Age has nothing to do with this preference, nor money. It has more to do with a way of life That the house buyer finds suitable, pleasant and acceptable.

There is a school of thought that says high-rise buildings such as condominiums, apartments and flats are generally safer than bungalows and terrace houses.

That may be true of properties in the high price bracket, since they have round-the-clock security. But what of those in the lower price bracket? Are they not as vulnerable as terrace houses?

There is only so much that the developer or the management corporation can do to ensure safety of homes in high-rise projects.

Therefore, residents in these developments should work together to come up with some kind of crime-watch organization to ensure the safety of their premises.

Remember the golden rule when it comes to safety, the only person you can count on is yourself.

Having said that, it is nevertheless a sound idea to have the residents of the building agree to look out for one another. In the process, residents will get to know each other better. One benefit from this exercise is that it will be easier for residents to detect strangers in their midst.

How would you go about it if you are one of these high-rise dwellers?

First, get to know everybody on your floor. Plan an informal get-together of the residents and then prose the idea of a crime-watch organisation.

Fix date, preferably on a weekend, for an informal meeting, and request the neighbourhood police to send over a representative to give a talk. Announce the event to all residents in the building.

If you are still in the market for a home in the sky, there are a couple of things you should check out first. Remember that the lobby of a high-rise building, like a hotel lobby, is the easiest place to spot suspicious persons.

What you ought to do is to check that there is only a single point of entry into, and exit from, that building via that single lobby.

The smaller the lobby, the safer will be for the residents, because it will be easier for the doorman or the security guard to spot strangers and suspicious characters.

If you are already a resident and you do see unfamiliar faces from time to time, it is your duty to report the matter immediately to the security officers or to the management.

If you notice that the security guards or the doorman are not too serious about their work, and are waving through visitors without checking their identities, you also have a duty to report the matter to the management.
If you see a stranger leaving your neighbour's apartment with some household or personal items in hand, is it okay for you to be a little paranoid and be a busybody?

Should you call your neighbour to see if he is at home and that the person you saw leaving is indeed his guest? I think you should do what your conscience tells you to do.

If residents of high-rise buildings can work together and look out for each other's safety, a high-rise building can be one of the "safest" residential environments" for city dwellers.