What Is a Manhattan Style Studio Apartment? The Latest Property Market Trend
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Everything You Need to Know About Manhattan-Style Apartments
When you hear the word ‘Manhattan’, your mind probably conjures up a few images.
Parties.
Glitz.
Glamour.
But, the next big property trend?
Yes, a Manhattan is more than just the name of a New York neighbourhood (or a drink/fancy nightclub) – it’s also a term for a particular brand of apartment.
What is a Manhattan-style apartment?
In this guide, you’ll learn all there is you need to know – from a Manhattan-style apartment definition to all its benefits.
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What Is a Manhattan-Style Apartment?
Essentially, a Manhattan-style apartment is a studio with a secluded bedroom. Manhattan apartments function as a kind of mix between traditional studio flats and one-bedroom apartments.
Why Do You Need to Know About Manhattan Apartments?
In the world of property investment, there is almost nothing as important as keeping up to date with the latest trends.
Whether you are just getting started with property investment or looking for the best place to invest in the UK, knowing your tenant’s needs is an essential piece of knowledge that separates wasted investments from the more lucrative ones.
Projected annual rental income as high as £28,345 and predicted £86,929 capital growth by 2030. Interested?
Enquire about Fox & Foundry today, our latest addition to Liverpool’s fastest-growing regeneration area, with prices from £189,950. Growth prediction based on North West projected capital growth, Savills.
Why Are Manhattans the Next Big Thing?
Now, you’re probably wondering: What makes Manhattan apartments better than typical studio flats?
Well, what separates a Manhattan from a studio apartment is the privacy.
With most studio apartments, it’s easy for your guests’ eyes to wander toward your bedroom simply because it’s right there in the front room next to your kitchen.
With an entire apartment on show, there isn’t much you can hide – it’s probably one of the main concerns people have about spacious open-plan living areas.
On the other hand, Manhattan-style apartments are designed so that visitors don’t have to wander past your bed whenever they come over for dinner – it’s that added level of privacy that is one of the most significant selling points.
You may also be asking:
‘Why not just buy a one-bedroom flat?’
Being more compact than one-beds, Manhattan apartments are also much more affordable to buy. Rental costs are also slightly lower than the cost to rent a one-bedroom flat while still being high enough to generate a good return on investment.
They also come with the added bonus of the sizing still being sufficient to qualify for a mortgage – making Manhattan apartments perfect for investors looking to put an initial cash deposit down and mortgage the rest of the funds.
As well as this, the more efficient, compact design is a highlight for investors (and tenants) in terms of energy efficiency.
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An Eco-friendlier Investment
It’s no big secret that climate change is a significant threat – and the effects are being felt in every facet of our lives. Housing is now recognised as one of the largest sources of UK emissions, with household energy use and home heating responsible for around a fifth to a quarter of the country’s entire greenhouse gas output.
To tackle this, the government has identified the property sector as a critical area of focus within its legally binding commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. New plans now also point towards a minimum EPC C standard for private rented homes by 2030.
With recent research showing that around 55-60% of UK homes – an estimated 18-19 million properties – are still rated EPC D or below, there is clearly a huge retrofit challenge ahead and a growing push to improve the energy efficiency of UK housing. Rather than only upgrading older stock, another route for investors is to focus on eco-properties.
An eco-property is exactly what the name suggests: a development purpose-built with sustainability in mind, typically using lower-carbon construction methods, high-performance insulation and integrated low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps or solar PV.
With policy tightening and tenant demand increasingly favouring cheaper-to-run, greener homes, eco-developments are set to become a far more attractive option for both investors and renters alike.
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With a More Compact Design Comes a Warmer Home
The good thing about Manhattan-style studios is that even just their design already instinctively appeals to these eco-friendly sensibilities.
Our developments at Heap’s Mill and Rice Works, for example, have incorporated this Manhattan-style trend. These apartments feature a 10-20% smaller design than the typical one-bed apartment.
However, this is not just to give things a nice, homely feel.
Not only is this efficient in terms of space, but it could also be a huge helping hand in terms of energy efficiency.
A smaller property means less energy is needed to keep things warm.
In fact, your tenants may hardly ever have to keep the heating on for long.
Like all units in the Heap’s Mill development, Miller’s Place also features all the essentials for the latest in sustainability-boosting technology – such as solar panels and smart heat pumps — meaning bills, in general, will be a meagre cost for tenants.
With features like these, eco-friendly Manhattan apartments like these could be perfect for those seeking a more energy-efficient investment.
Read another of our articles to learn all you need to know about eco-investing.
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Location, Location, Location
Location is another aspect of property investment that is vital for success.
Where your investment is housed can often be even more important than it looks.
