SW FL High-Rise Condominium Design Types

Let's talk about SW FL High-Rise Condominiums! There are lots of differences between high-rises that if we are all on the same page about them, will help make more sense for you. There are through and through buildings, interior buildings, exterior buildings, and through and through interior and exterior unit buildings. Now that we have you totally confused, let's speak to what this all means in high-rise condominium parlance.

Through and Through Building Description

A through and through building means each unit has a view from the front of the unit to the back – in other words, the unit takes up the entire width of the building – entering through the front door you’ll be at the front of the building and the back of the home will be on the rear of the structure. There may, or may not, be balconies on the front, but there always will be lanais on the back. Some are screened both front and back and some are not screened at all. Many of these buildings feature media and conference rooms, catering kitchens with bars, fitness, tennis, extravagant pools, concierge services - the list is endless. This is the most expensive type of high-rise condo in most cases.

An exterior through and through building will have a front door entry way that is exposed to the elements – the elevator is contained on the outside of the building and you access the home through a walkway that is in the open air, although it is usually covered at least somewhat overhead. This building still has a unit that "runs" the entire width of the building. Although this unit is the width of the building, it will cost less as the "walk" to the unit is exposed to the elements.

A through and through interior building means you enter into a lobby, ride an enclosed interior elevator to the floor, and obtain entry through an enclosed hallway or possibly an elevator opening onto a foyer that is private to your unit. Again, this building features units that will take up the width of the building. However, it will typically be more desirable due to the fact that once you are inside the building, you are protected from the elements.

Click Here for a sample of a through and through high-rise floor plan.

Interior and Exterior Style Building Description

An interior building means access to the unit through an enclosed lobby and an interior enclosed elevator. An exterior building means entry into the unit through the outside.

Non-Through and Through Building Description

A non-through and through building is where there are units on both sides of a hallway and will usually mean that the front unit will have views "only" to the front-side. And, conversely, a unit that faces the back of the building will have a view from the "rear."  The value of those two opposing view units can be dramatic as the front of the building may have parking lots, roadways, other buildings as a view. There are some better sited non-through and through buildings that may have views of the city lights and a bay or waterway from the front and the price then may be closer in value to the price of a unit with a rear view. In Florida, almost always the rear view will be the better location within a high rise, and sometimes the asking price will be hundreds of thousands of dollars more for a home on the back of a building. When you view the attached floor plan below, you'll see that at the top of the plan, those units have lanais that overlook the Gulf of Mexico. The other units look at buildings, some water, and the parking lots, thereby costing much less.

Click Here for a non-through and through high-rise condo floor plan.

Through and through units, with interior access will typically cost significantly more than an interior building that is not through and through and an exterior building whether it is through and through or not.  Exterior entry way buildings may have a lower cost for purchase, but can sometimes have higher costs to operate. Any time the "common" areas, e.g., hallways, elevators, are located on the outside of a building, there is more potential weather damage.

Lastly, there are Gulf front SW FL high-rise condominiums and Gulf view SW FL high-rise condominiums - toes in the sand means you can walk to the beach and your building basically is immediately adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. A Gulf View condo can be several miles inland, depending on the height, and you'll still be able to see the water. However, your access to the sandy beaches are not necessarily outside your door.

For MLS listings of SW FL high-rise condominiums available on the SW Florida Gulf coast, please visit our SW FL Gulf Front High-Rise Condos for Sale page. To ask a question or get started on a more in-depth search for Gulf Front SW FL Real Estate, contact us directly. One of our Realtor® associates will be glad to help!

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