General back ground

An apartment (American English), or flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), is a self-
contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) that occupies only part of a building, generally
on a single story. There are many names for these overall buildings, see below. The housing tenure of
apartments also varies considerably, from large-scale public housing, to owner occupancy within what is
legally a condominium (strata title or commonhold), to tenants renting from a private landlord (see
leasehold estate).

The word apartment comes from the French word “appartement”. The word was derived from the Italian
version of the word, “appartimento” with the root part of the word “appartare” meaning “to separate.”
The word itself can be traced back to the early 1800’s and although the apartment designs differed, they
always seemed to have the basic room assembly, and building construction similar to what we see today.
In the United States, some apartment-dwellers own their units, either as a housing cooperative, in which
the residents own shares of a corporation that owns the building or development; or in a condominium,
whose residents own their apartments and share ownership of the public spaces. Most apartments are
in buildings designed for the purpose, but large older houses are sometimes divided into apartments.
The word apartment denotes a residential unit or section in a building. In some locations, particularly
the United States, the word connotes a rental unit owned by the building owner, and is not typically used
for a condominium.

In England and Wales, some flat owners own shares in the company that owns the freehold of the
building as well as holding the flat under a lease. This arrangement is commonly known as a "share of
freehold" flat. The freehold company has the right to collect annual ground rents from each of the flat
owners in the building. The freeholder can also develop or sell the building, subject to the usual planning
and restrictions that might apply. This situation does not happen in Scotland, where long leasehold of
residential property was formerly unusual, and is now impossible.

Types Of Apartments

1. Studio apartment

2. Garden style apartment

3. Railroad apartments

4. Basement apartments

5. Shotgun apartments

6. Junior one bedroom apartments

7. One bedroom apartments

9. Three bedroom apartment

10. Loft apartment

11. Classic six apartment

12. Convertible apartment

13. Alcove studio apartment

14. Duplex apartment

15. Classic seven/eight apartment

16. Junior 4 apartment

17. Triplex apartment

18. Micro-unit apartment

19. Serviced/luxury apartment

Perhaps the most common categorization of apartments is based on the number of bedrooms in the unit
(one bedroom, two bedrooms, and three bedrooms), but there are many other factors that can be used
to group apartments such as design and size. Some terms used for apartments may be a little confusing
since they are only used in particular states/cities, and you are better off knowing them in case you
expand your apartment search to other areas.

When you are apartment hunting, you are bound to encounter a wide variety of apartments, some of
which you will be familiar with, and others not so much. Here are the different types of apartments you
may find:

1. Studio apartment

This is a rental unit that comprises of one central room that is used for a number of purposes, with a
living room area, a bedroom area, and a kitchen area within the same space. The bathroom is separated
from the central room by a door and a wall. In some cases, the kitchen area will include amenities such
as a refrigerator and a microwave. The cost of rent and utilities in studio apartments is generally cheaper
as compared to that of apartments that feature multiple rooms since they are small size. They are
popular among couples as well as young professionals, but they generally suit anyone willing to sacrifice
space in the name of affordability and a great location in some cases. Due to the reduced square
footage, studio apartments are generally easier to clean than apartments that are bigger in size

2. Garden style apartment

A garden style apartment also referred to as a garden apartment, is typically situated on the ground
level of an apartment building, giving the tenant access to a garden, lawn, or any other green space that
may be present. Garden style apartments are most likely to be found in low-rise buildings that are three
stories high at most. They are common in rural, suburban, and suburban-urban hybrid areas. In urban
areas such as New York City, garden style apartments can be found in brownstone buildings and
townhouses, although the “garden” may just be a small patch of grass, so the term “garden style” is
hardly used to describe these units. The main perk of living in a garden style apartment is obviously the
proximity to a garden as well as any other shared amenities that may be available.

3. Railroad apartments

A railroad rental unit comprises of only one hallway that runs from the apartment entrance to the back
wall. The rooms in this apartment are lined up on one side of the hallway, often in the order of the
kitchen and living room on the front end of the apartment and the bedrooms in the back. The name is
derived from the similar layout it shares with a railroad sleeping car, which has a walkway on one side of
the car and a succession of rooms along the other side that open to the hall. This unique layout allows
for more spacious rooms than what you would find in a similarly sized apartment with a classic layout.

4. Basement apartments

This is an apartment that is found below the street level underneath an apartment building. There are a
lot of strict requirements in place in order for a basement apartment to be legally rented to a tenant.
The ceiling of the unit should be at least 7 feet high, and there must be an appropriately sized window
present in every room of the apartment. The walls of the basement apartment need to be waterproof in
order to prevent dampness and consequent development of mold and mildew. Basement apartments
are usually much cheaper than other units above it due to the less-than-desirable conditions of these
units. Basement apartments tend to be noisier due to their proximity to the street as well as uninsulated
noises from within the apartment building.