Another great thing about Manhattans is that they typically benefit from being in a quality location and looking good at the same time.
Apartments like these are primarily tailored-made for young professionals, which makes them more likely to be based in city-centre locations.
Miller’s Place and The Mill, for example, are located right in the heart of Liverpool city centre, a few minutes from the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool ONE, and the Royal Albert Dock. It’s a perfect spot for those looking to get the most out of the city.
In fact, with its proximity to the trendy Baltic Triangle spot, you can even say that the relationship between Manhattan and Brooklyn is replicated alongside the apartment design.
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Why Invest in Liverpool?
The Champion of Capital Growth
Over the last decade, the city has flourished in the property market – with Liverpool consistently ranking among the UK’s fastest-growing cities for capital growth and regularly outperforming London and many other southern markets.
And there are no signs of this momentum slowing any time soon, with current forecasts indicating that North West house prices could rise by almost 29% by 2030 – again putting the region at the very top level of growth in the UK.
Regeneration Hotspot
UK regeneration projects typically cause a city to boom in rental demand and capital growth.
Regeneration is strong in Liverpool at the moment – with around £14bn being spent on boosting the quality of living in the city.
These projects include a £2bn inner-city revamp of the Knowledge Quarter, dedicated to expanding health and life sciences – one of Liverpool’s global leading strengths, and the £5.5bn Liverpool Waters masterplan, set to completely transform the northern docklands.
A Rising Population Means More Space is Needed
You’re undoubtedly well aware that rental demand is surging – fuelled by sustained population growth and a large cohort of young renters.
In Liverpool, the picture is no different. Between the last two censuses, the city’s population grew by around 4.2%, and recent estimates put the wider urban area at more than 930,000 people and still rising.
Crucially, Liverpool’s city centre has seen its population more than double since the mid-2000s, with around 75% of residents aged 17 to 29 – exactly the age group most likely to rent. With forecasts indicating further growth towards the end of the decade, Liverpool’s population is expected to climb even higher, bringing a steady flow of potential new tenants for years to come.
For investors seeking a quality long-term asset, this demographic momentum should be welcome news, underpinning strong and sustained rental demand across the city.
And what better place to start than by looking at a Manhattan apartment?
Why Should You Invest in Manhattan-Style Apartments?
So, there you have it – you now know what a Manhattan-style studio apartment is and why it has the potential to become one of the next big property trends.
Still not convinced why you should invest?
Well, in summary:
- Manhattans are a stylish blend of a studio flat and a one-bedroom apartment – with no compromises on privacy.
- They can often be an eco-friendlier investment due to their concise and efficient design.
- Modern developments feature sustainability-boosting technologies, which also can help keep those bills low.
- Many are situated right in the middle of thriving investment hotspots, providing an excellent incentive for both tenants and investors.
If you’d like to learn more about property investment, consider reading some of our latest up-to-date guides.
Or, if you feel like you’re ready to indulge yourself in a Manhattan, check out an exclusive RWinvest opportunity and learn more about Miller’s Place, Heap’s Mill, and the Rice Works.
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It will be my third investment apartment with RW Invest and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Sean Orrett and Chloe Walker really do go the extra mile. Chloe in particular helped me through a particularly hard time with solicitors and all the paperwork that was involved. Living in a different country and negotiating all the nuances that come with investing, she negotiated with ease and gusto. A big thanks to you both.
Daniel Stewart, has assisted me every step of the way. This is my first property purchase and so took Daniel up on his offer to guide me through every step no matter how small. I felt comforted to have his assistance in documents I needed to both understand and sign. Couldn't be happier with the help and customer care I have received so far.
We highly recommend RW Invest to anyone looking for an experienced, reliable and knowledgeable professional company.
We are more than delighted with their services throughout the entire process. They provided us with extremely helpful advice and guidance every step of the way and ensured that we understood all aspects involved in securing a property through them.
Chloe is very helpful. She has been a great help and solved all the difficulties I had with the purchase. I am happy she was there to help with the process. Very approachable and responsible.
This was my second unit purchase with RWinvest, and I found the team to be very helpful in finding the best deal which suited my needs and budget. Arjun Surana, Adam Burns were really processional in answering all questions, Excellent follow up and ensures your property purchase are smooth from the start to end and supporting throughout the purchase/exchange of contract process.
I highly recommend anyone to purchase their property with RWinvest.
- Everything You Need to Know About Manhattan-Style Apartments
- What Is a Manhattan-Style Apartment?
- Why Are Manhattans the Next Big Thing?
- An Eco-friendlier Investment
- With a More Compact Design Comes a Warmer Home
- Location, Location, Location
- Why Invest in Liverpool?
- Why Should You Invest in Manhattan-Style Apartments?