Varieties of Real Property: Terraced Houses, Smart Flats, Penthouses and other options

The era of plain vanilla flats with boring arrangements is gradually becoming history. Every day, we encounter more and more unconventional residential solutions which were all but unknown a mere decade ago. Some of the new terms are still raising eyebrows.

Let us find our way through the most recent varieties of real estate, shall we?

Guest Flat

The term 'guest flats' is commonly used to denote small space-saving flats with an antechamber, bathroom facilities, and a tiny kitchen. These resemble typical one-room flats but have a smaller floor area: 11m² to 18m² (118ft² to 194ft²) on average. There are configurations with the sole bedroom combined with a living room and a kitchen (bedsit) and some guest flats even feature a balcony. This is a variety of affordable housing.

Studio Flat

Studios differ from one-room flats by the fact that they have plenty of inner walls and partitions. Bedroom, living room, and kitchen area are combined in a single inner space. Division of activity areas is commonly achieved through intelligent arrangement and designer solutions for the interior. Studios may have virtually any floor space, ranging from 20m² (215ft²) to 70m² (754ft²). There exist two-room studio flats, too—with one standalone room and the other one merged with a kitchen, an antechamber, and a living room as is the case with single-room studios.

Smart Flat

Smart flats are a recent trendy option that is particularly widespread in the environment of newly developed housing estates. These are, in essence, a middle-of-the-road solution for those not being sure whether to opt for a guest flat or a studio flat solution. A smart flat should be as functional as possible, making the most out of every metre/foot of the floor space. As the building is erected, no inner partitions are being foreseen, apart from the one for the bathroom. Another common feature of a smart flat is its high ceilings, allowing one to add another 'storey' to the inner space.

Suite

A suite is a spacious one- or two-room residential homes, most commonly arranged inside hotels or administrative buildings. These differ from conventional flats in terms of their legal status and in the fact that there is a servicing company engaged to ensure proper maintenance. Technically, a suite may be used both as a home and as an office. There is, however, a catch: an inner floor area not certified/verified as a residential space may be cheaper to rent and/or buy but utility bills for these are higher, as 'business' rates are applied to them.

Loft

A traditional loft is actually a refurbished industrial building or a part thereof. Lofts emerged in the US back in the times of the Great Depression when people occupied the premises of abandoned factories and used them as their homes. This format has since been particularly popular with artists and creative personalities by and large, as the leeway to experiment with the interior was all but unrestricted. As far as Ukraine is concerned, loft residences are a rarely encountered option—but an existing phenomenon nonetheless.

Penthouse

A penthouse is a fully functional private house perched on top of a multi-storeyed building. This is a two- or three-'storeyed' home with high ceilings—and a picturesque view from one's windows to crown it all. Most of the penthouses fall into the luxury homes category.

Terraced House

A terraced house is an urban building with several storeys, whereby multiple houses in a row comprising a street share side walls, i.e. being adjacent to the neighbouring building. These differ from a flat by the arrangement pattern, by a small yard next to it, and an independent external entrance. In terms of the arrangement of inner spaces, a terraced house—also referred to as a townhouse in the States—is almost the same as a cottage. But it will cost you less due to the neighbourhood cluster arrangement.

If you wish to find a home that will be the best choice for you, we are here to help you. The Comfort Realty Company specialises in renting real property in Lviv. We offer an extensive database of reliable landlords, competitive prices, and comprehensive legal services throughout the agreement preparation, finalisation, and signing stages.