Once you’ve decided that a Manhattan luxury condo is where you want to buy your NYC home, there’s one more question to consider -- which type of Manhattan luxury condo is right for you? While there are certain things that all NYC condos seem to have in common -- they tend to be tall, as you might have noticed -- not all Manhattan condominiums are created equal, and not every type of Manhattan condominium is for you. While there are many types of Manhattan condominiums, NYC real estate lingo breaks down luxury condo buildings into three broad types:

Pre-War Apartment Building Prewar Apartment in New York CityThe “war” would be World War II, and the apartments in question -- apartments in pre-war buildings, that is -- are one of the great prizes in Manhattan real estate. Because there’s a limited supply of pre-war apartment listings and near-unlimited demand for them, pre-war condominiums are routinely among the most sought-after condo listings in Manhattan. Strange as it may seem, though, recent years have seen a steady stream of “new” pre-war apartments for sale entering the Manhattan real estate market. Pre-war condo conversions such as the Barbizon 63 (formerly a luxury hotel on the Upper East Side) and The Apthorp (an Upper West Side condo that was previously a rental building) have become blockbuster hits on the condo market -- in part because they’re among the relatively few pre-war apartments for sale not in more restrictive co-ops. While it’s not hard to see why pre-war apartment listings are so popular, there is one aspect in which pre-war apartments lag behind their competition -- most have very limited amenities, mostly because few developers or architects thought to set aside space for swimming pools or fitness centers or children’s playrooms during the FDR years.

Post-War Apartment Building Built between the late 1940s and mid-'70s, most Manhattan post-war apartments have been considerably spruced up since, to the point where only their architectural aesthetics set them apart from new construction condo listings. Given that this period was a comparatively slow one for condo construction in New York City, there are fewer post-war apartment buildings than you might expect -- and not all that many on New Construction Manhattan’s searchable apartment listings, either. The post-war apartment listings you’ll find here, though, are ones that have been renovated into something resembling state-of-the-art new construction condos. Your better post-war apartment listings come packed with amenities like housekeeping, pools, new appliances, gyms, rooftop decks, and valet service. The apartments for sale at post-war apartment buildings lack the contemporary look of new construction apartment listings, but they're known for their size and flexibility -- and they’re certainly less costly than pre-war apartments.

New Construction Apartment Building New Construction Apartment in New York CityObviously, we at New Construction Manhattan are not totally impartial when it comes to new construction Manhattan condominiums. But between the later 1990s and today -- which, for our purposes, is how we’ll define new construction apartment listings -- the Manhattan skyline and NYC real estate market have been changed for the better by a host of appealing new construction condo listings. New construction apartment buildings come in many shapes and sizes, but even the most down-the-middle new construction condo listings offer amenities unheard of in previous eras -- not just these fitness facilities don’t just have fancier equipment and bigger pools, they have Yoga and Pilates studios and saunas and steam rooms and so on. New construction condominiums were also, during the construction boom of the last decade, in an unofficial arms race in terms of amenities, which explains the pet spas, golf simulators, full-size basketball courts and super-splashy residents-only lounges you’ll find in many new construction condominiums. And of course new-construction condos themselves are state of the art -- as a general rule, you can expect high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows (generally energy-efficient ones), open chef’s kitchens and luxuriously appointed baths from new construction condominiums. And in some cases, as with the new architect’s row near the High Line in Chelsea, you’ll find stunning designs that set a new standard for condo aesthetics.