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Townhouses
 Townhouses often can make an excellent "middle ground" between a detached single
family home and a full fledged condominium because, to some degree, they offer attributes of both.
For purposes of definition, we will describe a townhouse as a home that is attached to one or more other houses,
but which sits directly on a parcel of land that you also own (if you don't own the land, it is a condominium). For this discussion, townhouses can ranges from duplexes and triplexes all the way through
huge townhouse communities consisting of hundreds of similar homes.
There is a good degree of variance in the way townhouse communities are structured. It may be a simple agreement
(as is often the case of duplexes and triplexes) that each parcel of land and the home that sits on it is separately
owned. In the case of larger townhouse communities, you will generally have an additional shared ownership in the
common areas of the complex as well as any amenities such as swimming pools, park areas, etc. This ownership you
will share jointly with all other townhouse owners in the complex.
In any townhouse purchase that involves an Homeowners' Association, it is vitally important to get as much information as you can,
since the association can have a considerable impact on your ownership experience!
Townhouses
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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- May have less exterior maintenance and repairs to be responsible
for.
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- You will be responsible for payment of Home Owner's Association fees.
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- Having a neighbor's home attached to yours may bring a higher level
of security.
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- You give up privacy when compared to single family
homes.
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- There may be amenities in the community (for example, pools, tennis
courts, playgrounds and the like).
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- Your options for changing the exterior look of your house will be
limited.
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Is a Townhouse for You?
- You like the idea of your "space" but not having
to deal with most exterior maintenance has even more appeal.
- A small backyard "retreat" or deck is just about
all the yard you need.
- The idea of having neighbors close doesn't really bother you--you just
don't want them above and below as well as next to you!
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