Townhouse vs Apartment: a Comparative Study to Understand the Right One for You

Welcome to our Townhouse vs apartment battle. In this blog, we will be assessing facts so that you make the choice for yourself. We will not be holding your hands and will slowly nudge you in the right direction.

Therefore, follow this section in order to understand whether you need an apartment or a townhouse as your abode. Let’s go!

What is an Apartment?

Buying a house in the States can be a tedious job especially if you see all the choices that you are presented with. You have your condos, your penthouses, and studio apartments. Each and every form is different from the other and presents something different.

Luckily, you have us. In this Townhouse vs apartment discussion, we would be taking a methodical pace and would like to assess each piece of the puzzle. Therefore, let us start with apartments.

In theory, an apartment is a single residence in a housing unit. A building can have several apartments at the same time. Therefore, it can be called a unit. Apartments are the most prevalent and popular housing structure out there.

Advantages of Renting an Apartment

Apartments have really grown popular in recent years. In fact, they have really blown up and can be seen in every corner of the USA. But why? This is primarily because it has some really excellent benefits. Benefits that set them apart from other housing structures. Here are some of the reasons why renting an apartment is actually better:

• Apartments are generally low maintenance in nature. As a result, when you plan on renting an apartment, you do not have to pay a hefty maintenance cost.
• If you are renting an apartment, you are automatically paying for all the maintenance. Therefore, you do not have to pay any extra for maintenance and this is great for people who are busy.
• Most apartments do not come with HOA fees, as you will already be paying for maintenance and some other fees. Therefore, you do not have to shell out extra for HOA.

Disadvantages of Renting an Apartment

The apartments are amazing. It makes living a streamlined affair. However, it can only be perfect. There are some aspects that one needs to understand before they can assess the viability of getting an apartment:

• Some apartments are absolutely non-receptive to the idea of a pet. This can be a real problem for a pet parent.
• Some apartments do not allow customizations of any kind. This is especially true if you are planning on creating your own personal nook.
• Apartments are generally smaller compared to townhouses. Therefore, you need to understand that you will be limited when it comes to space.

Average Cost of Renting an Apartment

The overall cost of living in an apartment is highly subjective. This is because different areas of a city incur different rent and expenses. As a result, we will not be presenting any figures.

Generally speaking, the cost of living in an apartment is cost-effective compared to living in a condo or a townhouse. Then again, if you are living in a swanky apartment, you must consider that your living apart cost would be higher.

You might have to dish out around $3,500 if you are planning on living in cities like New York, LA, and San Francisco.

What is a Townhouse?

With apartments out of the way, it is time that we take a moment to proceed to the next chapter: understanding a townhouse. We have already discussed what a townhouse is. If you want to understand what a townhouse is, check out our What Is A Townhouse blog.

A townhouse or a townhome is a multiple-floored house that is created vertically and shares at least one wall with an adjacent property. These horses travelled to America from Europe back in the 1800s. They were considered to be luxurious and novelty spaces to live in.

However, that time has passed and now townhouses are seen as affordable housing options. As a result, they mostly riddle the suburban areas of a city. These houses can be rented or bought in full. It all depends upon the property you are choosing.

Advantages of Renting a Townhouse

Townhouses are perfect for so many reasons. They are affordable, give you the feeling of owning your own house, etc. However, these are just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some more benefits of owning or renting a townhouse:

• Townhouses are comparatively more spacious than apartments. This is primarily due to the way they are constructed. As a result, you and your family will have more space to play around.
• Townhouses are self-contained spaces with shared walls and separate spaces. As a result, you can bring your pets with you. This is an excellent advantage if you have a furry baby, as they will not have to worry about running around or restrictions.
• Townhouses are mostly built with housing plans with lawns and areas to come together. This fosters a sense of bonding. This is one of the biggest reasons why you must consider getting a townhouse compared to apartments, as apartments tend to set people in a silo-like environment.

Disadvantages of Renting a Townhouse

Just like apartments, townhouses also come with their fair share of disadvantages. Therefore, understanding these disadvantages will help you make a more informed decision. As a result, here are some of the primary disadvantages that you need to know:

• Most townhouses have a yearly or monthly HOA fee, and this can add up to the overall living cost. Therefore, this can be seen as a significant disadvantage that apartments need to have.
• Townhouses are not like apartments. You must pay maintenance fees and remember everything else. For Townhouse, you need to pay and take the onus of the maintenance work that must be done.
• Townhouses function like your typical houses. As a result, you need to pay higher utility bills like electricity, water, heat, etc. This again adds to the cost.

Average Cost of Owning a Townhouse

The cost of owning a townhouse is, again, a subjective discussion. So many factors decide the overall price like location, neighborhood, size, etc. Therefore, there is no way to quote an exact figure.

However, townhouses are considerably cost-intensive compared to apartments. This is one of the most significant caveats that you need to understand. You need to pay higher bills or more utilities or HOA fees.

You can expect to pay around $5,000 upfront to live in a townhouse. Again, this is a generalized figure and can fluctuate depending on the market. As a result, living in townhouses can be a difficult task for people with monetary constraints.

Townhouse Vs. Apartment: Comparative Analysis

Townhouses and apartments are great options for people who want to live on a budget. However, you cannot have both. You need to come to a decision and pick one. Therefore, in this final section, we will analyze the two to assess whether you need it.

This should help you make a more informed decision about which to choose. However, remember that personal preference is above everything else. Therefore, approach the section with clarity and context.

Here we go!

Layout & Space

The layout and spacing are the first significant difference between an apartment and a townhouse. Townhouses have comparatively larger spaces perfect for families and couples. Apartments, on the other hand, have limited space and are as a result ideal for people living alone or with just one more partner.

General Pricing

Townhouses can be pricey. This is primarily because townhouses generally come with higher maintenance costs, upfront costs, and utility bills. Meanwhile, apartments have lower prices and upfront costs due to their streamlined nature. As a result, townhouses are perfect for people with a certain level of disposable income.

Privacy

Privacy is a dicey situation to tackle. In both cases, privacy is an issue. In the case of a townhouse, it shares at least one wall with the adjacent building but with a separate entrance. Meanwhile, apartments share walls as well as gates. Therefore, you must go to a townhouse if you like privacy and your entrance.

Maintenance

The final aspect or differentiator factor is maintenance. A townhouse requires a much more elaborate maintenance regime compared to an apartment. Therefore, you must spend more time and money to maintain your Townhouse. If this sounds tedious, then you must consider an apartment.

The Final Thought

With that, you have reached the absolute end of the Townhouse vs apartment discussion. If you want to get your place, consider the points you mentioned.

Then again, getting your own house will be a much more difficult feat as there are so many factors that you need to consider. Hence, remember this and start your journey with clarity and context.

Read More:

• Basic Home Maintenance Tips
• Condo VS Apartment: What You MUST Know Before Choosing!
• Maximize Your Savings: 5 Tax-Saving Tactics You Need to Know