Hey, it's Robert Frank, CNBC wealth editor here. And if you think real estate in Manhattan always seems to go up in price, well, onethird of condo owners who sold in the past year sold at a loss. It all depends on when they bought.So, you bought a condo before 2010, your gains were between 29 and 45%. That's according to a new report from Brown Harris Stevens. If you bought before 2010, you're more likely to see losses or small gains of a few percent.You add in inflation, renovation costs, and transaction f ...

Core Insights - The value of low-rise buildings with potential for elevator installation in prime locations may surpass that of new elevator-equipped buildings in suburban areas [3][12] - Key factors influencing this valuation include location, renovation potential, and holding costs [3][5] Location - "Location is king" remains a timeless principle in real estate; for instance, step-up buildings in central Beijing from the 1990s have seen compensation prices reach 80,000 yuan per square meter, while elevator-equipped buildings in the same area only increased by 3% [3] - The convenience of older step-up buildings, often located near essential amenities, significantly enhances their value compared to suburban elevator buildings [3][4] Policy Benefits - Recent regulations from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development emphasize the installation of elevators in older communities, with subsidies covering up to 45% of installation costs [4] - The price of step-up buildings with newly installed elevators can increase by 10%-20% in first-tier cities, while elevator-equipped buildings have seen a price drop of 12% [4][10] Renovation Potential - Not all step-up buildings can benefit from policy incentives; those over 30 years old or with divided owner opinions may face challenges in elevator installation [5][10] - Buyers should prioritize step-up buildings with high renovation potential and community support for upgrades [5] Holding Costs - Elevator-equipped buildings typically have a higher shared area (25%-30%) compared to step-up buildings (10%-15%), leading to higher overall costs for buyers [6][7] - Maintenance costs for elevators can be significant, with average monthly property fees for elevator buildings at 4.2 yuan per square meter, compared to 2.3 yuan for step-up buildings [7] Market Trends - Younger generations, particularly those born in the 1990s, are increasingly open to purchasing low-rise step-up buildings if they are in desirable locations and reasonably priced [8][9] - The liquidity of step-up buildings in prime locations remains strong, with a higher proportion of cash purchases compared to elevator-equipped buildings [10] Future Outlook - The value differentiation between elevator-equipped and step-up buildings is expected to intensify over the next five years, with prime step-up buildings becoming increasingly sought after [11][12] - Buyers with limited budgets are advised to consider low-rise step-up buildings in core areas, especially those included in renovation plans, while those seeking quality may opt for newer elevator buildings, keeping in mind the higher long-term costs [12]