I think the most exciting thing about buying your first home is the actual process of looking at homes. I couldn’t wait to see what my choices would be.  I was counting down the days … and finally the day arrived!  The first day of looking was devoted to condos and townhomes. As a former apartment dweller, I associated the condo living with the same lifestyle as an apartment. I’ve recently moved from the apartment to a rental house.  In my mind, a townhome falls somewhere in between the two.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, below is a great chart to compare condo living versus townhome living:

Condo

The first stop was a newer condo in an area with many amenities close by.  I wasn’t expecting to like the condo because it seemed like it would be very similar to the apartment I had recently left behind.  As I walked in, I was pleasantly surprised! You still share the walls with others, but there were many things that made up for that. There was a lot of open space with great natural light.  No dingy dark apartment here!  I started going through my mental checklist of pros and cons and here’s what I came up with:

Pros:

• Open space
• Natural light
• Secured building
• Parking in the building
• No yard work
• Pool
• Fitness center
• Shopping you can walk to

Cons:

• People above and below you (unless you’re on the top floor or bottom floor)
• People sharing walls
• Still didn’t feel like my own space because of the closeness of the neighbors
• No “front porch.” Small outdoor space.

Townhome

The townhomes we looked at were in a great location!  A townhome is a great way to go if you’re ready to escape the apartment-style living but not quite ready to tackle a freestanding house.  It was nice that the bedrooms were upstairs, separate from the living space. I’m not one for yard work but I love having that outdoor space.  These townhomes were a great solution with a small, low-maintenance outdoor patio.

Pros:

• No one above or below you
• More than one floor with living space on the first floor
• Front porch and/or patio
• Parking right at your door or attached garage
• Minimal-to- no yard work
• Pool & fitness (depending on the community)

Cons:

• People on both sides

While I love the house I rent (a very small bungalow), I understand the appeal to purchase a townhome or condo. There are many great amenities that can be available with little to no maintenance on the property.  It’s definitely something for me to consider in my next step.

By Amy Gibbs