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

Sutton Place

400 East 56th Street

$750,000

1 |

1.5

Kips Bay

160 East 27th Street

$615,000

1 |

1

East Village

141 East 3rd Street

$749,000

1 |

1

Upper East Side

3 East 85th Street

$559,000

1 |

1

Turtle Bay

223 East 50th Street

$550,000

1 |

1

South Harlem

1330 Fifth Avenue

$699,000

1 |

1

Washington Heights

807 Riverside Drive

$465,000

1 |

1

Lower East Side

475 FDR Drive

$688,888

1 |

1

Sutton Place

245 East 54th Street

$618,000

1 |

1

Lenox Hill

142 East 71st Street

$689,000

2 |

1.5

Lincoln Square

2025 Broadway

$715,000

1 |

1

Roosevelt Island

595 Main Street

$528,306

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

East Harlem

320 East 126th Street

$1,900 base rent

Studio |

1

Manhattan Valley

249 West 109th Street

$2,575 base rent

Studio |

1

Upper West Side

163 West 79th Street

$2,875 base rent

Studio |

1

Kips Bay

210 East 29th Street

$2,990 base rent

Studio |

1

East Harlem

22 East 105th Street

$2,400 base rent

2 |

1

Yorkville

522 East 88th Street

$2,998 base rent

1 |

1

Fort George

11 Fairview Avenue

$2,200 base rent

1 |

1

Upper West Side

303 West 106th Street

$2,897 base rent

1 |

1

Chinatown

82 Bayard Street

$2,795 base rent

1 |

1

Central Harlem

10 West 135th Street

$2,775 base rent

1 |

1

Washington Heights

775 Riverside Drive

$2,775 base rent

1 |

1

Central Harlem

10 West 135th Street

$2,665 base rent

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

Prospect Heights

418 Saint Johns Place

$599,000

1 |

1

Prospect Heights

394 Lincoln Place

$760,000

1 |

1

Bushwick

366 Harman Street

$661,990

1 |

1

Bushwick

366 Harman Street

$673,000

1 |

1

Bushwick

366 Harman Street

$645,000

1 |

1

Coney Island

460 Neptune Avenue

$489,000

2 |

1

Bushwick

1027 Bushwick Avenue

$735,000

1 |

1

Kensington

280 Ocean Parkway

$425,000

1 |

1

Gravesend

10 Avenue P

$799,000

2 |

2

Midwood

915 East 17th Street

$510,000

2 |

1

Bedford-Stuyvesant

1240 Bedford Avenue

$650,000

2 |

1

Bedford-Stuyvesant

134 Quincy Street

$725,000

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

Beechhurst

166-26 Powells Cove Boulevard

$399,888

2 |

1

South Richmond Hill

109-18 Lefferts Boulevard

$499,000

2 |

1

Bay Terrace (Queens)

211-40 18th Avenue

$355,000

2 |

1

Bayside

35-18 205th Street

$418,000

2 |

1

North Corona

112-26 38th Avenue

$538,000

2 |

2

St. Albans

110-44 177th Street

$749,900

3 |

1.5

Forest Hills

104-20 68 Drive

$769,000

3 |

2

Jackson Heights

33-44 Junction Boulevard

$489,000

2 |

1.5

Forest Hills

118-17 Union Turnpike

$649,888

2 |

2

East Flushing

140-15 Holly Avenue

$508,000

3 |

2

Rego Park

98-120 Queens Boulevard

$389,000

2 |

1

South Jamaica

137-03 130th Avenue

$699,999

3 |

2.5

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