townhouse vs house?

[gardenmom5]

dd is finally getting close to buying her own place.  so - for those with more experience, which is a better investment?  pros/cons?  when she goes to sell, will a townhouse have as much marketability/hold it's value/increase as a house?  the areas she is currently considering are good neighborhoods, have good school districts, and are close in.  She has an idea of what she can afford/wants to spend - but will be talking with a mortgage broker in the next week or so prior to starting with a real estate agent.

 

her must haves are a garage and at least two or three bedrooms.  she doesn't currently plan on a roommate.  (though a house with a finished basement could become an income suite.)

homeowner fees are moot as she'd be paying someone to mow if she bought a house.

 

I know she can get a townhouse (and in better shape) in her price range more easily than a house, but a house is freestanding and on a bigger piece of dirt.  neighborhoods here are turning with older ones frequently seeing houses torn down to build something new (or major remodels).  

[bettyandbob]

Where I live there is a mix of both. There is not a difference in increase I housing values over time. The percent increases have mostly been the same. Your dd can ask the real estate agent what the break down is where she lives. There is actually a significant group of home buyers who prefer town homes for a variety of reasons. During both real estate down turns I my years of ownership, homes in my neighborhood did not loose value. Prices stayed stable a long time, but did not decrease. Many single family homes nearby lost value, as did town homes in other neighborhoods. Your dd could ask her agent about neighbor trends that include how prices fared during the real estate down turn. That may be a useful way to find a neighborhood where resale stays consistent.

 

I've lived in a town house for 21years--first a 3bedroom, then a 4bedroom. I think the thing to consider is what can your dd easily maintain and how much time does she want to spend on maintenance. Most town homes will have less maintenance. Most town homes will have lower heating/ac bills. I would run from anything that is all electric. I prefer gas heat, prices for gas heating have overall been cheaper overtime. If a home is retrofitted with solar or geothermal that May be better.

 

I have no desire for a yard. Does your dd? My parents will tell you a yard is great, but they cured me of"enjoying" yard work growing up so why should I do it now. I actually have a good space I back that is large enough for vegetable garden. I did use it a couple years, partly for my kids. Now, I let my neighbor use it (she doesn't get much sunlight in her yard) . She gives me half her harvest and I have no lawn maintenance. Win win. My neighborhood is older, houses are 40 years old. The developer put in tons of open space so even though we are a group of townhouses we are not feeling cramped. There are many detached home neighborhoods that appear quite cramped with tiny yards and no open space. One of my friends had a huge house (6 bedrooms, Au pair suite, etc). Even though she had a yard and her house was detached, I could sit in her kitchen and look into her neighbor's kitchen. I can't look into my neighbors homes from inside mine. I'd gave to actually get on their property to look I their windows, but that was not the case in my friend's million dollar house.

 

Except in urban settings I don't think 2 bedrooms resell as well as 3. Again, she should request the statistics on percent Change in price increase overtime in her area from the agent.

[Tiramisu]

I agree that the yard work is a big factor. She'll be paying someone else to mow, you said, but there could be other landscaping involved, and it's all something that needs to be kept on top of.

 

Does she like to sit outside? Will a townhouse give the same privacy?

 

Townhouses can also have less natural lighting depending on the sun exposure. That would be a big deal for me. I'd look for an end unit with windows on the side. If I were buying a house again, I'd also make sure it got the right sun. We get no direct sun in our primary living areas and I hate it.

[JFSinIL]

Check out the noise levels in the townhouse - we started our family in one, and it was fine - but our building was also the original model home building from about 1970 and it was built more solidly than the other buildings in the area, so we had great soundproofing on the common wall with the neighbors (we were an end unit).  Other folks in the area later told me their buildings had less sound proofing and hearing the neighbors through the walls was a problem.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I think it depends on where she's living.  We loved our town home when we were in N VA, but they are large, had wooded space behind us, and were bright due to the way they faced.  It was nice having no yard work, but the parking was always an issue for guests.  

 

However, yard work can be a pain....especially if you have fall leaves!  

 

In her case, I would consider the area....if there aren't a lot of town homes it might not sell well later on compared to an area where it's a normal housing and still gets top value.  

