Apartment living

My Decree Nisi will be granted next week and I am beginning to think that I may have to move to an Apartment rather than a house and it is worrying me a bit.
Apart from holidays I have no experience of Apartment life and I am worried that I may find noise from neighbours a problem.I also worry that I may find myself isolated in a large building and feel even more isolated and alone.I could afford a detached house in a less desirable area but am wondering if I should put location above other considerations? In an Apartment I could live in a very desirable area with easy access to all ameneties and probably feel safer and more secure but a house would give me a garden and a greater feeling of autonomy so which should I choose?
I would appreciate any advice particularly from those who have experience of both living situations.

There are lots of different sorts of flats just as there are lots of different sorts of houses. I have actually been quite surprised at the lack of noise in my flat and would seriously consider buying one once my finances are sorted. But I don't see it as a straight flat v house decision. I'm more interested in things like how much maintenance is this place going to need, how far are the nearest shops, will I absolutely have to have a car to live here and what are the public transport facilities. I am also pretty sure that I will need some sort of garden. A flat with a balcony might do - but all the ones I've seen have balconies overlooking main roads and railway tracks, which is not exactly what I have in mind as a bit of relaxing outdoors. The current flat has a communal garden which is obviously hardly ever used - and I gather that that is pretty well standard for communal gardens.

Obvious thing to me is why rush into anything? prices aren't rising or anything so why not rent somewhere first?

Cheaper to rent an apartment than buy one only to find its not for you.

Detached house in a less desirable location? Would you be happy, again why not try before you buy but remember the old sayings location, location, location and never buy the best house in the street.

I may find renting difficult because I have a cat and most rented properties won't allow animals.the other problem I would face is that ,whereas I could buy an apartment in a desirable area,I couldn't afford the rental from my income.Renting would eat away at the Capital I have to buy a home.
Thank you both for your advice.If I decide I need a detached house in a good area I will need to move a couple of hundred miles away from where I live now and go back to the area I came from.That isn't all bad because I still have lovely friends there.

Apartment living to seems not to be bad choice...