• I've been divorced and sharing custody for five years, but my youngest just started college. • Becoming an empty nester prompted me to reevaluate my living situation, and I decided to downsize. • I had a few dealbreakers when choosing my new apartment.

When I got amicably divorced five years ago, I moved to a three-bedroom apartment across the street from my old neighborhood to make the 50/50 custody arrangement easier on our two school-aged kids. I loved mostly everything about my new abode, from the layout to the location.

However, as time passed, I noticed a few downsides, including thin walls, noisy upstairs neighbors, and rent that incrementally increased by a staggering $1,000 over the five years I lived there. This year, with my 21-year-old living with their dad and consider

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