Duplex and maisonette apartments and townhouses in Bulgaria – what is the difference

When buying a large apartment in Bulgaria, you choose not only the number of rooms and the area. Many spacious apartments in living buildings have special names and are called duplex apartments and maisonettes. Others represent a part of cottages and are named townhouses. Our clients often get confused with these different names, so Apart Estate experts have prepared a short excursion into the real estate world and are ready to explain in an accessible and simple way what a maisonette, duplex and townhouse in Bulgaria is. In this article, we will tell about the differences between these types of real estate and who and why buy them.

Elegant and functional duplex apartment in Bulgaria

Rooms located on two levels – this is the main feature of the duplex apartment. They are connected with the help of an internal staircase. There are no doors between the levels. If we are talking about a one-bedroom apartment, then it is basically a large common space with higher ceilings. Most often, duplex apartments are located under the roof on the top floor. The ceiling in the upper room can be sloping. 

The layout in such an apartment is quite standard. There is a living room on the first level. There is also a bathroom and visually separated areas for relaxation and cooking. The area can be large, and the room is spacious and light. 

Bedrooms, a library, a dressing room or a children's room are usually arranged on the second level. The number of rooms depends on the area. If the apartment is large, one more bathroom can be built upstairs. 

There is only one entrance to the apartment. As a rule, it is located at the lower level. Windows can be huge – as big as the entire wall. One such window often gives light to the upper and lower rooms. In this case, the apartment is very bright and beautiful. If the apartment is spacious, furnished per a special design, and equipped with a beautiful internal staircase, it can be turned into a modern, trendy property that breathes freedom and style. Such real estate is great for young people, artists, as well as for businessmen. 

Quite often you can see a duplex apartment in Bulgaria wthere windows and a balcony are on the first level. The room here is beautifully lit and, depending on the location, pleases with warmth in winter and coolness in summer. On the second level there are small windows that give a little light. Sometimes windows are built in a staircase. Such lighting gives a feeling of cosiness which makes the upper rooms ideal for bedrooms. They retain heat well, which is very important for heating and the economy. 

It is worth noting that in some countries a two-family cottage is also called duplex. There are two apartments, each with its one entry. In Bulgaria, however, such a house is called a twin-house or a townhouse. 

Maisonette apartment – luxury property in Bulgaria

It happens that the name duplex is used to refer to a maisonette apartment by mistake. Flats of this type are located on the last and penultimate floors of a residential building. They have two stores, while duplex-type flats have two levels. The entrance can be organised from both floors. The rooms are separate, each with its own window or balcony.  

Another feature of the maisonette is that you always can transform it into two or even three apartments. A duplex-type flat is always one apartment with rooms located on different levels. 

If the maisonette apartment in residential buildings in Burgas or Pomorie is built directly by the developer, it has an internal staircase. If it is redesigned by the owners of real estate from two or more apartments located one above the other, there is an external staircase. Such an option is often offered in small single-entrance buildings in Sarafovo and in the Black Sea resorts. 

The layout of the rooms can be very different. Depending on the original layout, load-bearing walls, and the taste of the property owners, the living room, dining room, and bedrooms can be located on the lower or upper floor. 

There are usually two bathrooms in such a flat. It can be a bathroom with a toilet and a shower, just a toilet, or a luxurious bathroom. 

Many maisonettes have huge balconies with bar counters and relaxation areas. If such a balcony offers a panorama of the sea or the city, it becomes a favorite place for the residents of the apartment and their guests. 

In some cases, you can get to a roof from the balcony, where you can equip a winter garden, install a pool or Jacuzzi.

Apart Estate clients choose maisonettes in Bulgaria for vacations or permanent residence. It can be a good rental option as well. Maisonettes perfectly fit a large family with children or a stylish couple of pensioners who love space, luxury and style.

Spacious townhouse is a comfort for the whole family

The third type of large and spacious apartments in Bulgaria is a townhouse. This property is part of a residential two- or three-story building, consisting of several apartments which have separate entrances. 

The owner of the townhouse owns part of this cottage with a plot of land, an entrance, and an internal staircase. 

In our catalog, you will find beautiful townhouses in Burgas and on the entire Black Sea coast of Bulgaria at great prices. 

Unlike the duplex and maisonette apartments, the townhouse is not located on the upper floor. It occupies part of all floors of a residential building and is one single apartment. 

Depending on the layout, such a flat has one or two entrances, a parking space or a garage. The basement can be adapted for a workshop or a gym. On the ground floor, there is usually a living room, a kitchen, a dining room, one bedroom for guests, a bathroom, and a veranda for relaxation. The windows of the townhouse, located on the first line of the sea in Bulgaria, unveil a magnificent panorama. 

The second floor is represented by two or three bedrooms with balconies and separate bathrooms. A dressing room can also be arranged here. 

If the townhouse has three stores, a room for guests or parents can be arranged on the higher floor. 

Townhouses are an ideal property option in Bulgaria for families with children. Several generations can live here at once – grandparents, their children and grandchildren. 

The benefit of a townhouse in Bulgaria is its own courtyard, where, if desired, you can arrange a garden or a playground, plant flowers, install a pool, veranda, or barbecue. 

Apart Estate offers duplex and maisonette apartments and townhouses in Bulgaria for every taste. Our catalogs have great properties for young couples, modern young people, businessmen, investors and families with children.