What is a penthouse
Penthouse is life at altitude, but not in an apartment, but as if in its own separate house. This type of housing is so isolated that you will have to cross paths with your neighbors only on the first floor of a high-rise building. Penthouse symbolizes a luxurious lifestyle and not everyone can afford it, but it is worth every dollar spent, as it provides the most comfortable living conditions and even a little more.
Main features
A penthouse is often referred to as a house on a skyscraper. It is a house, not an apartment, as the property is more similar to a mansion in its characteristics. Separate from the whole complex and other residents, the space is most often equipped with a large terrace, high ceilings, access to the exploited roof, private elevator. Penthouse occupies the whole floor, i.e. there are no other apartments on the same level.
Penthouses are always located on the top two floors of a high-rise residential building. On the first level there are usually common rooms: living room, kitchen-studio, dining room, guest bathroom. The second level is private. Here are the bedrooms of the owners and their children, a study, a spacious terrace, and additional bathrooms.
Often a penthouse is called any apartment located on the top floor of the house. However, this is incorrect. The main features of an "individual house", i.e. a penthouse:
large area - up to 1000 m²;
high ceilings - from 3.5 meters;
panoramic windows - the entire height of the wall;
beautiful view of the city from the windows;
prestigious location of the house - in a central or historical district.
Penthouse cannot be confused with other types of real estate: luxury and exclusivity of location, design and other features of housing distinguish it from other objects.
Historical information
For the first time penthouses appeared in the United States, more precisely in New York. Initially, such housing was not conceived at all for the residence of wealthy people. It was a space on a technical floor where the poor lived.
Over time, everything changed - living at altitude began to attract the elite. And what was recently an annex with a single sloping roof became a luxurious two-level property with a panoramic view of the city. In the modern format penthouses began to be built in the 20s of the last century.
Nowadays, celebrities prefer to live in luxury penthouses: actors, popular TV presenters, musicians and other celebrities. The most expensive penthouses are located in New York, Hong Kong, London and other cities. The cost of such real estate is in the tens of millions of dollars.
What is the difference between a penthouse and a duplex apartment
If you type the phrase "penthouses in Kyiv" into a search engine, Google will find something to offer the user. Although there are actually no real penthouses in the capital, no matter how much the developer would like to prove the opposite to a potential buyer of square meters. Construction companies call penthouses and large duplex apartments located on the upper floors of new buildings.
And yet you need to understand that a penthouse and a duplex apartment are different types of real estate. One of the main differences is the lack of privacy. A duplex apartment most often shares the floor area with other similar types of housing, that is, the owner of such an object will have neighbors on the right or left or both sides. Whereas a penthouse is the only dwelling on the floor.
Another difference is a more modest entourage. A standard two-level dwelling most often does not have a terrace, a huge area and high ceilings. For a penthouse, however, such characteristics are mandatory and emphasize its elite status. The latter can also have a fireplace, a hot tub and even its own rooftop pool.
What are the benefits of a penthouse
If financial possibilities allow and there is an idea to buy a penthouse, it is worth asking about the benefits offered by luxury housing.
The main advantages of a penthouse:
location within the city - proximity to business centers, expensive restaurants and boutiques;
incredible views from panoramic windows and terraces - elite housing is located in historical or central neighborhoods, which means you can admire sights, parks, beautiful architecture at high altitude;
maximum natural light - penthouses are always bright due to their location on the top floors, high ceilings and windows;
private access to the terrace and roof - you can be outdoors without leaving your home;
luxurious living conditions - large living rooms, several bathrooms, plenty of space for receiving guests, exploitable roof, terrace, swimming pool.
Penthouse emphasizes the high social status of the property owner, as it is a really expensive pleasure.
What are the disadvantages of a penthouse
One of the main disadvantages of a penthouse is its high cost. Such housing is always larger than 200-300 m², and can reach up to 1000 m², so the price is corresponding. The presence of a terrace, fireplace, swimming pool will also significantly increase the price of the object. In addition, a penthouse will not be cheap to maintain. A large area of housing affects both the amount of utility bills and the cost of cleaning services.
Another disadvantage, which is at the same time an advantage, is the abundance of sunlight. In summer it can be hot in a penthouse, but this can be easily handled by a quality air conditioning system and thick curtains.
In the penthouse also can not save on repairs, otherwise it will look like an ordinary apartment. Luxury status is important to emphasize the expensive finishing materials, as well as connect to the design of the interior space designer.
If these disadvantages are insignificant for you and you want to know whether there are penthouses in the capital market or to buy a duplex apartment, similar to a penthouse, contact the realtors of the real estate agency "Mayak". Our employees know all the features of elite housing and constantly analyze the market, so they will be able to choose the best objects taking into account your needs.
