I
n New York City, a new trend is emerging among affluent buyers: a disdain for stairs. Brokers across the boroughs report that a growing slice of their young, well‑heeled clientele simply “don’t do stairs.” The result, they say, is a noticeable dip in high‑end townhouse prices.
“When they walk into a townhouse, they immediately realize it’s a vertical space,” explains Jeremy V. Stein of Sotheby’s International Realty, who has handled dozens of top Manhattan and Brooklyn townhouses. “A client from abroad told me he’d love a townhouse but wanted it wide and flat, because he never wants to climb stairs. He’ll never use parts of the house that require going up or down.”
Other agents are seeing a shift toward sprawling, single‑floor condos. Mike Fabbri of The Agency notes an uptick in buyers demanding a full‑floor layout over the traditional three‑ to six‑story townhouse. “There’s a certain chicness to owning a full floor,” he says. Brokers point out that horizontal living, especially on a single level, offers privacy from neighbors and eliminates the inconvenience of stairs.
The market data backs up the trend. By the end of June, the average sale price for a Manhattan townhouse had fallen 18% to $6.3 million, while the average price per square foot slipped 6% to $1,245, according to Leslie Garfield’s mid‑year report. Transaction volume rose, yet the price decline suggests that stair‑averse buyers are influencing the market.
Stairs have long had their critics—elderly buyers, parents of small children, and those who simply dislike the effort. Traditional families have valued the separation a townhouse provides, with adults on one floor and children on another. But the newest wave of wealth is flipping that script. Stein notes that over the past five years, a surge of new, younger wealth has entered New York. “These young, tech‑savvy, finance‑driven buyers are at the beginning of their lives, not the mature years when townhouses were traditionally purchased,” he says.
The West Village is a prime example of this shift. The twin towers at 80 Clarkson St. now dominate the skyline, offering river views from 420 to 490 feet. Their penthouses are priced at $75 million and $80 million, targeting the same clientele that once sought townhouses. In August, a condo at 140 Jane St. went into contract for $87.5 million, potentially breaking the downtown record. No West Village townhouse has sold for over $30 million in more than a year. Even the duplex penthouse at Jane Street, with its sweeping spiral staircase, is a “vertical challenge” that many new buyers avoid.
Condo living also offers high‑rise advantages: panoramic views, separation from street noise, and white‑glove amenities such as doormen, security, and concierge services. “Clients want all the square footage on one level and the privacy of not having neighbors on either side,” says Compass broker Vickey Barron. “They’ll buy adjacent units rather than those above or below.”
For the ultra‑wealthy, the convenience of a single‑floor condo outweighs the traditional townhouse appeal. Many are solo or have families abroad, so they prefer a space that’s easy to manage and offers luxury services. When presented with a townhouse, they often find the idea of stairs impractical. When shown a condo, the sense of modernity and convenience wins them over.
In short, the stair‑averse trend is reshaping New York’s high‑end residential market, pushing buyers toward horizontal, single‑floor condos and contributing to a decline in townhouse prices. The new generation of affluent residents values convenience, privacy, and luxury amenities over the classic townhouse layout.
