Searching for a home in NYC is unlike any other real estate experience. There’s different jargon, definitions, and financial requirements. And the same is true when trying to understand the types of apartments available. For instance, what’s a junior one-bedroom versus a traditional one-bedroom? Here we decode some of the most common terms used to describe New York apartments.
Brooklyn Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Stuyvesant Heights
643 Madison Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
1
Prospect Heights
195 Underhill Avenue
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
East Flatbush
1565 New York Avenue
$3,000No Fee
2 |
2
Ditmas Park
1111 Foster Avenue
$2,765No Fee
1 |
1
Ditmas Park
1326 Ocean Avenue
$2,224No Fee
Studio |
1
Bushwick
344 Central Avenue
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Kensington
495 East 7th Street
$2,850No Fee
1 |
1
Flatlands
5614 Avenue N
$2,800No Fee
2 |
1
Williamsburg
133 Meserole Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Weeksville
1598 Bergen Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Kensington
318 Ditmas Avenue
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Stuyvesant Heights
1078 De Kalb Avenue
$2,400No Fee
Studio |
1
Types of Apartments: What Is a Classic Six?
A formal dining room in a classic six with original oaks floors. (From a listing: 420 Riverside Drive #2G)
In a nutshell, “classic” refers to pre-war architecture, and “six” refers to the six rooms. We’re talking REAL ROOMS, not spaces that perform double duty in an open floor layout. A classic six consists of the following:
Living room
Formal dining room
Kitchen
Two bedrooms
One smaller bedroom off the kitchen (once referred to as a maid’s room)
If you’re wondering about the loo, have no fear. Classic six apartments usually have at least two bathrooms plus spacious closets and pantries not included in the “official” six rooms.
These types of apartments first gained popularity in the 1920s and are typically found in older buildings dotting the Upper East Side and Upper West Side. Many of these pre-war buildings pack additional perks, including oak floors, thick walls, spacious rooms, high ceilings, original moldings, and, if you’re lucky, a working wood-burning fireplace.
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Hudson Heights
205 Pinehurst Avenue
$2,800No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
160 East 102nd Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Upper West Side
271 West 73rd Street
$2,450No Fee
Studio |
1
Upper West Side
158 West 84th Street
$2,795No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
158 East 102nd Street
$2,350No Fee
Studio |
1
Fort George
4580 Broadway
$1,950No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
209 East 116th Street
$2,895No Fee
3 |
1
Yorkville
337 East 85th Street
$2,495No Fee
Studio |
3
Greenwich Village
51 West 8th Street
$2,615No Fee
Studio |
1
Upper West Side
53 West 72nd Street
$2,350No Fee
Studio |
1
Hudson Heights
225 Bennett Avenue
$2,075No Fee
Studio |
1
East Harlem
322 East 104th Street
$2,800No Fee
2 |
1
Types of Apartments: What Is a Floor-Through Apartment?
A classic floor-through unit in Brooklyn. (From a listing: 117 Park Place #3)
This term describes a unit that takes up the entire floor of a building. Or, at the very least, it runs from the front of the building to the back.
These types of apartments are more common in brownstones where the unit may extend from the front to the back of the building, usually with windows in both the front and the back. More recently, new developments are building floor-through apartments. They tend to give more privacy and lots of space plus allow the elevator to open right into your apartment.
Queens Rentals for Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Maspeth
60-29 54th Street
$2,900No Fee
3 |
1
Forest Hills
103-19 68 Road
$3,300No Fee
2 |
2
Sunnyside
48-53 45th Street
$2,485No Fee
1 |
1
Hunters Point
44-72 11th Street
$3,380No Fee
Studio |
1
Long Island City
29-59 Northern Boulevard
$3,964No Fee
1 |
1
Kew Gardens
119-21 Metropolitan Avenue
$2,150No Fee
1 |
1
Kew Gardens Hills
150-19 72 Drive
$3,150No Fee
1 |
1
Astoria
32-65 44th Street
$2,250No Fee
1 |
1
Ditmars-Steinway
20-05 38th Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Ditmars-Steinway
22-17 19th Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Woodhaven
86-02 Forest Parkway
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Ridgewood
1934 Greene Avenue
$1,800No Fee
Studio |
1
Types of Apartments: What Is a Railroad Apartment?
A railroad apartment is an apartment where all the rooms line up and you must pass through one room to get to the next (kind of like subway cars). Typically the bedrooms occupy the front and back rooms (for privacy), with the kitchen, bathroom, and main living area smack in the middle.
Queens Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
In NYC, the term “garden apartment” applies to an apartment located at the ground level that features direct access to an outdoor space like a backyard or patio. Neighborhoods like Harlem, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Park Slope are known for tree-lined streets with rows of brownstones and pre wars, many of which offer garden apartments. One good to know, garden apartments tend to be one-bedrooms.
