so if you are under 35, honestly, this story isn’t for you

I realize it's supposed to be a joke, but just reminding you not to take this at face value. Friends of mine making 60k a year have afforded a house just fine through my state's first time home buyer's program (guaranteed a loan on your first home at low rates and little down), and I'm likely buying one next year. It's not all doom and gloom.

I won't claim apartments are for everyone. There's no denying that you just cannot have the kind of yard that a detached or semi-detached house offers. At best, some apartments or neighbourhoods have community gardens and it's also more common that you'd have access to broader parks (which you can't garden in, but you can enjoy city managed gardens and generally have more space for activities).

Topless sun bathing? Letting my dog out to the garden. Working from home in the garden. Have a bbq. These are possible at local parks but with some planning and then requiring a vehicle for this purpose. Also local parks can be closed and they can be commandeered for events. Usually in summer months. Not ideal.

I personally don't find privacy a concern with well made apartments. Well made ones have good sound isolation. I don't usually hear my neighbours. But admittedly not every apartment is well made.

Houses can be secured with fences and bushes. Trees grown and other measures. Apartments are what they are. Maybe you could get sound proofing.

You can buy apartments (usually in the form of a condo), so you can make certain kinds of improvements. Yeah, it's not quite the same level of customization (like windows as you mention). You certainly can make plumbing changes (e.g., if you want a nicer bathtub), though there may be some reasonable rules to protect the rest of the building from being flooded if you don't use a licensed professional.

Obviously you'd need to get approval but yes you lose a lot of customization.

Many modern apartments do have places to charge EVs. You'll probably pay extra for them, but they're likely to become the norm for every parking space as EVs become more prominent. But one of the biggest boons of apartments is not needing a car in the first place! With detached homes, you simply can't have everyone close enough together for efficient public transit. With apartments, you can live in desirable areas and close to high frequency transit stations without having to be rich.

Unfortunately we don't really get as many options for modern blocks. I'm talking about current available stock and what about rural living. Not everyone wants to be city centre based. I'd prefer to have the complete opposite.

Some newer apartments do have solar panels. I wouldn't be surprised if most people saved money on electricity with apartments, though. Home solar panels take a while to break even. Newer apartments usually have central boilers and chillers, which massively reduce the cost of heating and AC, which are very energy intensive.

Having something large would be very beneficial and having solar would be fantastic but it likely wouldn't be big enough to power the whole building. This is definitely a pretty positive boon. Probably make things like plumbing and heat more efficient with smaller footprint.

Rural zones would be the complete opposite but with off grid capabilities like septics tanks solar and composting. You'd have a different smaller system at work.

Again, I won't claim it's for everyone. Some people really are better off dealing with the downsides of having a house (which typically will mean being far away from everything and either having to drive or having mediocre transit). But I would argue that for most people, the downsides of apartments are simply worth it. How many people actually want to change plumbing or windows? How many want to garden (beyond the amount a balcony allows)? Don't forget the benefits, too. Stuff like living in more desirable areas (especially where you no longer need a car -- that's a massive expense removed), having amenities like a gym, pool, or rec room, if renting, not having to deal with maintenance, and better views.

Absolutely. Some people will absolutely benefit to this kinda system but as stated it's not for everyone. No options to grow your own food, in this scenario you are entirely reliant on others. Something I hate. If I have control then I can improve or destroy my life. Been forced to be reliant on others is a complete disaster. Have you been outside? The level of entitlement and selfish is obscene. Once one turns the others likely will turn and the ecosystem stops working. Communes are a thing but they are pretty small.

I have a home gym( few weights bench and squat capabilities) don't need anything more. I prefer dealing with maintenance as I'm in control. I can buy good quality and make sure it's correctly fitted and I'm the one maintaining it. I think for a lot they are happy to have someone else deal with this but it's usually cost affective and so that can come back to bite you.

I'm also not sure how well off you are, but honestly, for many people of my generation, the only way they can afford a place to live is with either an apartment or living in undesirable areas. Detached homes in the cities people want to live in are straight up out of reach for many younger people. Or as John Oliver put it in an episode about HOAs:

I'm incredibly poor and likely will buy a house soon. A house I will hate and resent until my dying breath. I don't know your generation but I'm 32. Incredibly privileged to live with my partners parents. Rent here is 2k plus a month for 1 bedroom. Was evicted from our last rent because we bought a dog. Was worty it but lost my job and had to relocate because of it.

I will live in undesirable areas because it's all I will be able to afford. I joke that all we can afford is a shack somewhere but that is our lot in life. Gotta love where the jobs are and fight developers and "investors" to get something.

“Our main story tonight concerns home ownership, so if you are under 35, honestly, this story isn’t for you,” Oliver said. “It’ll never be for you. You will never own a home. Sorry, that is the deal that you made when you decided to be born after 1988.”