What is different between apartment and suite and unit?

[tjuzer]

I have to chose from apartment or suite or unit but don't know put what?

[pfdude]

for what? I don't think it matters. Flip a coin.

[Evil Baby]

Well the difference between a unit and an apartment is pretty obvious. A unit would be a 'unit' in a group of townhouses. For example I'm in unit 18. My address is 3080 fake st, unit 18, because I live in a townhouse. If you live in an apartment, well that should be pretty obvious as well. Suite, well I have no idea on that.

[j3fan]

I have to chose from apartment or suite or unit but don't know put what?

what is this for?

[atforum]

I have to chose from apartment or suite or unit but don't know put what?

apt. is a huge building, suite a small building with probably 2-3 houses, unit must be individual houses

probably you are better off checking some dictionary

[tjuzer]

This is for mail accord to canada post standard address.

Before I think apartment is condo, suite is hotel, unit is townhouse?

[deep]

Well the difference between a unit and an apartment is pretty obvious. A unit would be a 'unit' in a group of townhouses. For example I'm in unit 18. My address is 3080 fake st, unit 18, because I live in a townhouse. If you live in an apartment, well that should be pretty obvious as well. Suite, well I have no idea on that.

It's not obvious at all - those terms are used interchangeably by many people. Unit doesn't always refer to townhouses.

Often, unit and suite are used in apartment buildings just to avoid the word "apartment". I've also seen unit in use in houses that add a rental "unit", as well as low rise office buildings. Suite is generally used in office buildings as well, but also in places where people want to seem more pretentious.

[Insane_Pikachu]

Unit = Personal Living
Suite = Business

[deep]

apt. is a huge building, suite a small building with probably 2-3 houses, unit must be individual houses

Unit = Personal Living
Suite = Business

Again, why do people state things with such certainty and authority? There are no laws regarding the use of these words, and people use and misuse them in many ways. Both of the above are very definite......ly wrong.

[Jucius Maximus]

I live in a condo building with 20+ stories and all the addresses are "Suite #XYZ" and such.

[Evil Baby]

It's not obvious at all - those terms are used interchangeably by many people. Unit doesn't always refer to townhouses.

Often, unit and suite are used in apartment buildings just to avoid the word "apartment". I've also seen unit in use in houses that add a rental "unit", as well as low rise office buildings. Suite is generally used in office buildings as well, but also in places where people want to seem more pretentious.


I can understand your point on suite but not on apartment. Just because people want to use unit because they don't want to seem like they are in an apartment, doesn't mean they aren't in an apartment.

Also I can see how unit would be used for a unit in a rental house. Basically a separate spot in a blocking of house or houses, but to interchange that with apartment is just silly to me.

[deep]

I can understand your point on suite but not on apartment. Just because people want to use unit because they don't want to seem like they are in an apartment, doesn't mean they aren't in an apartment.

Also I can see how unit would be used for a unit in a rental house. Basically a separate spot in a blocking of house or houses, but to interchange that with apartment is just silly to me.

My point isn't about what makes sense or what seems appropriate....it's just that a) people use these terms almost however they want, and b) people here keep chiming in with stupid points like "Suite = Business" and "apt. is a huge building, suite a small building with probably 2-3 houses, unit must be individual houses".

So if people just stop making definitive statements, we'll all get along fine. I would have thought "apartment" was a pretty easily understood term, but apaprently even that is not. And the other two are a COMPLETE miss to the people chiming in here.

[gretzky99]

I live in a condo building with 20+ stories and all the addresses are "Suite #XYZ" and such.

Same with mine.
As someone mentioned, "Suite" is generally used by more and more people to make their unit sound more pretentious, more posh like.
There is no real difference between Suite or Unit. SUite is just a fancy name.
It's just like how the secuity desk at most condos are called "conceirge" rather than "security". :rolleyes:

[ZenOps]

Apartment # usually refers to a building with multiple levels of residency (people who live on the 2nd floor and up to many floors) Many delivery places will not deliver to apartments (they will leave it at the main floor delivery/reception if there is one)

Units usually refer to townhouse condominiums, where there may be one building but 8 residences or more. A duplex would be two. They are usually side by side.

Suites are often associated with Soho lofts, which tend to be a mix of commercial and residential. Usually either on the first or second floor of a building.

[charger]

Suite is usually used for businesses whereas apt and unit are for residential.

[steve.m]

I use "suite" on the resume because it sounds richer. Although i do some business from home. "Apartment" just sounds so ghetto (reminds me of my fav 70's show "good times" and where i use to live as a kid). I use apt to refer to rental building apartments.

