What Is a Maisonette? And Should You Live in One?

You’re a buyer or renter looking to buy real estate in Malta or Gozo as your new home. Private access is your top priority – preferably on the ground floor. Good call! 

From the get-go, you can rule out buying Malta property types like apartments that you’d only be able to enter via a common area. So what about a house or bungalow? The problem is a house might be out of your budget, or perhaps it’s just not the right time to take that kind of a plunge.

Buying property in Malta like a maisonette is a type of Malta property on the property market that gives you the privacy of a self-contained abode with the ease of an apartment. And the best news is that there are so many great maisonettes on the property market that come in various layouts and sizes. There are solitary maisonettes, duplexes, and even triplex ones. 

But what does that all mean? Feel confused no more! Simply read on to understand some of the key features below.

Property for sale in Malta and property types such as maisonettes usually come in blocks of two to three units, which means they sit on the ground floor, first floor or second floor at the highest. 

While the top floor would likely grant you full or partial access to the roof or airspace, remember that you’d need stairs or a lift (if available) to get there. 

This is obviously not the case with a ground-floor unit – the most easily accessible position in the building. 

Buying property in Malta like a ground-floor maisonette is all about convenience. 

Ground floor maisonette

When you go grocery shopping or need to move heavy goods (like furniture or appliances), living on the ground floor is a blessing. Not to mention that it’s such a Malta property is ideal if mobility were ever to become an issue – perhaps due to injury, back pain, pregnancy, or wheelchair use. 

With a ground-floor unit, you’ll probably also have access to some outdoor space, such as a front terrace, backyard, or garden. And you might even get partial roof access or airspace, making yours the best unit in the block.

Types of ground floor maisonette

When on the property hunt on the property market, remember that you might come across a couple of variations of the ground-floor maisonette, namely: 

• an elevated ground-floor maisonette, which sits a few feet above street level, and
• a semi-basement maisonette, which is situated a few feet below street level and may receive less light than a typical ground-floor maisonette. 

Our tip is to look for a Malta property type for sale on a street lined with other maisonettes to secure a good amount of natural lighting. Despite being on the ground floor, you’ll get to revel in the sunshine that ground-floor apartments surrounded by towering high-rise buildings never get to enjoy. 

Most regular Malta property types like ground-floor maisonettes have one or two other units directly overhead. A solitary maisonette, however, is the only one in the building. This means that even though it’s still part of a larger structure, the units above or below it are typically non-residential, such as shops, offices, or garages. 

If you have a large family and need lots of room but can’t afford a house, a duplex or triplex may be for you. They’re more expensive than a single-storey maisonette, but cheaper than a house. 

As the name suggests, a ground-floor duplex covers two floors and takes up the ground floor and first floor. A triplex occupies three floors from the ground floor up to the second floor. 

Both a duplex and triplex deliver that feeling of privacy that you’d get from living in a house. Yet, the unit is contained within a bigger structure. Internally, the space is all yours, and the stairs leading from one floor to the next are private. But the chances are there’ll be another unit – separate to yours – on the top floor. 

If you’re looking to buy property in Malta that is affordable and that’s as close to a house as possible, you probably need a solitary duplex or solitary triplex. Like a single-storey solitary unit, these two- and three-storey maisonettes will be the only ones in the structure – meaning you won’t have any neighbours in the building. So, if total privacy is your top priority, landing one of these is a real score. 

As with any other type of property, you’ll find maisonettes that are detached or semi-detached. And that applies to both single-storey units and multi-storey properties like the duplex and triplex. 

Without any shared walls, a fully detached maisonette will grant you more privacy and more light. The only downside is that these benefits will be reflected in the price. 

If you’re on a tighter budget, a semi-detached maisonette is the way to go. Of course, you’ll share a wall or two with your next-door neighbour, but you’ll still enjoy the independence promised by a maisonette. 

Keep your eyes peeled for corner units as they’re bathed in natural light. Secure one of these, and you’ll get a brighter, airier environment to call home. 

Think you know which maisonette is right for you? Now it’s time to find it! Contact the JK Properties team today, and we’ll get your Malta property hunt going right away.