5. Junior one bedroom apartments

A junior one-bedroom apartment is essentially a studio unit that has an extra room that you can choose
to use as a sleeping area. This separate space is often large enough to fit a bed and a nightstand.
However, this room does not meet the legal requirements for it to be referred to as a bedroom. This is
because it is too small in size and usually doesn’t have a bedroom. Furthermore, this extra space may
just be a ¾ room without a door. The layout of junior one bedroom apartments may vary depending on
the apartment building, but it can generally be considered to be an upgrade from a studio apartment.

6. One bedroom apartments

This type of unit comprises of a bedroom that comes with a closet and a door that can be closed, a living
room area that is separate, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Some one-bedroom apartments utilize an open
plan concept where there are no walls separating the living room area and the kitchen so as to maximize
on space.

#, There are some requirements that have to be met in order for space in an apartment to be considered
a bedroom:

It should have two means of egress

It has to be at least 7 feet in any horizontal direction

It should be a minimum of 70 to 80 square feet in size

The opening for the window should be at least 5.7 square feet in size

7. Two bedroom apartments

A two bedroom apartment consists of two separate bedrooms, each with one window or more and a
door that can be closed, a living room area, a kitchen, and at least one bathroom. They are more
spacious than one bedroom apartments, hence the monthly rent is higher.

8. Three bedroom apartment

Three, four, and five bedroom rental units have layouts that are similar to that of a two bedroom
apartment, with the main difference being additional bedrooms, and possibly more bathrooms as well.
Apartments that are of this size are not too common in major cities due to lack of space. In areas that
are densely populated such as New York City, these units will generally account for around 5% of the
apartments.

9. Loft apartment

Loft apartments are units that are situated in former industrial or commercial buildings that have been
converted to residential complexes. They are defined by large, open spaces which are not separated by
internal walls. Some of the distinct features you might find include high ceilings and windows, as well as
exposed beams and exposed brick walls if you are lucky. They are especially common in New York City,
favored for their open spaces and bohemian style.

10. Classic six apartment

This is an apartment that comprises of a living room, two separate bedrooms, a formal dining room, two
separate bathrooms, with one often being en-suite, and a third bedroom that is smaller than the other
two in size usually referred to as a maid’s room. This room may also have a full or half bathroom as well.

11. Convertible apartment

A convertible apartment, also known as a flex apartment, is a variation of a studio apartment that is
bigger in size and has a separate sleeping area from the main room. This type of apartment is common in
cities such as Chicago and New York where space is limited. In Chicago, these apartments may or may
not have a partial wall that separates the extra space from the main room. In New York, tenants usually
opt to install temporary structures in order to distinguish the sleeping area from the rest of living space.
Structures that may be used include pressurized walls (if the building allows it), partial walls, and
bookshelf walls.
12. Alcove studio apartment

This rental unit is a studio that additionally includes an L-shaped partition known as an alcove. These
apartments are usually rectangular in shape with the alcove jutting off on one end. Many tenants opt to
use the alcove as a sleeping area since it offers a sense of privacy that you will not find in a standard
studio apartment. It can also be used as a home office, or in any other way you may want. They are more
expensive to rent than normal studio apartments, but they are still cheaper than one bedroom units.

13. Duplex apartment

This is an apartment of any size that has space on two separate floors that are connected by a private
staircase within the unit. This layout allows for a much-needed distinction between the bedrooms and
other areas of the apartment.

14. Classic seven/eight apartment

A classic seven and a classic eight apartment is similar to a classic six rental unit, with the only difference
being the number of bedrooms: a classic seven has one extra bedroom, while a classic eight has two
more.

15. Junior 4 apartment

This type of apartment has four separate rooms: a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, and a formal dining
room. The fourth room is smaller than a typical bedroom and does not have a door that can be closed. It
also lacks a window, hence the unit cannot be considered to be a two-bedroom apartment.

16. Triplex apartment

This apartment has a layout that is similar to that of a duplex, except that it has one more level than the
latter.

17. Micro-unit apartment

A micro-unit apartment is generally smaller than a studio apartment, with an average size of 200-400
square feet. A micro-unit that is ultra-efficient will comprise of a living area, a kitchen, and a bathroom
within this limited space. It is most comfortable when occupied by only one tenant.

18. Serviced/luxury apartment

This is an apartment of any size that includes regular cleaning and maid services that are provided by the
property management company. Luxury apartments generally have higher quality finishes and amenities
as well.