It sounds like you are looking at a duplex: two family homes under 1 roof. We call them duplex, triplex and quadplex here. (Bigger than 4 plex, the rules are quite different because you cannot get FHA financing.) For multiple family housing, the market price is determined by the rental income, not necessarily what the price per sq ft for single family homes are. However, the appreciation for multiple family homes is not as rapid as the single family homes. This is something you should be aware of when buying a multi-family home. The appraisal and comps are based on other duplexes, not single family homes of same size. If the upstairs rents out for $1000/month, the rental income more than easily pays for the mortgage difference of $250,000 at 3.5% interest. (where I live, $1000 for 1 bed apt would be mid to low rent.) Of course, you maybe living in a smaller place since they split up the place into two. Price per sq ft is meaningless where we live because of the quality of the properties are vastly different. If you are in Queens, then the property that you are looking at is probably quite old, going on 100 years old or more. You need to look at what infrastructures have been upgraded on the properties in question. In my city, we have $300/sq ft properties side by side with $150/sq ft homes all the time. We recently bought a duplex that was a rebuilt 1906 property. There was nothing left of the old except the original framing. Thye even poured new footings... They rebuilt it so that it still had the 'charm'... This type of rebuild does not appease the old house purist but we did NOT want a 1906 building with knob and tube wiring :) We were able to insure the house as a 'new' structure. Insurance premium is signifcantly different for old versus new structures in my city. Most people hugely underestimate the cost of 'well done' renovation of old homes. This is where the risk comes in. If you are buying a poorly done renovation, it's not worth much. Well done renovation is worth the $ you are paying. Well done renovations should have upgraded the infrastructure of the house; electrical, siding, windows, insulation, plumbing etc. It's not just about replacing faucets and cabinets and calling it a kitchen remodel. Realtors often are not knowledgible on the quality of renovation. We use a contractor that we have used often and trust to view the house with us. If you are thinking of buying a duplex, you should do some reading on being a landlord and how to do the math to know if you are making money or losing money on your investment.

Ok first, two grouts are incredibly easy :) My tile guy has done it all over the house for me...for instance, each row of this carpet has a different grout color: (this is pre grout by the way, but the grout is perfect in each row and matches exactly): So don't let that stop your decision. It's an easy process. They just apply blue tape where the grout isn't supposed to go, and then apply as usual. No biggie at all!!! Follow the manufacturer instructions! I did't know it was handmade. Mine is as well and there can be variation in both slope and size by very very little, but when you put up the tile, that variation becomes huge. 1/16th here and there isn't visable to the eye, until you try to make your poor tile guy do a 1/16th grout line. So go with the manufacturer recomendation. With larger grout lines, it's even more important to think of color of grout and again, I'd say use two. The reason being, look at my tile...if I'd used say a white or beige grout, (the grout is called Pear) the grout would scream at you, but the pear blends in pretty well. Big grey grout lines in the tan tiles isn't going to flow as well IMO.

There was no mention of a wheelchair in the original post, however, having recently been confined to a wheelchair I have some personal knowledge on this subject. Any of the chairs in the room could be removed to provide the space required. However, if you would like to use an area rug, you'll have to make sure the rug is a level loop rug and very flat, .........kind of like an indoor outdoor rug. Those rugs are stiff enough to withstand the friction from the rubber wheels and flat enough to be able to turn on the rug in the wheelchair without shifting the rug.

You desperately need some layering. I'd add another smaller area rug with some color and pattern on top of the carpet in the conversation area (sofa, coffee table) and add a smaller, swivel arm chair at an angle facing the sofa. (If we're looking at the top photo, the chair should be diagonally across from the top right hand corner of the coffee table.) You also need some large-scale art or multiple framed family photos in a gallery wall next to the TV--that wall is huge and needs to be anchored. And I'd also include some fixed drapery panels that coordinate with the rug. Add some pretty throw pillows to the sofa, too. As a side note, if it were me, I would have oriented the conversation area around the fireplace with the TV wall mounted above the FP. Then you could put a long row of narrow bookshelves along the current TV wall to warm things up.