Apartment

An apartment is a multi-purpose residential lot where multiple households can reside in the same building. This is a new type of lot that is introduced in The Sims 2: Apartment Life. Apartment is arguably a semi-communal residential lot. In previous expansion packs, dormitory and hotel serve as similar purpose, but none of them enable two different households to stay at the same lot simultaneously. Penthouse has a similar function to apartments that is featured in The Sims 3: Late Night.

Overview
In the neighborhood view, an apartment can be recognized by the building icon that appear above the apartment. If the icon glows bright, it means it has been occupied by at least one household. If it dims, then it has not been occupied, or all playable households living there are saved on a vacation or an owned community lot. Apartments can be placed in base neighborhood, Downtown, and Business District, but cannot be placed or made in Colleges or Vacation Destinations. Premade apartments can be found in the lot bin under specialty lots tab.

The players can see the price range of the apartment by clicking one on the neighborhood view. If there's a playable household living there, clicking it will show the family information. Pointing at the apartment will only show which households are living there, and if Seasons is installed, the season of each household. Each household has separate seasonal condition, so one household can be in heavy snow, while another might be in the middle of summer. This is just similar to the traditional residential lots, where each lot has a different world, and all the playable members grow older, while other families outside the lot will remain intact, except the relationship gain and death. This mechanism works the same as apartments, but the only difference is that the playable occupants now have neighbors who actually live next door and can be visited.

One apartment can only be occupied by up to four different households, no matter how many slots are available. This means, once all four slots have been rented by four playable households, the other slot will be occupied by a social group townie. Individual apartment household can consist of 8 Sims or 6 pets, with no more than 10 household members. Roommate will count as pets, so there can actually be 9 Sims in a household. Therefore, one apartment building can hold up to 40 occupants, but the more Sims live in an apartment, the slower the game will perform.

Apartment Hunting
When a household has been moved in an apartment, they will go apartment hunting until they rent an apartment. While apartment hunting, Sims can use any objects at the common area or interact with the household members or the landlord. The landlord will remain on the lot until Sims rent an apartment. However, there are many things Sims can't do before they rent an apartment:
 * 1) Sims cannot knock on door or ask to come out other existing playable households if there's any, nor will they come out of their apartments.
 * 2) Sims cannot order grocery and hire services. Only adoption, pet adoption, and matchmaking services can be hired.
 * 3) Sims cannot go to community lots. Sims can go on a date or outing but without going out anywhere else.
 * 4) Sims cannot go on a vacation.

Fortunately, no social group townies will appear to rent any of the vacant apartments if the Sims haven't decided to rent yet. If, by chance, the players decided to quit or switch another household from the apartment hunting household, players can still continue playing them later. However, if the players play a household who lives in the apartment where the previous one is still hunting, they will never see the apartment hunters anywhere on the lot. They're considered to be "not yet living there," and all the vacant slots will be occupied by social group townies. When the apartment hunting Sims are played again, the slots will still be vacant for rent, though.

Checking Out
Before renting, Sims can check out an apartment. While checking out, the Sim will look inside the apartment, and all other apartments except the one Sim is checking out will be dark. This is to help Sims to know which area belongs to the corresponding apartment. This is just an optional procedure and Sims don't need to check out an apartment before renting it.

Renting
To rent an apartment, the player must click an apartment door and choose rent interaction. It will show the weekly rent price, which is based on the apartment size and the furniture in its unfurnished state (kitchenware, plumbing, etc.). If Sims can afford to rent the apartment, the renter will approach the landlord and sign the lease.

Once rented, apartment doors can be locked to prevent lot visitors or neighbors from entering the apartment, in addition to the other lock options. Moreover, Sims can lock certain doors to prevent roommates from passing it.

Landlord Duties
The landlord is a new NPC who will come and do daily services in apartment. The landlord will come every morning to maintain the apartment.
 * Landlords will clean up messes, exterminate roaches, and repair broken things in common areas.
 * Landlords will tend all gardening tasks in the common areas as well as in Sims' apartments, even if they lock it.
 * Landlords can be requested to repair and exterminate roaches that are in Sims' apartments.
 * Landlords will come and complain if Sims' apartment is dirty or noisy.
 * Landlords will ask for overdue rent.

