Ever considered renting a townhome? Now is the time––they’ve been rising in popularity due to their affordability and lack of maintenance. But you might not know what a townhome is or how it differs from a single-family home or a condo. Before you jump on the trend and rent a townhome here is an overview of everything you need to know about townhome rentals.
What is a Townhome?
A townhome, or townhouse is a multi-story home that shares a common wall or walls with the townhouses on one or both sides. Each townhouse in a townhouse community is owned by a different individual (or family unit). Oftentimes, all of the townhomes in a townhome community look the same and share a homeowners association, also known as an HOA.
What Makes a Townhome Different from a Single-Family Home?
The biggest difference between a townhome and a single-family home is that townhomes share walls. Single-family homes don’t have common walls with any other structures. This means that if you’re renting a townhouse, your neighbors will only be one wall over. In a single-family home, you’d have to walk over to the next house to find your neighbors.
Are Townhomes Affordable Rentals?
As always, the answer to this question relies on the real estate market of the area in which you want to live. Generally, renting a townhome is more affordable than single-family homes and less so than apartments, because the amount of space that townhouses have normally lies between the two. They’re an ideal choice for people who cannot afford to rent a single-family home, but who also want more space than their current apartment offers. Renting a townhome offers a middle ground.
Common Townhome Amenities
Townhouse communities often offer several amenities which are included in the rental price. These can include the following:
- Pet-friendly amenities
- Swimming pool
- Gym
- Parking
- Lawn care
- Play areas for children
- Tennis court
- Clubhouse
So now that you better understand what a townhome is, how much it might cost and what amenities it comes with, let’s dig deeper. What are the pros and cons of living in a townhouse?
Pros of Living in a Townhome
We’ll kick off with the best parts of living in a townhouse. What do people like about living in a townhouse? There are a few different reasons they’re so popular right now:
Location
One of the main reasons to rent a townhome is that they’re often conveniently located. Renting a single-family home probably means living in the suburbs, and that means being further away from the resources and social scene of a city. If you’re not into that idea, a townhouse allows you to stay in the city proper. You might not have the same super-convenient location of a tiny studio, but you’ll still be pretty close to the action. With a townhome, you can have the space necessary for a family and also live in a city.
Community
Another big plus for townhouses is the built-in community. It can be tough to make friends if you’re in an apartment building or living in a single-family home, because there’s not always a simple way to meet the people who live around you. The common spaces and other amenities that a townhouse community offers make it easier to make friends. You’ll always have something in common because you’ll be in similar living situations.
Less Maintenance
One of the main reasons that people choose to rent townhouses instead of single-family homes is that there’s less maintenance involved. Chores like maintenance, trash pickup, and lawn care are often taken care of within the price of rent. This way, you can have more space than in a normal apartment without the maintenance that comes with living in a single-family home.
Cons of Living in a Townhouse
Of course, there are several reasons why you might not like living in a townhouse, too. Here are the cons you might want to consider:
Lack of Privacy
Sharing walls with your neighbors means that you have less privacy than you would in a single-family home. You might end up with a neighbor who’s too noisy for your taste––or they might think you make far too much noise. It’s worth thinking about whether your lifestyle is suited for such close quarters. If you’re used to living in an apartment, however, you might already be used to this problem.
Dealing with HOA Regulations
We won’t beat around the bush: some folks who live in townhouse communities really don’t like their HOAs. HOAs set the rules and regulations of the townhouse community, so if you don’t agree with them, you might be frustrated and upset. You might not like to have someone telling you exactly how your lawn needs to look or when you can put your holiday decorations up. In order to avoid this issue, be sure to do some research on the townhouse community you want to rent in and ensure that their HOA seems reasonable and helpful.
Vertical Living
Because there’s less room to spread, townhouses are often built more vertically than a single-family home. This means that cabinets and other storage will be up higher than you might be used to reaching. If you’re pretty short, this is something to keep in mind, and it can cause some difficulties. Thankfully, this issue can probably be solved with a decent stepladder.
We hope that you found this guide to renting a townhome helpful. Best of luck on your rental hunt!
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