[Cinder]

Privacy is a big issue for us. We lived in a duplex once and the interior wall wasn't insulated so we could hear everything next door through the master bath. Master bedroom/bathrooms were together in that unit. We have some friends who rented a townhouse once and had a similar experience--the interior wall wasn't insulated. Their neighbor punched a hole in his wall that went through to our friends' side. So they ended up with a hole in their wall too. At least it was their living room, not a bedroom.

 

 

[Wildcat]

I would prefer a house, but I don't like being close to "people", so my reply will focus on that.

 

Townhouses, like apartments, often have some walls are thin. Kitchen noises, smells, music, yelling, and whatnot will often times be noticeable. Double that if the home is 'sandwiched' between two others.

 

Are the homes all well-kept? My only experience with townhomes is that several were actually rentals and allowed to 'rot', which moved on to the townhouse I was familiar with, causing significant repair bills to my friends (but the attached unit continued to rot).

 

A biggie.... 'critters'. Critters can roam freely between units... in the ceilings, attics, and walls. The people I knew who had a townhouse had a HUGE problem with critters (chipmunks, mice, AND squirrels). More than once they had to cut a hole over their dining room table to remove a rotting squirrel corpse. :ack2:  When I would visit, we could hear the pitter-patter of squirrels running back and forth over our heads (and over the TV noise!)

 

Oh, another thing is that parking was an issue. Each person 'bought' two spots with their home, but the neighbors kept parking there, and allowing friends to park there, etc, so my friends (with only one vehicle) were constantly 'fighting' for their space. Even 'no parking/cars will be towed' signs didn't deter the people all the time, and the neighbors even argued that they only 'needed' one spot. My friends had to explain over and over again that they "owned" two spots, and it was their property (behind their fence).

 

Anyway, for many, many reasons, I would prefer a house over a townhome~~~ these are just a few of them. :D

[happi duck]

If there is possibly a homeowners association involved I would pick the one that did NOT have one.

[vonfirmath]

dd is finally getting close to buying her own place.  so - for those with more experience, which is a better investment?  pros/cons?  when she goes to sell, will a townhouse have as much marketability/hold it's value/increase as a house?  the areas she is currently considering are good neighborhoods, have good school districts, and are close in.  She has an idea of what she can afford/wants to spend - but will be talking with a mortgage broker in the next week or so prior to starting with a real estate agent.

 

her must haves are a garage and at least two or three bedrooms.  she doesn't currently plan on a roommate.  (though a house with a finished basement could become an income suite.)

homeowner fees are moot as she'd be paying someone to mow if she bought a house.

 

I know she can get a townhouse (and in better shape) in her price range more easily than a house, but a house is freestanding and on a bigger piece of dirt.  neighborhoods here are turning with older ones frequently seeing houses torn down to build something new (or major remodels).  

 

My first place, as a single professional, was a townhouse. (in Bellevue, WA.  Purchased 1999. Sold 2005)

 

It was a 1bedroom, 1 bath (550 sq ft). that I lived in for about 6 years.  It was REALLY nice not to have to worry about yardwork or the outside of the house (roof and the carport collapsing under ice were both taken care of by the HOA.)  I got married in that place and, a year later, sold it and moved elsewhere with my husband. (A larger place with room for a baby and such).

 

We sold for more than I bought for, banked the money, and finally used it to buy a new house last year (7 years later?).  So townhomes CAN go up in value. Just depends on the market and where you buy

 

If you buy into a townhome community, just make sure that the HOA dues include a schedule for fixing the big stuff over time. They should be putting money away for roofs, in particular. So you don't get hit with special fees everytime a roof needs fixing.

[Georgiana Daniels]

A townhouse with a good HOA is a great investment! Our HOA takes care of landscaping the front, resurfacing roads, painting the outside, and all outside repairs. An end unit doesn't really have any more noise than a stand alone house, and the values increase just like anything else.

[Sun]

I think it really depends on the area. In some places townhomes seem to hold their value or appreciate like other real estate. In others, only new townhomes get top dollar, and older townhome developments are worth less. I'd strongly encourage your DD to do her research on market trends in her area and to talk to several realtors to get a range of opinions.

