Manhattan residential real estate jargon is unique. Familiarizing yourself with the following terminology will facilitate the buying process.
Room counts. It is also important to know that New Yorkers speak in “number of rooms,” as well as using the terms below. A room in Manhattan must be at least 100 square feet and have a window, except in the case of a kitchen. Most kitchens are considered rooms unless they are Pullman types in which the kitchen is part of the living room. Bathrooms are not considered rooms. So, a Three Room Apartment would be comprised of a living room, kitchen and bedroom. A Four Room Apartment would have a living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms, or one bedroom and a dining room. You’ll hear the term “Half of a Room”, e.g., Three and a Half Rooms. This means that the living room has an alcove adjacent to it which is not quite the size of a true room, or in some cases it may mean a foyer large enough for dining.
Studio. One or two rooms with combined living and sleeping area. If the studio is one room, the kitchen will be Pullman style. If it is two rooms, the kitchen will be separate.
Alcove. An alcove is an area adjoining the living room space of an apartment. It is generally less than 100 square feet and is not considered a full room, but is often called a half room. It can be used as a “dining alcove” or “sleeping alcove.” Depending upon size, it may actually be “walled off” to create an additional bedroom.
Alcove studio. This is either a one and a half or two room apartment with an often L-shaped alcove which can be used as a sleeping area.
Junior or convertible. This is an apartment with an alcove off of the living room which can be converted into a bedroom or used for dining. A Junior Four, for instance, would be a three room apartment (living room, kitchen and bedroom) which has the potential to be four rooms by using the alcove space to create an additional room.
Duplex. In Manhattan, this means an apartment with two floors or levels, not two apartment units.
Loft area. A loft is an additional space created in apartments with very high ceilings. The loft area is constructed above the traditional living area, accessed by a staircase or ladder, and used for extra storage, sleeping or living space (e.g., a mezzanine).
Classic. The word “Classic” is usually followed by a number indicating the number of rooms in an apartment. It is generally associated with a Manhattan prewar apartments that meet criteria of room numbers and design for buildings of that period. However, a Classic can exist in a post-war building, assuming it follows the same guidelines. As an example, a “Classic Six” is comprised of a living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms, and a maid’s room.
