one of the advantages that she enjoys living in the Kedoya Elok Apartments in Kedoya, West Jakarta.
The other thing she took into consideration when she decided to move to the apartments was its location next to Plaza Kedoya Elok, where Sinemart, the production house that makes her series, is located. Besides, it has good security.
Nani Budiman, president director of an IT company, and Eko Utomo, a lawyer, had similar reasons for moving into apartments.
Nani used to live with her parents in Pulo Mas, East Jakarta, and it took her some 45 minutes to get to her office on Jl. Gondangdia, Central Jakarta.
"Now I need only 10 minutes and I don't have to deal with traffic jams like before," said Nani Budiman, who lives at the Imperium Apartments in Kuningan, South Jakarta.
She used to rent her apartment to an employee at a foreign embassy. Last year, when the rental period was over and the tenant returned to his home country, she decided to taste the experience of living in an apartment.
"It turns out that living in the apartment is really convenient. Besides the strategic location, it also has good security measures. For the time being, I don't think I will rent it out," she said.
She has no worries about strangers trying to break into her place because she can see who is coming from the TV in her room.
Eko, who formerly lived in Jatibening in Bekasi, moved to Rasuna Apartment in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in 1998. The apartment is really close to his office, PT Freeport Indonesia, and sometimes he would just walk home from work.
Living in an apartment is the choice of many Jakartans for reasons of comfort and practicality. Many apartment buildings went up in the city in the past decade and more and more apartments are being constructed to meet demand. Some buy apartments to invest their money and others buy because they really want to live in the apartment, either temporarily or permanently.
Despite the many benefits of living in an apartment, there can also be some inconveniences. People who used to live in a big house with a garden might find an apartment unit stuffy. It is common for an Indonesian family to have several domestic helpers, who are ready to serve the whole family from early in the morning until late at night. Due to the limited space, most apartments have only one servant room.
Eko, who is single, said a maid came two or three times a week to do the household chores. Nani does not have a maid and does all the chores herself.
Nani recalled that when she lived with her parents, she did not have to think about meals because the food was always ready on the table when she returned home from work. Now she does not have time to cook and often eats out.
Another thing Nani, as well as Eko and Tisa, miss is a garden. To bring a bit of nature to their apartments, they have some potted plants.
But what Tisa really misses is her dogs.
"I love pets. I have four dogs but I can't bring them here. Well, there is always a balance. Everything has advantages and the disadvantages," Tisa said.
Nani also recalled how arduous it was when she moved into the apartment because every time she wanted to bring in some belongings, she had to ask for the management's permission and fill in some forms. The management has tight regulations about nuisances and allows work to be done only on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"So on Saturday you can't put a nail in the wall because it will disturb the neighbors," she said.
How about cooking salty fish or other food with a strong smell?
"I don't think there is a problem; our apartment has good circulation," she said.
Living in an apartment, one has to pay for maintenance, depending on the size of the apartment unit. Eko pays about Rp 800,000 a month for the maintenance fee for the common area, water and electricity, while Tisa spends between Rp 1 million and Rp 2 million. Tisa's apartment unit measures 114 square meters, which is much bigger than Eko's, which is only 58 square meters. However, it is much smaller than her parents' house, which is built on a 500-square-meter plot of land.
"If I had children, I might buy a house and live in apartment only as 'transit,'" she said.