Real estate terminology can be hard to decipher — for example, what the heck is a maisonette? That might lead to you questioning another confusing term, what is a duplex apartment? A recent search of NYC and northern New Jersey listings that include the word “duplex” brought up nearly 1,700 sale listings. But what makes these units different from other apartments with additional levels? Here is everything New Yorkers need to know about this distinctive apartment type.

Manhattan Homes Under $750K on StreetEasy Article continues below

Kips Bay

150 East 27th Street

$650,000

1 |

1

Murray Hill

120 East 36th Street

$629,000

1 |

1

Yorkville

444 East 86th Street

$649,888

1 |

1

Lincoln Square

303 West 66th Street

$739,000

2 |

1

Upper Carnegie Hill

1270 Fifth Avenue

$715,000

2 |

2

Upper West Side

242 West 104th Street

$649,000

2 |

1

Central Harlem

305 West 150th Street

$435,000

1 |

1

South Harlem

111 West 113rd Street

$650,000

1 |

1

East Village

290 East 2nd Street

$750,000

2 |

1

Murray Hill

310 Lexington Avenue

$635,000

1 |

1

Lenox Hill

315 East 77th Street

$549,000

1 |

1

Murray Hill

200 East 36th Street

$560,000

1 |

1

What Is a Duplex Apartment?

While it’s unclear how duplexes first came to the NYC real estate market, they did inspire headlines when the last luxury prewar apartment building hit the market in the 1930s. The building located at 19 East 72rd Street housed more duplexes than any other floor plan type. So what separates a duplex apartment from other multi-level units spotted on StreetEasy? Here are a couple of guidelines:

First off, a duplex apartment is a two-floor unit connected by stairs or an elevator. Sometimes the lower level is a basement.

Second, both floors must have a legal minimum ceiling height of 8 feet. For example, an apartment with a loft bedroom with a ceiling height of 5 feet is not a duplex, even if it has stairs.

You might see the term maisonette used when describing a duplex. But, here’s the thing, a maisonette could be a duplex, but it also has a private entrance from the outside, while duplexes do not. What about split-levels? Apartments in this category have multiple floors connected by staggered and short sets of stairs.

Manhattan Rentals Under $3,200 on StreetEasy Article continues below

Washington Heights

920 Riverside Drive

$2,566 No Fee

1 |

1

Lower East Side

57 Clinton Street

$2,995 No Fee

1 |

1

East Harlem

222 East 111st Street

$2,950 No Fee

1 |

1

Upper West Side

251 West 92nd Street

$2,818 No Fee

Studio |

1

East Village

11 Avenue D

$2,799 No Fee

2 |

1

East Harlem

2338 Second Avenue

$2,750 No Fee

2 |

1

East Harlem

2338 Second Avenue

$2,750 No Fee

2 |

1

Carnegie Hill

162 East 88th Street

$2,842 No Fee

2 |

1

Upper West Side

102 West 80th Street

$2,250 No Fee

Studio |

1

Hudson Heights

259 Bennett Avenue

$2,100 No Fee

Studio |

1

Lenox Hill

536 East 79th Street

$2,795 No Fee

1 |

1

Central Harlem

301 West 130th Street

$2,100 No Fee

1 |

1

Are Duplex Apartments Easy to Find?

Although available as rentals, co-ops, and condos, generally, duplex apartments are relatively rare. They represent a very small percentage of available listings: less than 9% of sales and less than 4% of rentals. You may also be surprised to know that the demand for the unique layout isn’t very high.

“Duplex units are not a popular trend given that most have stairs rather than elevators,” says Agent Karen Kostiw of Warburg Realty. “Stairs in apartments eliminate a large demographic from purchasing an apartment given their lack of easy of use and hazards (i.e., falling).”

Plus, it’s cost-prohibitive for builders. So, newer ones are not as likely to hit the market, adds Frederick Warburg Peters, CEO of Warburg Realty.

With that in mind, buyers are more likely to find duplexes in neighborhoods with more prewar constriction like the Upper East Side and Central Park West. In some instances, if someone wants a duplex in a building where they don’t exist, the person can buy two apartments and combine them. According to Kostiw, if purchased early on in the development process, having the sponsor combine them can be part of the negotiation.

Brooklyn 1-2BRs Under $800K on StreetEasy Article continues below

Gravesend

71 Village Road North

$650,000

2 |

2

Midwood

1494 Ocean Avenue

$610,000

2 |

1

Brighton Beach

2934 Brighton 4th Street

$649,000

2 |

1.5

Brooklyn Heights

150 Joralemon Street

$715,000

1 |

1

Windsor Terrace

30 Ocean Parkway

$600,000

1 |

1

Crown Heights

35 Crown Street

$499,000

1 |

1

Canarsie

7917 Seaview Avenue

$465,000

2 |

1.5

Prospect Park South

45 Argyle Road

$700,000

2 |

1

Kensington

379 Ocean Parkway

$599,000

1 |

1

Fiske Terrace

800 East 17th Street

$495,000

1 |

1

Canarsie

645 East 87th Street

$499,000

2 |

1

Flatbush

1462 Flatbush Avenue

$460,000

1 |

1

Pros and Cons of Duplex Apartments

As with any real estate purchase, there are always pluses and minuses to consider. Here are the pros:

More room: Of course, single-floor apartments can be larger square-footage wise. But having two floors is going to give more of that house-like feel. And they are exceptionally roomy if you have two floors of equal size.

More privacy: Two floors, especially if the bedrooms and living areas are separate, means there’s more space for people to spread out. For example, parents can entertain downstairs while the kids sleep upstairs.

More affordable than a townhouse: If you’re wanting single-family style living without the price tag, a duplex is a good option price-wise. A one-bedroom duplex in Yorkville is just $690K, where a townhouse in the same neighborhood asks $7.99M.

Access to amenities: Since duplexes are situated within a larger building, you would have access to any communal amenities available.

Here are the cons:

Managing stairs: Spiral staircases are not uncommon in a duplex as they are space-saving. But they can be more treacherous for some. “This type of staircase is not for anyone who is not steady on their feet or for use by small children,” says broker Gerard Splendore of Warburg Realty.

Finding a sensible layout: “The first question you should ask yourself is whether or not the layout makes sense for you,” says agent Mihal Gartenberg of Warburg Realty. “For example, where are the bathrooms located, and are they easy to access in the middle of the night? There are cases where the bathroom is on a separate floor to the bedroom.”

Queens 2-3BRs Under $800K on StreetEasy Article continues below

Woodside

52-40 39 Drive

$485,000

2 |

1

Rockaway All

515 Beach 43rd Street

$675,000

3 |

3

Murray Hill (Queens)

38-15 149th Street

$399,888

3 |

1

Forest Hills

72-10 112nd Street

$445,000

2 |

1

Oakland Gardens

75-24 Bell Boulevard

$445,000

2 |

2

Oakland Gardens

230-15 Grand Central Parkway

$409,800

2 |

1

Kew Gardens

83-80 118th Street

$400,000

2 |

1

Astoria

31-16 21st Street

$799,000

2 |

1

Bayside

43-12 214 Place

$732,000

2 |

2

Flushing

135-10 35th Avenue

$620,000

2 |

1

South Jamaica

147-19 Sutter Avenue

$629,000

3 |

2

Ditmars-Steinway

22-45 79th Street

$559,000

2 |

1

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