Post by hopecounts on Jan 23, 2013 13:28:50 GMT -5
All the apartment/condos around here are at least 2 stories so you have an upstairs or downstairs neighbor. This is a pain when you have a kid because you either have upstairs neighbors who wake the kid up or you have to worry about your kid disturbing your below stairs neighbor when they're playing and running around.
Not to mention having a backyard for the kid to run off energy in.
I have a townhouse style condo in ATL. The difference is we don't own the land outside our unit, only the land underneath it. We bought it because a) it was 217K for 4 stories and about 3K square feet. It's HUGE! b) no yard work c) it's inside the perimeter (i.e. in town). A similar sized SFH in our part of town would be 600-700K. Our mortgage makes a lot of people jealous, especially considering how gorgeous our neighborhood is - I have a deep water creek out my back door and our 'hood has 25 acres of green space + a pool + tennis courts. I can't imagine what there isn't to love. I have a center unit and in 4 years have not heard ONE SOUND from either of my neighbors. Our condo fee covers all of the landscaping, pool maintenance, upkeep on the roads, sewers, streetlights (the HOA owns all of that) plus a general insurance policy and pest control - for $290/mo, I think it's a great deal.
Post by kellykapowski on Jan 23, 2013 13:31:03 GMT -5
All the things cville said. Condescending indeed.
It's cheaper to buy a TH where I live. We didn't need a big yard with all the upkeep associated with it when it was just DH and me. I don't like apartment style living because I don't want people all above, below and next to me. I share one wall with one other TH and I never hear them.
you live in chicago, don't you? does chicago have nice townhomes? i am confused.
I live in the Chicago area, yes. The townhomes I looked at mostly were walking distance from city limits but a whole other story compared tp townhomes downtown. The one we almost bought was farther from the city and very nice, but the HOA kept fucking around with our offer, so we bailed and kept looking. It was 2 stories with a sort-of basement and nicer than our house, but it was also a lot more money and in a very inconvenient location. There were no amenities like a pool, playground, etc and you had to walk a bit to get to your garage.
My Dh and I bought a townhouse first before our house. We loved the square footage, the multi levels, having an association take care of the needs (we paid dues each month fees if you will) we didn't have to rake, remove snow anything. It was great.
Our townhouse wasn't as expensive as the "free standing homes" were at the time. We got a great house for what we needed at the time. We now rent it out and it provides wonderful income for us.
I guess I don't get what you are asking. Why did we buy it?
We both worked in the city at the time and didn't have time to worry about yards, snow removal, etc. Our neighbors were pretty quiet we never heard them. Also we had three bedrooms. The square footage in our home was bigger than several of my friends who had paid a whole hell of a lot more for their home.
What I loved the most was that we had two bedrooms on teh second floor and HUGE loft upstairs. We made that loft our bedroom and before the kids, the two bedrooms were an office and a workout area.
I guess you could also ask why someone would buy a ranch instead of a multi level home, etc. Its all taste.
ETA: The townhouse also has a basement wtih washer and dryer but no garage
the *best* part of the townhome i currently live in is that it is a 3 and 1/2 story-split. it is only 1500-1700 sq ft, but it feels SO much bigger b/c of all of the floors.
don't find too many SFH that are more than 2 stories.
See, I love splits and you can only get that in SFH here. I think this really is an issue with my local market.
Also I will share with you that there were some really bad storms a few years ago and while everyone is our town basically lost power (ourselves included) our tenants didn't . The wiring is all underground. Aesthetically its nicer and it proved wonderful that none of the wiring snapped etc.
OUr house now is getting small esp with a third on the way and we actually toyed with the idea of moving back in there for a few years to save for a bigger house. OUr townhouse was and is beautiful
Post by expatpumpkin on Jan 23, 2013 13:39:21 GMT -5
Why I Bought a Townhome:
- I was a single gal in my 20s and wanted a central city location. "Real" houses would have cost double. - I did not want to spend my weekends caring for a lawn. - I DID want an attached garage (not carport, etc.)
What I Got:
- 2 bed/2.5 bath with attached private 2-car garage. Fireplace, open kitchen, loft study area, skylights, community pool, and private patio.
Why This Was a Great Investment:
- I lived there for 3 years before I got married and moved away. The townhome has actually increased in value. - Due to its amazing central location, it's never gone unrented. - My yearly ROI on the rent (rent - expenses = profit) will be 13% after the mortgage is paid off and that won't be long. So it's basically paying for itself.
I'm not a real estate genius, but this certainly worked out for me... I think the most important factor was buying in an "up and coming" central neighborhood.
^^ Some people have those restriction in SFH developments with HOAs.
Just FYI.
And not all restrictions are that tight. Before purchasing, you are given the covenants to read through. If they're too strict, you have the option of pulling out of the deal with no problem. (At least in MN)
you live in chicago, don't you? does chicago have nice townhomes? i am confused.
