A townhouse community is very similar to a regular single family neighborhood with the exception that a townhouse community will often have commons areas, whose ownership is shared by the lot owners, and the existence of a Home Owners Association which provides for yard care and snow removal for each lot in exchange for a monthly maintenance fee.

Townhouse vs. Condo – What’s the Difference?

The townhouse concept offers the advantage of eliminating yard care and snow removal, which is provided by the Homeowners Association, while still providing each owner with a fee simple deeded lot, conveying all the rights of ownership. A townhouse is like a house in that the owner owns both the structure and the land on which it sits. Townhouses may be free standing (detached) or connected to one another in a row (attached). If there are two units attached they are duplex style, if there are three units attached it is a triplex, etc. It is important to note that townhouse refers to the type of house and not to the type of ownership. The ownership responsibility in a townhouse is the same as for a house.

By contrast, a condominium which means individual ownership of a unit on land owned in common means the condo owner owns their own unit and only an additional percentage of the surrounding property, including the land on which their unit sits. If you own a condo, you do not own the land surrounding your living space. It is important to note that condominium refers only to type of ownership and is NOT a type of house. Because there is common ownership of the property, the condo owner may have more restrictions to comply with and financing and re-sale of their property may be more complicated.

Townhomes built with low maintenance exteriors, all on one level living and a Home Owners Association that takes care of yard work and snow removal are the ideal option for those may want to downsize and simplify their housing requirements.

The Home Owners Association is made up of individual lot owners with each lot having an equal interest. The Association makes arrangements for basic yard care including mowing, fertilizing, watering and maintenance of the underground sprinklers, as well as snow removal. The Home Owners Association is funded by modest monthly maintenance fees paid by each lot owner, with the amount of those fees set by the Association.

To ensure the character and quality of the development and to protect your investment, the subdivision will be subject to certain restrictive covenants and conditions. These covenants and restrictions are designed to protect the value and desirability of each lot while still allowing individual owners to use and enjoy their property with minimal restrictions. In addition, these covenants and restrictions create and govern the Home Owners Association.