town home vs single family home?

Trang
Home Buyer
Long Beach, CA

I am looking to buy a home that I will live in for a long time. This will be our first home. I have heard mixed reviews on buying a town home or condo versus a single family home. What are some advices in which why one is better than the other?

Answers (1)
Bob Phillips
Agent
Coto de Caza, CA
FIRST ANSWER

For the most part, condos and townhomes, are usually less expensive for the same square footage - that's the good difference. Frankly though, that is frequently somewhat deceiving, because the condo/townhome usually has FAR higher association fees as part of the package, making the eventual monthly payment closer than you would initially think.

Other bad news ( to some buyers.) is a much higher density of people squeezed into a smaller place, with more difficulty parking, for both residents and their prospective guests, while noise from a neighbor, beside, above, or below can also be significant factors. Not to mention tiny outdoor spaces, if any.

Some people hold out for a SFR ( single family detached residence.) in order to avoid those limitations.

On the other hand, other people prefer the lower need for maintenance that a condo/townhome association frequently provides, as part of their dues.

Both types of property have their advocates. Good luck in deciding - I hope this has helped.

Web Reference: http://BobPhillips.net
Sun Feb 22 2009, 13:33

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