Many people have an old-fashioned view of townhouses. They picture them as cramped and small, outdated and in overcrowded areas. While that may have been the case at one time, it’s certainly not the case now. Modern townhouses actually rival single family homes in size, style, and amenities. Many townhouses also sit in communities that offer living benefits not available to those in freestanding houses. Read on to find out why townhouses are often an excellent deal these days – and why they may just be the best choice for you.

Low-cost living

One of the major benefits to living in townhouses is mandatory membership to a homeowner’s association. Most communities of townhouses have satisfactory limits on the price of homeowner’s association membership, but the rewards they receive as a result are said by some to be worth many times more than the membership fee. Homeowner’s associations for townhouses take care of maintaining many of the things that can be cumbersome and expensive if you own a single family home. This includes trimming the lawn and greenery, taking care of garbage and recycling pickup, salting the roads when they’re icy, and plowing the roads when they’re snow-covered. Different homeowner’s associations have different agreements with communities of townhouses, so if you’re considering purchasing a town house make sure to familiarize yourself with the particulars of membership benefits.

Agreements for municipal services

Many communities of townhouses have more than 30 homes clustered together. Because of this, communities of townhouses tend to have access to municipal services for things like water and sewage. If you live in an area where most single family residences have private septic and well setups, you’ll be able to appreciate the convenience of community access to such services. As an added bonus, you won’t have to deal with the cost of fixing your own septic tank or water well should something go wrong. When it comes to communities of townhouses, the homeowner’s association or city funds will pay for such maintenance and repair costs.

Access to more affordable options

Another big benefit to communities of townhouses is the variety that you’ll find within those communities. Townhouses can range from small and compact to large and sprawling. This means that despite your preference for home size, you can still have access to the community lifestyle other townhouse owners enjoy. There is also quite a range in prices for townhouses. Townhouses may be priced low enough for those just starting out and can also range into the high-end of prices for those who prefer luxury.

Friendly neighborhoods

Owners of townhouses tend to see themselves as micro-communities and thus are often quite friendly with other townhouse owners. You’ll find that you’ll have several neighbors with whom you can network and play. On top of that, access to community bonuses found near most townhouses – such as pools and playgrounds – helps to fosters relationships between owners of townhouses.

In addition, townhouses tend to appeal to both the young and old. This means you’re less likely to find communities where every owner is from the same age cohort and you risk feeling out of place. Townhouses appeal to older folks because of the low maintenance requirements and the feeling of community. They appeal to young families because of their affordability. They appeal to people with kids – single parents included – because of the safety that comes with community guidelines and the familiarity that usually crops up between townhouse neighbors.

Clubhouse amenities

Community bonuses such as those mentioned above are often the tip of the iceberg for most townhouses. Along with pools and playgrounds, many communities of townhouses include fitness centers, tennis courts, a general meeting area, basketball courts, and sometimes even parks. The general meeting area can often be rented for a small fee by residents for use as an event venue for things like birthday parties, weddings, and business meetings.

Top rental prospects

Townhouses are an excellent choice for anybody who likes to travel significantly or enjoys leaving their home residence for years at a time. Townhouses have excellent rental potential because renter’s prefer the low maintenance requirements and the perks that come with having a homeowner’s association. In contrast, renting a single family home often still comes with the responsibilities one experiences as a home owner.

Excellent investment potential

While it’s true that cities and countries in general are becoming more crowded, townhouses offer a nice way to live amongst the crowds while still feeling like you have your own space. They’re making a huge comeback within the housing market because more people are seeing the downside to the responsibilities of owning a home in a large and busy city. If townhouses appeal to you at all, they’re definitely worth taking the time to look into.