[LucyStoner]

In Seattle townhouse values climb more slowly/are recovering more slowly. Construction quality on newer homes, especially townhomes, is a major concern. I personally think she would do better to buy a single family house than a townhouse. A HOA for a townhouse is important. For the newish ones without HOA dues, you have no assurances down the line that your neighbors will or even CAN do the necessary major exterior repairs. Like the roof. I would only buy a town or row house again if I lived where they were older and more solid and if I lived someplace with a strong demand for that sort of housing.

[KungFuPanda]

I WISH we were in a condo. Right now I'm getting some windows replaced and looking at the leaves starting to fall. The upkeep is constant and expensive and all of the bills are bigger in a house. If you are not remotely handy it can be a source of eternal frustration. Condos are single level and can always be sold to young couples and down-sizing seniors who want single-level living. Town homes split the difference, but those stairs can get old really quickly and you can only entertain able-bodied folks . . . so don't sprain an ankle!

[Orthodox6]

So much variation from state-to-state, market-to-market.  I don't know current laws; however, many years ago, the owner of a townhouse also owned the land upon which it stood, whereas the owner of a condo owned the dwellingplace but not the land.

 

My friends who have had townhomes have found it difficult or impossible to sell them.  Houses less so hard.  These reports are for Texas and Florida.

 

My aunt and uncle own a townhome, and the HOA absolutely forced them to have crummy-quality siding added to the home.  I do not understand how this could have been legal. 

 

I'm a private person, so would rather have a small, semi-shabby freestanding house than have an elegant townhouse. 

 

 

[bettyandbob]

I do not hear my neighbors. There is an actual fire wall between our houses. I have never heard of cooking smells or "critters" going between the homes -- I've been in two different townhouses for 21years. Ya'll have had some really bad experiences I have not had. I guess look at the local code requirements in construction. Like I said above I've seen communities with single family homes that made me feel more crowded than my townhouse.

[kroe1]

The biggest issues I have had with condos are adjoining vents and noise control. The adjoining vents will allow the next door smoker to stink up her condo while noise control can be a big issue if the neighbors are loud. I have heard of bed bugs and roaches spreading rapidly in apartments and condos.

 

Her realtor should be able to help her understand resell value in her locale.

[Susan C.]

We lived in a apartment for six years. I pray that I will never share walls with anyone again! I would rather pack into a small house, and do or pay someone to do yard work. Also, yards can be made to be low maintenance.

 

And every time I heard a fire truck, I ran around our building (we were in the back and couldn't see the units in the front). I never knew if the fire was in our building or not. And we had several instances where smoke alarms went off in adjoining units, very unnerving. Once I actually saved a guy's life, he had passed out drunk with something on the stove. I called the fire dept. and insisted on them breaking in (they weren't going to), next thing, smoke pouring out and a man stumbling out. It took a week to get the stench out of our unit. Fun times. And yes, some of the neighbors left something to be desired, and it was a nice complex.

[Lara in Colo]

The only real issue I had with my condo (other that HOA's dumb rules) was the difficulty I had selling it--- When the market was down someone bought a lot of them and rented them out.  Once the percentage of renter to owner is high, a new buyer cannot get a loan very easily.  I had to take 5K off the selling price so the buyer could get a bank loan instead of a first time buyer fanny whatever loan.

[gardenmom5]

thank you for everyone's input.

 

she's leaning towards a house, but we'll see what is available.   among the priorities are location location location.   (and attached garage)

 

I appreciate the consideration of common attics, firewalls, and what exactly the HOA cover's.

 

she'd prefer three bedrooms/or at least a separate den as she occasionally works from home.  but will take two if that's what she finds.   some of those two-bedrooms I've found are houses, but on a big enough piece of dirt to do a major addition/tear-down in future like the neighbors have already done.

 

 .

 

 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Mow & Snow are common issues.  Then again, in our town it's rare to see a homeowner doing either.  Landscapers are rampant all year.

 

I've always been wary of townhouses that are stapled together in a flash, but the flip side is that a "life experienced" home like ours needs a ton of work, which is easy to put off.   If I bought in my early 20's, it would've been a condo/townhouse because buying mower spark plugs or a ladder just wasn't on my radar.

