Understanding Net vs. Gross Floor Area
When apartment listings advertise a unit size, it's usually the gross floor area — which includes both your private living space (bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathrooms) and shared building spaces (corridors, stairwells, lobby, mechanical rooms). The net area is what you actually occupy.
A 1,000 sq ft gross apartment with a 75% net-to-gross ratio gives you only 750 sq ft of usable private space. Knowing this ratio is essential when comparing units or verifying whether listed dimensions match what you're getting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Taller buildings require more shared infrastructure — elevators, mechanical floors, lobby space, and fire escape corridors — which reduces the proportion of space allocated to individual units.
Yes. If you're comparing two units priced at the same $/sq ft but one has a 70% ratio and the other 85%, you're getting significantly more private space in the second. Always compare net area when evaluating price per sq ft.
In most US listings, balconies and outdoor areas are not counted in the living area. Check whether the advertised area explicitly includes or excludes outdoor space.