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 StreetEasyArticle continues below
Upper West Side
49 West 96th Street
$725,000
1 |
1
West Village
15 Jones Street
$725,000
1 |
1
Murray Hill
137 East 36th Street
$575,000
1 |
1
Morningside Heights
31 Tiemann Place
$545,000
2 |
2
Kips Bay
305 East 24th Street
$725,000
1 |
1
Lower East Side
415 Grand Street
$650,000
1 |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
857 Ninth Avenue
$419,000
1 |
1
Yorkville
520 East 90th Street
$649,000
1 |
1
Hell’s Kitchen
347 West 44th Street
$445,000
1 |
1
South Harlem
307 West 111st Street
$525,000
2 |
1
Lenox Hill
123 East 75th Street
$750,000
1 |
1
Central Harlem
239 West 135th Street
$550,000
1 |
1.5
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.
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Inwood
172 Sherman Avenue
$2,000No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
10 West 132nd Street
$2,499No Fee
1 |
1
Central Harlem
287 West 147th Street
$2,600No Fee
2 |
1
Central Harlem
124 West 139th Street
$2,100No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
226 East 6th Street
$2,750No Fee
Studio |
1
Manhattanville
3333C Broadway
$2,451No Fee
Studio |
1
Lenox Hill
270 East 78th Street
$2,700No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
304 Pleasant Avenue
$1,895No Fee
Studio |
1
Upper West Side
495 West End Avenue
$2,700No Fee
Studio |
1
Lincoln Square
200 West 70th Street
$2,650No Fee
Studio |
1
West Harlem
370 West 127th Street
$2,492No Fee
2 |
1
Manhattan Valley
134 West 109th Street
$2,700No 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.
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Crown Heights
1062 Bergen Street
$539,000
2 |
1
Greenpoint
171 Engert Avenue
$675,000
1 |
1
Kensington
350 Ocean Parkway
$649,000
2 |
1
Crown Heights
12 Crown Street
$695,000
1 |
1
Marine Park
3812 Avenue T
$760,000
2 |
2
Gravesend
8638 24th Avenue
$650,000
2 |
2
Midwood
1587 East 19th Street
$648,000
2 |
1.5
Bushwick
1484 DeKalb Avenue
$599,000
1 |
1
Brighton Beach
150 West End Avenue
$475,000
2 |
1
Borough Park
1012 39th Street
$499,999
2 |
1
Greenpoint
173 Mc Guinness Boulevard
$795,000
1 |
1
Gerritsen Beach
43 Aster Court
$575,000
2 |
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.
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.”
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