[Spryte]

I do not hear my neighbors. There is an actual fire wall between our houses. I have never heard of cooking smells or "critters" going between the homes -- I've been in two different townhouses for 21years. Ya'll have had some really bad experiences I have not had. I guess look at the local code requirements in construction. Like I said above I've seen communities with single family homes that made me feel more crowded than my townhouse.

 

Yes, I agree.  Check local codes.  Some of the scenarios described apply to "condos" here vs. townhomes.  Condos have a different code here, and some of the scenarios described seem to apply to that type of code. You will want to check out the difference in your area, because here, and in some other areas, the difference is huge.

 

Here, between townhouses, firewalls are mandatory.  Punching through a wall into someone else's kitchen would be impossible.  There are no shared spaces at all, the firewall separates everything, including attics and basements, and roofs - there are no freely roaming critters, unless it jumps on the roof and goes across that way, or by ground.  Roofs are replaced at the owner's expense, not as a group project together.  There are no shared expenses at all - although in a condo situation, in which one essentially owns the "air space" not the land (miniscule amount though it is) and the actual building the condo association would cover the roof etc.  

 

I live in a townhouse, and have never, not once in twelve years, smelled a cooking smell - other than someone's outdoor grill when I step onto our deck.  The only sounds I hear are the squawks of the next door neighbor's parrot when I pull into our driveway - again, I'm outside.  There was a brief time when our next door neighbor had a young teen, and we'd occasionally hear him running up and down the stairs - sort of a thumping feeling, more than a sound.  But that was all.  

 

We moved here with the intention of leaving fairly quickly.  But we love it, so we stayed.  Our neighbors are all long-term owners, and have raised families and sent the kids off to college while living here.  

 

If you are considering a townhome, a good HOA is a must.  I know many people hate HOAs, but in a townhouse community, it's a plus.  Our HOA dues are minimal, but they cover so, so much.  Community landscaping, maintenance of playgrounds, parks and tennis courts, snow and leaf removal.  They cut our grass, but we maintain our front landscaping - which I enjoy.  They don't touch our backyard, also a plus, because I enjoy it.  We have a deck, brick patio, hardscaping, raised garden, and permanent fountain.  They make sure our neighbors homes are in good repair, so our home values don't fall drastically.

 

Home values - might depend on your area.  In ours, well maintained townhomes are sometimes much more expensive than single family homes.  

 

The main complaint I have is parking.  An end unit would have given us more natural light, which would be nice, but it's not dark in here either.  

 

Several board members have been here over the years... maybe they will see this thread and give their impressions.  I don't think it's a bad place.  :)

[gardenmom5]

dd met with the RS agent Friday.  I wasn't able to be there.  dh was with her, and thinks he's great.  after looking at five houses with him on saturday,  I have no reason to think so.   he showed us three piece of junk houses, and one very sweet bungalow, that just wasn't I a good spot to be worth adding the master suite and two car garage - though there was easily enough land. I will give him the benefit of the doubt in that when she said she was willing to work - he thought major fixer upper.  no. c.o.s.m.e.t.i.c.s and minor reconstruction.  I'm taking charge of the list of houses we look at, especially as I'd dismissed several of them before he took us to see them.  (I didn't have a list of where we were going.).  

 

I found, and we saw another one - but only a narrow one car garage - and no way to increase that.  smallish lot that backs to a busy street (and it has a narrow oven. sheesh - a large Viking cooktop, and a small oven. go figure.)  otherwise it was perfect. it was a dream.

 she's definitely decided on a house - can't believe how much hoa's are for some of these townhouses.   more than most car payments.  (she can do a lot of home improvement with those dues.)

 

it seems we find a good house to go see - and before we can see it, it's "pending". it's a very tight market, very little available.  there are a couple for tomorrow I'm hopeful about. (and one I was salivating about, but it's "pending".  I'm sorry I showed it to dd.) there's one that should increase its value just by ripping out the burnt orange living room carpet (we suspect hardwoods underneath), and painting the paneling in the basement.  I'd rip out the green-patterned carpet too, but not until she puts something on the floor.  who knows what's underneath. probably concrete.  of course, then the are the one's just hacking back the shrubbery around the house so you can see the house, and they don't eat people walking to the front door. . . . .

we want jonathan from property brothers.