Paying Rent
Every Monday is the day when the rent is due. Sims can pay the rent by clicking the apartment mailbox near the street. If Sims don't pay the rent on Monday, the landlord will come to collect the overdue rent by knocking the apartment door. Sims will be forced to pay the rent and the relationship toward the landlord will decrease. If the Sims cannot pay the rent, the relationship will damage worse, and the landlord will come again the next day. If Sims don't respond to the landlord or are away while the landlord comes, no relationship damage will occur.

If the rent is overdue for three days or until Friday, the landlord will stop coming but the rent will be added to the bill, which will be sent on the next Tuesday.

The rent can be lowered by: Additionally, Sims can get an extra +5% rent from a secret networking penalty. The rent price change will only affect the week after Sims receive the benefits or penalties. Roommate's share depends on how many Sims are in a household. For example, a household with 3 members will deduct one-third of the rent, or with 6 members will deduct one-sixth of the rent. Thus, the smaller the household, the more the roommate's share.
 * 1) Having a roommate.
 * 2) Befriending or being romantically involved (-10%), or becoming BFFs (-25%) with the landlord.
 * 3) A secret networking benefit (-10%)

Fire
The fire that occurs in an apartment building will be realized by all apartment tenants. Even if a room that is on fire lacks a smoke detector, the firefighter will eventually arrive to put it out, although the smoke detector will summon them more immediate.

When the fire breaks, all Sims will go out of their apartment, including the neighbors to the apartment mailbox and then panic. They will not gather around the fire, which decreases the chance for Sim to be caught on fire. If there's a baby or toddler in an apartment, an older Sim will carry them out to the mailbox.

Neighbor's apartments cannot be set on fire. Evil witches can cast Inflammo, but the fire will not break.

Apartment Services
Since most maintenance services are controlled by the landlord, some service Sims cannot be hired on phone. The services that cannot be hired or called include: Since the former three are all taken care by the landlord him/herself, there's no need to hire the services anymore. And since the apartment garden doesn't belong to the tenant, Sims cannot ask Garden Club member to inspect or become one. Sims can buy the Planthopic-C from the Gypsy Matchmaker in case Sims turn into PlantSims. Sims also cannot run a home business in an apartment.
 * 1) Gardener
 * 2) Exterminator
 * 3) Repairman
 * 4) Garden Club Member

Additionally, apartment dwellers have a special service: the neighbor nanny. Adult or elder Sims can ask teen or older neighbors to become nanny by using "Ask to Watch Kids" interaction for free. The interaction is never rejected, and the neighbor can become a nanny until the Sim dismisses them. Neighbor nannies will have their needs frozen and they will never tend their own problems like going to work or school, so they can just be a nanny forever. The only drawback is that they cannot track the Sims' schedule, so Sims must ask them when they need them. Sims must ask them in person to become nanny, so if they are off the lot to work or school, or asleep, Sims must wait until they become available. Neighbor nannies can also be asked to take care of the children and pets if the Sims are going on a vacation.

Weekend Parties
Every Saturday, the landlord will throw a weekend party, and unlike other kinds of party, it's not a scenario event. In this weekend gathering, the landlord will announce it, turn on a communal stereo, make drinks at communal bar, and grill or order a pizza. Sims can benefit this gathering to hang around with other neighbors and the landlord.

Sims can throw a building party by using the phone. Sims cannot invite particular Sims in the party, but all neighbors count as the invited guests. This party is quite difficult though, because sometimes all the neighbors are away to work or just don't feel like hanging out with the inviter. They also tend to stay in their apartments, making it harder to socialize.

Roommate
Roommate is an effective way to reduce the weekly rent. Roommates are treated like pets; they are selectable, but not controllable. Thus, roommates will act on their own free will. They will take care of themselves to replenish their needs, and if they have low enough needs, they will run some errands by going to community lot, and all their needs will be full. Going to work will also fill up their needs to the top.

Sims can search for a roommate by using the newspaper or computer. Sims can also place an ad from phone. Occasionally, Sims will receive phone calls from social group townies who want to become a roommate. The number of available roommates in newspaper and computer will decrease if the searching Sim's reputation is worse than Dubious Delinquent. Similar to neighbors, only social group townies are the candidates of roommates. Sims can ask any townie to become their roommate if their relationships are high enough. This is the only way to ask other than social group townies to become a roommate.