I live in the Chicago area, yes. The townhomes I looked at mostly were walking distance from city limits but a whole other story compared tp townhomes downtown. The one we almost bought was farther from the city and very nice, but the HOA kept fucking around with our offer, so we bailed and kept looking. It was 2 stories with a sort-of basement and nicer than our house, but it was also a lot more money and in a very inconvenient location. There were no amenities like a pool, playground, etc and you had to walk a bit to get to your garage.
So you live under a rock then? Because, seriously, I live in the burbs where there are awesome townhomes. You're acting like you live on another planet where these mysterious nice townhomes don't exist. You should venture out a little more.
In fact, I'm going to buy a townhouse this spring. I'm a single mom who works full-time and I don't want to deal with up-keep outside. I also don't want to deal with the expense of exterior maintenance as it relates to the house (roof, paint, siding, landscaping, etc.). I can get something that needs little to no renovations inside, 2-3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 car attached garage, and a basement that is way nicer than any single family home of the same square footage.
I live in the Chicago area, yes. The townhomes I looked at mostly were walking distance from city limits but a whole other story compared tp townhomes downtown. The one we almost bought was farther from the city and very nice, but the HOA kept fucking around with our offer, so we bailed and kept looking. It was 2 stories with a sort-of basement and nicer than our house, but it was also a lot more money and in a very inconvenient location. There were no amenities like a pool, playground, etc and you had to walk a bit to get to your garage.
So you live under a rock then? Because, seriously, I live in the burbs where there are awesome townhomes. You're acting like you live on another planet where these mysterious nice townhomes don't exist. You should venture out a little more.
In fact, I'm going to buy a townhouse this spring. I'm a single mom who works full-time and I don't want to deal with up-keep outside. I also don't want to deal with the expense of exterior maintenance as it relates to the house (roof, paint, siding, landscaping, etc.). I can get something that needs little to no renovations inside, 2-3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 car attached garage, and a basement that is way nicer than any single family home of the same square footage.
We looked for over a year at homes on the north, west, and south sides; both suburban and in the city proper. I ventured aaaallll the fuck over this place.
I didn't say that none are nice. I think if you read through this thread and see what other people get in their townhomes and what is common here, you will agree they are pretty different.
Post by lurkergirl123 on Jan 23, 2013 14:05:16 GMT -5
I had a townhome as a single mom and it was awesome. The grass was always mowed and the outside of the home was maintained for me. Plus the association fees were low and it was cheaper than renting a similar sized place.
we almost bought one. i love the three story floorplan ones, absolutely love. there are some beautiful, modern ones in this city that are 100% up my alley style wise, price wise, and location wise.
in the end, the only reason we didn't is because there was not a practical way to be able to let the dog outside without a leash/supervision, and that sucks (for us). and we assumed the resale would be tricky.
Three stories?!? That's another thing we don't have here, at least, not that I have seen.
Not sure where you live in the suburbs, but the Chicago area (city and nearby suburbs) have a lot of 3 story townhomes (that are in the rowhome style) that are really modern and great layouts. Most that are being built, you can customize how you want your home designed. The pricing is not even comparable sometimes to owning a home since a home would still be thousands more AND you would have to revamp it depending on how old some of the homes are in certain areas (based on the areas I looked at/ friends homes I have visited)
We live in Chicago itself and SFH's that are anywhere near nice are in the $1M range, so we have a condo. Also, we don't have time/energy/desire to do any outdoor maintenance like lawn mowing, so.........
Post by orangeblossom on Jan 23, 2013 14:38:52 GMT -5
Our first house was a 2400 sq ft townhouse, 4 bd, 3.5 bath bee specifically looked for a townhouse. There are plenty of new ones in the area. We did not want the responsibility of a SFH at the time.
Townhomes have come a long way. Some are better constructed and have better sound proofing. They are bigger and have more amenities. My aunt has one that's 3000 sq ft. She wanted a big house without the hassle.
It really is all about presence. In our current city if they'd had the type of townhouse we wanted, we would have bought another one hands down. They didn't, and we bought a SFH and it much more of a nuisance for us in terms of upkeep.
Not directly saying this to you, because your question seems to stem from a genuine curiosity, I have never understood the TH hate. It's a home and for some that may be what's most affordable and for others it's what they want, though they could afford a SFH. Also, those same restrictions like paint color, outside decor, et , still apply in SFH neighborhoods. These days it's almost impossible to find any new construction without an HOA, and getting increasingly harder to find older homes without one.
because LOL at the thought of me owning a single-family home in NoVA before i'm 86.
You're in NoVA? wait, did you tell me this already? grrrr, pregnancy brain has not left me. lol
Also, we owned a townhome and I liked the lack of maintenance. If we did not have kids, I could see us owning a nice townhome. And in my area, townhomes sell very well.
