The lateral premium

Across the twelve months to July, flats arranged on a single floor traded at an average of 8.4% more per square foot than comparable duplexes in the same postcode.

The reason is boringly practical. Stairs eat floor area, they complicate accessibility, and they make furniture placement harder. Buyers feel all three on a viewing without naming any of them.

For developers the implication is direct: a slightly smaller lateral unit will usually beat a larger split-level one on both price and days to sell.