Buying an apartment with a terrace
We often find that a terrace comes high on the wish list of potential buyers, especially those interested in an apartment. This ‘detail’ elevates a home into the ‘upscale’ category and makes daily life more pleasant.
The luxury of outdoor space
Rooftop terraces first became popular in New York City. As a result, many bars, restaurants and other public spaces have moved up in the world to provide their guests and customers with one major benefit: a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the city.
But the view is not the only advantage of having a terrace. On sunny days, it significantly improves our quality of life. Coffee in the sun, lunch in the shade of a parasol, a power nap on a deckchair… It offers fresh air and provides the opportunity to be simultaneously at home and outdoors, to enjoy a summer breeze and to top up with vitamin D.
Although they are a rare feature of older buildings (which favoured balconies), they are much more common in buildings from the 1960s and 1970s as a result of inevitable changes in use, construction techniques and occupier needs. Most are found on the top floor of apartment buildings or the roofs of industrial or commercial property. In Paris, availability varies from one arrondissement to another: some areas of the 15th and many nooks and crannies of the 13th and 14th are good places to look. And the further away from the city centre you get, the more likely you are to find the terrace you dream of. In Marseille, many of the area’s distinctive seaside cabins have the opportunity to create a roof terrace.
A terrace to suit everyone
It’s important to make a distinction between a balcony, loggia and rooftop, because not all terraces are the same. They can be built on stilts, for example, flat in the Japanese style, raised or even adjoining. And then there are inverted dormer terraces that require structural work to the roof. The materials used are equally diverse: duckboards, cobbles or smooth concrete.
So a terrace can add a new living space to any property, and increases its value as long as it is private. However, unlike balconies, roof terraces are often shared with other building occupants. Something to remember when you’re doing your research !
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