townhouse vs. apartment

Townhouse vs. Apartment: Is a Townhome Right for You?

If you’re planning on starting a family or feel the need for a little more space, a townhouse might suit you better. When considering a townhouse vs. an apartment, it’s best to know a little about both as you think about your needs in a home.

What is a townhouse?

Townhouses are usually narrower homes with multiple floors. They share an outside wall or walls with their neighbors. Set up in rows, end units will only share one wall. “Townhouses tend to look a lot like traditional, detached homes but generally operate more like a condo in that they’re all part of a larger governing body,” according to QuickenLoans. Since it’s basically a home with a more vertical design, you may get a better homey feeling in a townhouse than a traditional apartment.

Most townhouses also have small yards or a ground-level patio in addition to a balcony. If you’re craving a rental with outside space that goes beyond a tiny balcony, a townhouse is a good choice for you.

Townhouses also often have a garage, giving you not only a private, covered spot for your car but a little extra storage space. Not only that, but you can often find townhouse communities in both urban and suburban areas, allowing you more options of where, within a city, to live.

With all its extra space and features, renting a townhouse can give you the feeling of living in a single-family house without the same price tag.

couple looking at home

The difference between a townhouse vs. an apartment

The major difference between a townhouse and an apartment is its ownership. An apartment is often only one unit within a building owned by a single entity. You may not ever interact with the actual owner, but rather go through a property management company. This centralized ownership can make it easier to get maintenance requests or any issues with neighbors handled fast.

Renting a townhouse usually means working directly with the owner. They most likely only own one unit within the community. It also means they won’t have control over your neighbors should issues with noise or general behavior arise. You’re living just as close to your neighbors in a townhouse as in an apartment, but there’s no buffer of a property manager to manage issues.

HOAs

Another key difference between townhouses and apartments is a Homeowners Association or HOA. While both apartments and townhouse communities may offer shared amenities like a clubhouse or a pool, they’re often managed differently.

In an apartment, access to these extras is part of your rent. The property manager will distribute rules for use. With a townhouse, access is dependent on paying HOA fees. These fees get billed either monthly or annually, but often become the responsibility of the renter.

There’s a one in five chance of living in a home that’s part of an HOA, whether you’re in a townhouse or not, but once you pay into the HOA, you’re required to adhere to their covenants. These could feel much stricter than what you’d encounter in an apartment.

Still, even with HOAs and having to deal directly with the property owner, living in a townhouse has its positives.

lots of space in townhouse

Pros of renting a townhouse vs. an apartment

Living in a townhouse offers you the flexibility of renting without having to compromise on space. Most townhouses offer three levels of living space, with bedrooms on top, the main living area in the middle and bonus space on the ground floor.

While space might be the biggest benefit to living in a townhouse, there are other reasons that can convince you this type of home is right for you.

Spread out living

Townhouses usually offer more living space than traditional apartments. This is ideal if you’re living with roommates or are getting ready to start a family with your spouse. Your townhouse will still feel quite open and spacious even with extra people living with you. This is thanks to the multi-level floor plan in addition to a yard and multiple bedrooms.

A house without the work

Renting a townhouse rather than a free-standing house means you get the feel of a larger home without all the work. You don’t have a giant yard to maintain. No long hours mowing, weeding or trimming. Even better, most townhouse HOAs take care of all external maintenance for the entire community. You get the perk of outdoor space, that’s more than a cement balcony but less than a massive patch of grass.

Better for your furry friend

Living in an apartment with a pet isn’t always easy. With dogs especially, the only way to get them outside is to go on a walk. The rest of the time, they stay cooped up indoors. In a townhouse, you usually have a dedicated outdoor space that’s all your own. It may even have a fence, allowing you to safely let your dog out for a little play. While the yard won’t be huge, it can make a significant difference for your furry friend.

electric bill

Cons of renting a townhouse vs. an apartment

While living in a townhouse may give you a little more space and make you feel like you’re closer to being a homeowner, don’t jump into it just for appearances. It’s a large commitment in time and money to live in a townhouse. You might not be ready.

Too much to clean

With all the extra space of a townhouse, you’ll have more to maintain when it comes to cleaning. Renting a townhouse means multiple floors to clean. It means more bedrooms, more bathrooms and potentially a larger kitchen and living spaces. Make sure you’re ready for that kind of commitment.

Too many expenses

In addition to more square footage to clean, you also have a larger space to heat and cool. Utility bills are often higher in a townhouse than an apartment, which means a bigger monthly budget. You may also have to cover HOA fees or insurance and maintenance costs passed on to you by the homeowner.

If your ultimate goal is to purchase a home, larger bills could delay the process. You must decide if the tradeoff to living in a townhouse is worth the extra expense.

Too many restrictions

Sometimes, renting from an individual homeowner can be more restrictive than renting from property managers who handle an entire apartment building. Because the townhouse owner may want to keep the property in tip-top shape until they return to live in it (or until they sell it), they may have more rules for renters. No-no’s on the list could include:

  • Holes in the walls
  • Changes to the garden or yard
  • Painting
  • Modifications to closets

The restrictions to making this house feel like your home could make it a less-than-comfortable place to live and not somewhere you want to stay. Make sure to ask about these types of restrictions before renting a townhouse to avoid any surprises.

Still not enough privacy

If your intention of renting a townhouse is to get away from the close living of an apartment, you might not be making the best choice. Townhouses still have party walls, the common term for the shared walls between your home and those on either side. While these walls are often sound-proofed, there’s no guarantee you won’t hear your neighbor.

At the same time, back decks can have their own party wall, making it difficult to enjoy your outside space if you end up beside a noisy neighbor.

Much like living in an apartment, the peace and quiet you find in a townhouse is dependent on the kind of neighbors you have living close. You might want to ask the homeowner about the neighbors before signing a lease.

Townhouses vs. apartments: Find the right home for you

As a renter, having a lease expire is always an exciting time to consider your options for what kind of home to move into next. Maybe you want a larger apartment. Maybe you want to live somewhere more like a house. The decision about townhouses vs. apartments is all about where you are in your life, and what you see coming in the future.

Whether you decide a townhouse is right or want to focus your hunt on available apartments, start your search in a spot that’s guaranteed to have a diverse amount of listings. Visit Rent. to find the best vacancies in townhouse communities or local apartment buildings.

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