Roommates are only available in apartment. Roommates have jobs and go to work, but their salary will not contribute to the family funds. Their only contribution is to reduce the rent price. So it doesn't really matter what their job is, and whether they have one or not. The player cannot access and see roommates' inventory. The inventory option will be replaced with Roommate Satisfaction. The roommate satisfaction will change depends on their mood and their relationship towards the household members. Unsatisfied roommates are likely to move out on their will.

Building in Apartment
Similar to living in a dorm, some elements in the Build Mode are restricted. The notable difference is that the player can use Sledgehammer Tool and the Collections feature. The build elements that are available are wallpapers, floors, ceilings, landscaping, gardening, and columns. Players cannot remove walls, doors, and windows. Sims can add flooring, but cannot remove them. If an apartment contains a terrain patio, the player cannot remove the floor if the ground has been covered by it.

There are several objects that are not available to buy in apartments. The objects are iN Style v1.5/v.2 Closets by Simsational Inc., the built-in closets which Sims can use for a closet WooHoo, and the Very Mysterious Shelving, the secret door bookcase. The player cannot remove them while in apartment either.

Additionally, Sims can buy and attach some architectural parts such as cornices and pipes in the Miscellaneous Decorative section. If Mansion and Garden Stuff is installed, the objects appear in the Architectural catalog in the Build Mode, and thus, disabling it from access. Players however can still buy them if they appear in the collections.

To see how to build a custom apartment, see Tutorial:Building an apartment.

Neighbors
One specialty of living in apartment is that Sims now have visible neighbors that actually live next door. Sims can socialize with them and gain some benefits by befriending them, or even find a new romance. Vacant apartments are occupied by a selection of social group townies. Thus, neither townies nor downtownies will become apartment neighbors. The type of social group that will occupy the vacant apartments depends on the lot class. Low class apartments will be occupied by Gearheads and Bohemians, Middle class apartments will be occupied by Bohemians, Jocks, and Techs; and High class apartments will be occupied by Techs and Socialites.

In addition to social group neighbors, playable households who live there are also the neighbors.

Fog of Privacy
Apartments that are occupied by other households will turn dark with the fog of privacy, similar to dormies' rooms and hotel suites. This is to help distinguish which part belongs to the Sims' apartment, as well as to reduce the loading time. This is because if all apartment slots appear altogether, the game will load up longer, especially in a big apartment.

While the apartment is covered in fog of privacy, the players cannot see what objects or who are inside. Only the architectural part can still be visible. To view the content of the apartment, Sims must knock on the door and be welcomed to get in. This is a bit different from dorm and hotel fog of privacy, because normally, the player can see what's inside by viewing the inventory or in Buy/Build Mode.

Welcome Wagon
Sims get a welcome wagon in apartment, but in a rather different way. Instead of a group of Sims who come as visitors, the neighbors will come out of their apartments in the common areas for the Sims to introduce themselves. Sims can also introduce to neighbors by clicking the apartment door.
 * If all of the members of the household are inside the apartment, the Sims will come in and introduce themselves.
 * If a member of the household is in the common areas, the Sims will approach him/her and introduce themselves.
 * If none of the members are present, a message will notify the Sims that they are off the lot.

Visiting the Neighbors
By default, neighbors will not invite themselves into Sims' apartment, unless the Sims unlock the apartment door from "Allow Household Only." Sims can invite neighbors to come to their apartment by making a phone call. Otherwise, Sims can call them over to their apartment if they are outside. If they are not in the common areas, Sims may knock and ask the neighbors to come out, and then lead them to the apartment. They will only accept to come out if their daily relationship is greater than 30, are not away from the lot, and between valid hours (6 AM to 10 PM).

Other than inviting the neighbors to Sims' apartment, Sims can also visit their neighbor's apartments. Sims can knock on the door to come in. They will only accept if their daily relationship is greater than 30, are not away from the lot, and between valid hours (6 AM to 10 PM). If they haven't met, introducing to neighbors will always accept Sims to enter their apartment. Once accepted, their apartment will load slowly and their objects become visible. The neighbors are always in front of their apartment door.