You're in NoVA? wait, did you tell me this already? grrrr, pregnancy brain has not left me. lol
Also, we owned a townhome and I liked the lack of maintenance. If we did not have kids, I could see us owning a nice townhome. And in my area, townhomes sell very well.
hahhaha yes, we've talked about it several times. i'm legit laughing right now.
Oh my God, this is just pathetic is what it is. I used to have such a sweet memory and now it is complete and utter crap. lol
When your H works 70-80 hours a week, and you work 50+ and have a kid, the last thing on earth you want to deal with is the lawn, snow removal, and other general maintenance. Don't discount the value of that to people.
That being said, we hate ours and can't wait to move away from an HOA. We'll gladly pay someone double for landscaping, snow, etc, not have an HOA.
Our townhouse is perfect for us. 1600 square feet, a decent yard (no lawn), 3 BR and 3 BR. There are only 2 of us, how much more space do we need? We don't have homeowners dues either. We are able to live in a neighborhood that we could not afford a SFH in.
There are many reasons it is a great solution. Judge much?
In our area (outside B'more) townhouses are starter houses (or older, retired, no more kids houses). It was SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper (like $50K+) for a TH. Our is 3 stories, 4 bdrm, 3.5 bath with a nice deck out back. I miss having a yard, for sure, but I don't miss all the yard maintenance.
Affordable SFH homes in our area are old 1940's-ish ranch homes that haven't been updated since 1975...gold wallpaper and all.
Post by sewpinkgal on Jan 23, 2013 16:47:12 GMT -5
When we were first looking at homes, we thought a TH would be our sweet spot, but we found the same thing - SFH in a nice area were actually less $$ than the comparable THs. We ultimately chose a SFH, but I can absolutely see why a TH might be a better option for some people due to upkeep, etc.
And if it were an option between an apartment-style condo or TH, the choice is a no-brainer to me.
Where we live, most of the townhomes are either rentals or more geared toward retirees/empy nesters who don't want the hassle of all the outside stuff but want to stay in the area since their kids/grandkids/doctors/friends are in the area.
We own a condo that was more expensive than the homes in neighboring communities. A few reasons:
1. The community we are in is much nicer than the surrounding neighborhoods, Security, parks, restaurants, a coffee shop, yoga, Pilates, blowdry bar, dog parks - all in our community. My community has houses, too, but they are twice the price of the condos - so between a house in the surrounding areas, or a condo in the fantastic planned community, no contest.
2. We don't have shared walls. We have a unit beneath us, but we are on the top floor. No one adjacent to us on the right, emergency exit stairwell on the left. So no shared walls; this is command for town houses, too (at least luxury ones, to be built with either nothing shared or only garages/laundry rooms/closets adjoining).
3. Better rental value, We will buy a house once I get pregnant because I do want a yard for children. We wanted rent that would cover our mortgage, though, and that's easier with a condo or townhouse.
4. We don't care about outdoor space. Our dogs never used it. Dog parks, those they love. But we just needed a balcony with a potty area and they are thrilled. We have decks for BBQ's and outdoor space.
Mostly, though, bottom line is you get something nicer than a comparably priced house, with more amenities; in exchange, you give up a yard and space between you house and the neighbor's. There is absolutely no way condos in the same zip code and school district, with the same square footage and upgrades, sell for more than homes. I think the condos are either I a better zip code (and you aren't noticing it) or have upgrades or square footage the houses do not.
Our townhouse is perfect for us. 1600 square feet, a decent yard (no lawn), 3 BR and 3 BR. There are only 2 of us, how much more space do we need? We don't have homeowners dues either. We are able to live in a neighborhood that we could not afford a SFH in.
There are many reasons it is a great solution. Judge much?
Seriously, I don't know why everyone thinks I am judging. I said that we almost bought one that was nicer and more expensive than our current home. I did not say people who live in townhomes are bad. I said I think that based on what I saw while house hunting, I must be missing something. Turns out I was! Surprise. I learned something in a thread I started for my own edification.
I am looking at a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath one online right now that costs $749,000. It has no amenities like a pool, playground, or whatever else other people talked about as part of the HOA, and it's in a totally inconvenient place. I can buy a 4 bedroom, 4 bath house with a bathroom that has a 4-person whirlpool and a sauna for that, one where you can walk to the train, for $450,000 one town over. Explain that shit to me. New granite countertops are not worth that kind of extra money. I don't think it makes me a snob or judgy to legitimately wonder who makes those types of real estate purchases and why. Sheesh.
Post by juliagoulia on Jan 23, 2013 20:51:06 GMT -5
We looked at TH's but unfortunately it would be more of a PITA than I feel like dealing with having 3 dogs
The ones we looked at had more sq ft than our house, were gorgeous inside (all upgraded options), were considerably cheaper than you could find a sfd home for & had anything on the outside covered by them (roof, siding, shutters).
Once DS is grown & the animals are no longer and we are too old to want to deal with so much house junk, that's my plan.