Hoboken Rentals Under $3,000 on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Hoboken
1234 Bloomfield Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Hoboken
156 7th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1
Hoboken
139 Bloomfield Street
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
115 Bloomfield Street
$2,200No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
719 Adams Street
$2,400No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
156 5th Street
$2,250No Fee
Studio |
1
Hoboken
408 Adams Street
$2,744No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
610 Park Avenue
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
214 Jefferson Street
$3,000No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
107 Garden Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
170 6th Street
$2,600No Fee
1 |
1
Hoboken
935 Park Avenue
$2,900No Fee
1 |
1
What Is a Junior One Apartment?
Out of all the different types of apartments, this one is arguably the most confusing. A junior one apartment is a studio that has converted some space into a designated and walled-off bedroom. It is not considered a standard one-bedroom because of its original studio floorplan.
“This is often achieved with alcove studios where there is already a designated sleeping area separate from the living spaces and can more comfortably accommodate a walled-off bedroom,'” said agent Jeremy Kamm of Warburg Realty. “Furthermore, the sleeping area might be smaller in dimension than what is considered a bedroom in legal terms.”
What Is a Junior Four Apartment?
A junior four apartment is a one-bedroom apartment with four separate rooms, most commonly a bedroom, kitchen, living room, and dining room. These types of apartments are sometimes marketed as two-bedroom units, in which case the fourth room is designated as a smaller bedroom.
“A junior four apartment is a one-bedroom apartment that easily converts into a two-bedroom by transforming the dining area off of the kitchen,” said Kamm.
Heads up! If the fourth room or “second bedroom” doesn’t have a window, it’s not legally a two-bedroom.
Types of Apartments: What Is a Loft?
There are plenty of lofty lofts in Soho, which was once an industrial district. (From a listing: 30 Crosby Street #M2)
Raw lofts have open floor layouts without designated spots for a bedroom, dining room, or living room. The kitchen is also open to the entire apartment typically, and the only separated spaces with doors are bathrooms. Many renovated lofts have been subdivided into different rooms or zones with designated functions,” said Kamm.
In pre-war buildings, these types of apartments were originally industrial spaces for making things like clothing or even pianos. Later they became living spaces with some of their original features like high ceilings, visible structural beams, and large windows intact.
What Is a Micro Apartment in NYC?
Micro-units became a thing in NYC when the minimum square footage for an apartment was no longer 400 square feet in 2016. Small spaces like these are typically between 260-360 square feet with a sitting space, sleeping space, bathroom, and kitchen. These types of apartments officially debuted in Spring 2015 as an NYC pilot program.
According to broker Rebecca Blacker of Warburg Realty, “They often feature big windows and lots of creative storage space.” Don’t get these units confused with SROs, which are roughly 225 square feet with communal bathrooms.
What Is a Studio Apartment?
Studio apartments can be charming and comfortable. (From a listing: 123 West 3rd Street #C)
A studio apartment is usually 400 square feet or larger and has a bathroom. “Everything is in one open space: living room, bedroom, and usually the kitchen too, although there are a lot of studios in NYC with separate kitchens,” said Blacker. “There are a few variations on the studio floor plan, such as the alcove studio, which has an extra nook where you can squeeze a bed or a desk.”
What Is a True One Bedroom?
A real one bedroom features at least two distinct rooms with a door that separates the bedroom from the living area. To qualify as an actual “bedroom,” typically, the room must be at least eight feet wide, and eight feet tall plus have a window that opens to the street, a garden, or a courtyard. The same is true for any number of bedrooms. If there’s no window, then it’s not a real bedroom.
What Is a Pre-War Apartment?
When it comes to types of apartments, this one can be a little confusing. In NYC, a pre-war apartment is an apartment built before WWII, typically between the years 1900-1939. These types of apartments tend to have decorative features like patterned floors, plaster, moldings, etc. Other features can include high ceilings, too, and sometimes larger windows.
“Some buyers prefer pre-war apartments because the apartment layouts look and feel different — not the usual cookie cutter’ experience where a handful of layouts define most of the apartments,” said agent Mihal Gartenberg of Warburg Realty. “On the con side, pre-war apartments tend to have smaller bathrooms and smaller closets. If you find a pre-war with large closets and bathrooms, it’s a keeper.”
Types of Apartments: What Is a Walk-up Apartment?
As the name implies, a walk-up apartment is in a building with no elevator. “Living in one of these buildings means you need to walk up a flight or more of stairs to get home if you’re not on the first floor,” said agent Mihal Gartenberg of Warburg Realty.
These types of apartments are located in buildings with less than six floors. Buildings with more than six floors must have an elevator.
Other Types of Apartments in NYC
There are more types of apartments to know. And lucky for you, there are more explainers that dive in:
Penthouse: A penthouse unit is located near the top floor of a building.
Pied-à-Terre: The French phrase means “a foot on the ground.” But in NYC real estate terms, a pied-à-Terre means an apartment where the owner uses it as a “non-primary residence.”