[Piccolo]

I have lived in two apartment buildings in toronto:
Suite #999 (8 stories)
Apt #999 (5 stories)

IMHO and Experience-
There is no differences between suite/apt/unit. The Landload/Owner uses whichever one they want to.

[Sanhedralite]

the real estate agent called it a unit and the building management calls it a suite.

Technically, a unit is part of a row of townhouses of some sort. Suite is an apartment. Fancier word for "apartment".

[Singh_21]

Well people use it loosely...but this is what they really mean

Unit: townhouses;or a property with rental sections.; a commercial property with different 'units'.

Apartments: Condo

Suites: Multi Offices in a building; Also used loosely for hotel rooms and apartments(mostly owned).

[deep]

...this is what they really mean
...
Apartments: Condo
...

Just like a basement apartment, right? Those are actually condos?

[stevethewheel]

So it's like the difference between "Street" "Road" and "Avenue".

[tjuzer]

Well street and avenue distinct different not easy interchange. :) More confuse now. :(

[deep]

So it's like the difference between "Street" "Road" and "Avenue".

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990423.html

[Codegen]

It's kinda strange here. Main Street (Avenue de Buckingham) the street signs say "Chemin (Road) de L'Ange Gardien" when you come into L'Ange Gardien. But, when you hit the 309, the street sign says "Avenue De L'Ange Gardien" :confused:

[KrispyFive]

Why not just use a regular one line street address for your mailing needs? Then you won't have to choose between Apt\Unit\Suite. Assuming you live in Apt\Unit\Suite 555 on 1234 Main St, you could just use the standard 555-1234 Main St address.

[ZenOps]

Streets, roads, and avenues are completely different. They represent differing levels of traffic and number of supporting traffic arteries. Usually the most preferred residential is a cul-de-sac, where the road goes nowhere (no excess traffic, great for playing road hockey)

Yeah, you can usually get away with putting a descriptor in front of your address like xx - yyy street. Although I know for sure Fedex international will want to to specify whether its a unit #, apartment #, delivery bay #, or something else.

[deep]

Streets, roads, and avenues are completely different. They represent differing levels of traffic and number of supporting traffic arteries.

Represent to who? Where? What ARE these levels they represent. Again, someone saying something definitive that is absolutely wrong. Why is this thread so full of this?

SOME municipalities have rules regarding these names (such as Owen Sound, where Streets run east-west, and Avenues run North-South) but not all do, and those that do, have different rules on a case by case basis. And among those that do, I have yet to encounter anyone who defines them by "levels of traffic".

This is one of the worst threads I've ever seen for misinformation, and we haven't even heard which definition the AMD fanboys prefer compared to the Intel fanboys.

[stevethewheel]

Represent to who? Where? What ARE these levels they represent. Again, someone saying something definitive that is absolutely wrong. Why is this thread so full of this?

SOME municipalities have rules regarding these names (such as Owen Sound, where Streets run east-west, and Avenues run North-South) but not all do, and those that do, have different rules on a case by case basis. And among those that do, I have yet to encounter anyone who defines them by "levels of traffic".

This is one of the worst threads I've ever seen for misinformation, and we haven't even heard which definition the AMD fanboys prefer compared to the Intel fanboys.

deep. Right on. Thanks for explaining what I thought would be obvious.

[TotallyKiller]

for rentals, suites usually refer to a basement that is converted, or an apartment that is part of a smaller complex. Often you are renting a "suite" in someone's house. but as with all the other terms here, they are all pretty much used interchangably. I'd say the only way for you to know is to call and ask about what it offers, and if it sounds good, go see it. then you'll know.

[Steeve Urkel]

This is for mail accord to canada post standard address.

Before I think apartment is condo, suite is hotel, unit is townhouse?

Ok, funny you mention this.

I live in a terrace home..not a townhouse, not a condo, not a reg house and not a suite.

So, what am I supposed to call my building?

The for sale signs out front specifically say TERRACE HOME.

The city/canada post was also stupid enough to assign 2 postal codes to my building. (but i guess that can come in handy...)

[NorthYorker]

Pretty often people use "suite" or "unit" to distinguish residential unit in condo from "apartment" in apartment building. Especially in areas with mixed housing where rental apt. buildings (presumably ghetto) are mixed with "posh condos".

[actuary]

Here are some interesting definitions. You can obtain these by googling define:apartment and define:suite.

Apartment:
"a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house "

Suite:
"apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel) "

So an apartment is a suite and a suite is an apartment?

[trixR4kids]

Same with mine.
As someone mentioned, "Suite" is generally used by more and more people to make their unit sound more pretentious, more posh like.
There is no real difference between Suite or Unit. SUite is just a fancy name.
It's just like how the secuity desk at most condos are called "conceirge" rather than "security". :rolleyes:

i wanna be called chinese and not ping pong