A big Aarhus city apartment only comes on the market once in a blue moon. A typical Aarhus city apartment has one to three rooms. You can find some four and five room apartments, but six or seven rooms is practically unheard of.
So, imagine my glee when this seven room apartment came on the market in the Latin Quarter! The Latin Quarter is my dream neighborhood because it’s in the middle of everything, with its cafes and little independent shops giving it a nice bohemian vibe that’s far from the scruffy feel of Aarhus’ actual bohemian neighborhood.
I knew going in that it would be a fixer upper, but the bones… OMG, the bones of this place! The size of the rooms, the transoms, the cool windows, the high ceilings, this place looked like my fantasy Aarhus city apartment!
My Real Estate Dream: A Big Aarhus City Apartment in the Latin Quarter
Let’s take a tour of my dream property, which was built in 1884 and is 221 square meters (approximately 2379 square feet)…
I’m completely ok with renovating a kitchen and a few bathrooms, but this apartment had been rented out to Aarhus University students since the 1970s and it was in a terrible state of repair. The electrics needed complete refurbishment, the windows needed to be replaced, and I’d have to get a professional to remove those many layers of old paint. This place needs restoration, not renovation.
This apartment could be absolutely stunning, and I’d considered it for a minute, but the dealbreaker was that I wouldn’t be able to live there while the restoration was going on. It would be an uncomfortable stretch to keep my current apartment in Frederiksbjerg while paying a mortgage and contractors on the other place, and I’m concerned that I’d pay out more than the apartment would ultimately be worth.
The Latin Quarter isn’t a very desirable area of the city for people who would have the means to buy a fully-restored seven-room apartment when I go to resell. People with money are moving out of Aarhus city apartments to the trendy and newly-built apartments on the harbor front, which is really not my style, you can see its iconic Iceberg building it here.
And so my search for the perfect Aarhus city center apartment (or house) continues.
Sarah Ebner (@sarahjebner) says
Yes the apartment looks amazing – the size of the rooms is remarkable. But you’re so right! How could you do it up and pay to live elsewhere too? Sorry to hear your quest continues, but wishing you very good luck in finding the perfect place for you in this beautiful city.
Sage says
Thanks so much for the well wishes, Sarah. We saw two more today, but still haven’t found the one. It’s starting to feel a bit like online dating!
Gwendolyn Mulholland says
This is an absolute stunning apartment and I am sure it would look remarkable when it was renovated. The amount of light that the windows bring in is amazing. I hope you are able to find your dream home soon and that it won’t be so much work.
Sage says
Thanks, Gwendolyn. It’s paining me to pass this one up. It seems most properties here are either in need of major restoration, or have been ruined by recent modernization attempts. I do not want to see spotlights in a late 1800s apartment!
Bernadette Siazon says
Wow! 7 rooms, that’s a big big house. Actually, all of the rooms are liveable except for the bathroom. I love the wooden floors and the white walls, so Scandinavian. I also liked the vintage switch :p
Sage says
Actually, they’re not. It’s a whole different story in person, and the vintage switch is a safety hazard, along with the vintage wiring.
Megan Elford says
It’s a gorgeous place, I can’t believe all of that space! The doors and windows are to die for, and the light coming in is amazing. It’s really too bad that it wouldn’t be worth fixing up, but I totally understand your reasoning. I hope someone is able to restore it at least a bit and and really enjoy the beauty of it.
Sage says
There’s a huge student housing shortage in the city, and the most likely scenario is that an investor will buy it, do minimal work and continue to rent it out to students. There’s a lot of money to be made in the student rental market. Unfortunately, a lot of beautiful properties are being ruined in the process.
The demographic of our neighborhood has changed for the worst in the past few years as people have bought up apartments and started renting them to students. What used to be a quiet neighborhood of mostly professional couples has turned into a pigsty made up of mostly student rentals.
KoKoa says
Keep searching, the right one will come along :)
Sage says
Thanks :)
chbernard says
This is such a beautiful property! I love the size of it and how much light is coming into every room. With the renovations this place would be absolutely beautiful. Good luck with your search.
Sage says
It makes me so sad that it will probably never reach its potential :(
Tami says
I love all the space in this apartment. I’m not so sure I’d like my washer or dryer in my bathroom though. Best wishes finding the perfect living space.
Sage says
It’s amazing what I’ve gotten used to after living abroad for nearly six years, but I can’t say I’ll ever love that arrangement and I think having it in the kitchen is slightly worse. They’re doing it that way in new construction, too. Even in fancy places like the Iceberg!