Glossary · Types of home
Duplex
In short
A condominium unit on two levels joined by an internal staircase, usually with living rooms below and bedrooms above. A loft is a smaller version with a mezzanine.
What it means
A duplex has two floors inside one unit. The living area is often double-height, which gives light and volume that a single-level unit of the same area does not have. A loft unit has one tall room with a mezzanine for the bed.
What to check
- What the stated area counts. A double-height space is floor area once; a mezzanine may or may not be included in the registered area.
- The staircase: how steep it is and how much floor it takes.
- Cooling: a tall room is more expensive to air-condition.
- Whether the layout suits the people who will live there, including later buyers and tenants.