Should I Buy a Townhouse

When you’re buying a home you essentially have three options: a single-family detached home, a condo, or a townhouse. Let’s take a few minutes to look at the pros and cons of buying a townhouse to see if it’s right for you.

Pros of Buying a Townhouse

There is a reason why a lot of new neighborhoods are including townhomes. They’re often seen as a win-win for both the developer and people that buy homes there. Townhomes save space, meaning a developer can fit more townhomes in a fixed area than they can fit detached homes. Homebuyers love them for some of the reasons below. 

First, a new townhouse will typically cost less than a detached home in the same area. It lets a homebuyer get into their own home instead of renting without spending as much money as a detached home. 

Second, it’s generally a bit easier to maintain a townhouse than a detached home. You have fewer outside walls to think about, meaning there’s less siding to paint, sidewalks to pressure wash, grass to mow, etc. 

Speaking of landscaping and outdoor maintenance, we come to the third benefit. A lot of townhouse communities include lawn care so you don’t have to do it yourself. 

Fourth, it’s common for townhome communities to have amenities such as a clubhouse, tennis courts, playground, and swimming pool. These are important to the community since there aren’t large yards for the homeowners to have their own pool, playground, etc. 

Finally, a lot of townhouses are in convenient locations. Some city centers are building townhomes communities on the property so the homeowners can easily walk into the city square to eat dinner, play at the park, etc. Maybe you’re close enough to walk to the grocery store or work, whereas a detached home is probably in more of a separated residential area where you’d have to drive. 

Cons of a Townhouse

Even though there are some great things about townhomes, there are a few downsides too. 

First, let’s talk about HOA. Because the community tends to manage a lot of things – the pool, clubhouse, landscaping for all of the homes, etc. – HOA fees may be higher compared to a neighborhood of detached homes. 

Second, the small yard. If you have children or dogs, a yard is great for them to run around and play. Or maybe you love doing stuff outdoors and wouldn’t mind having a big yard for you to grow a big garden, build a fire pit, have a gazebo to sit in, etc. Since most townhomes have small yards, your outdoor activities are limited. 

Finally, there’s the close proximity to your neighbors. Most of the time you probably won’t even hear them or know they’re there. But there will be times you do, which just comes with the territory of living in a condo or apartment. 

Conclusion

Should you buy a townhouse? It depends! They’re great for some people, whereas others would prefer a detached home. Either way, we look forward to helping you with your loan. Send us an email at hello@rosegate.com to get prequalified today.