All objects remain at the state when they were last saved if the neighbor is another playable household. For example, if there is a painting in an easel, the visiting Sims can scrap the painting and use it to paint a new one. Or they can steal a Thinking Cap by bringing it to their own apartment, or break things, or even leave messy trash. This state, however, will not be changed when the other household is played again. The easel remains intact, the Thinking Cap is untouched, things are not broken, and everything is clean, as if neighbors have never visited the place. This can be quite beneficial since neighbors can share things for their own good, such as Career Rewards. Locked doors cannot be accessed, however.

Some interactions cannot be done while visiting neighbor's apartment. Fire cannot be set while visiting, for example. Sims only have limited, if not at all, interactions to babies, toddlers, kittens, and puppies. Sims cannot pick them up and leave them outdoors. Sims can cook in neighbor's apartment, but the food point is deducted by their own, not the neighbor's, and they cannot eat at neighbor's apartment. They will leave to eat after they finish cooking.

Mingling in Common Areas
Neighbors usually mingle around common areas and use communal objects. This is a good way to socialize with the neighbors. If the apartment door is unlocked to enable them to enter, they will be more likely to spend their time there. They will eventually return to their apartments if their needs become too low.

Neighbor toddlers and pets will never get out of their apartments of themselves. If they manage to get out, they can go back by themselves.

Errands
Neighbors may or may not be available to interact with. Neighbors still have their own responsibilities. They will go to work and school, and their schedule depends on their career. They will depart as soon as the work hour starts, even if they're in the middle of conversation. They won't, however, gain any benefit from being a neighbor. So, playable neighbors won't gain any salary, work performance, school grades, promotion, or demotion when they're played. Additionally, they won't gain or lose any skills or enthusiasm either.

Neighbors have more extended bedtime than other Sims. They go to sleep at 10 PM and wake at 6 AM, and Sims cannot visit nor call them during that hour, compared to usual calling hours until midnight. Their calling hour will become the usual one if Sims who make a call for them don't live at the same apartment building with them.

Complaints
Sims live in close quarters in apartments. This means that what Sims do are everybody's concerns. When Sims make too loud noises or too much messes, neighbors or the landlord will start complaining every 15 minutes and reduce the relationship, as well as drop responding Sims' queue and disturb sleeping Sims. Sims might respond well or shrug to the complainer. Both responses reduce relationship, but the latter is worse.

Noise
Noise made by the playable Sims is cumulative. The more noisy activities Sims do, the more likely neighbors will come to complain. The tolerable noise that Sims can make during the day and at night is different. Certain activities are limited to be done at night. Some activities can make noise and disturb neighbors anytime, including: However, there are a lot more activities that are prohibited at night:
 * Jumping on the bed or couch
 * Playing instrument with low Creativity skill
 * Drums
 * Karaoke
 * Stereo
 * TV
 * Party
 * Instruments
 * Toy or robot crafting benches
 * Train table
 * WooHoo
 * Dog barking
 * Fight

Throwing a party becomes more difficult if started in the afternoon, because it will usually end at nightfall, and neighbors will constantly complain about it. Try throwing one in the middle of the day.

Neighbor Noise
Neighbors can also produce noise through the shared wall. Walls that are adjacent to neighbor's apartment are likely to cause noise, which will significantly lower the environment and disturb the sleep. The probability of the noise production depends on the lot class and the average lifetime relationship between all members of both neighboring households:

While neighbors make some noise, Sims can bang on wall or complain to the neighbor; similar to the way they complain to the Sims. Both ways will stop the noise, but complaining will only reduce the relationships.

There are several ways to prevent the trigger of any noise, though. If apartments don't share the same walls, neighbors cannot make the noise. Apartments that are separated by each story will never produce any noise. Also, neighbor noise is, in fact, an invisible object. This invisible object cannot be made if there's no free space adjacent to the wall, so placing objects to the wall will prevent noise from happening.

Smell
The complaints that are caused by smell is similar to noise, but a little simpler. If the apartment is full of stinky objects, such as garbage, dirty dishes, or diapers, neighbors will start to ring the bell and complain.