newer homes - diverse area

[Angus215]

There are a ton of new/newer townhome communities all over the place. It would certainly give you a lot more options and does have the advantages of lower maintenance (although you will have to pay an association fee, so you're still paying for it). Seems like the majority of new construction IS townhomes right now.

Just figure out your target area geographically, then see what's on the market. i know for a fact there are a few new townhome communities currently being constructed in Montgomery Twp, right off of Rt 309. Just use Realtor.com to search for new construction in North Wales, Ambler, Ft Washington, Gwynedd, etc.

I wouldn't rule out buying an existing home just b/c it's older though. That's just the reality of living in suburbs that were developed long ago. In many cases, the homes have been completely updated so it really comes down to the specific house. I bought a 20 year old home, but the roof, siding, windows, HVAC, kitchen, bathrooms, and floors had all recently been replaced. Like you, i didn't want to buy a house that was going to need a lot of maintentance.

For yard maintenance, just assume you're going to hire someone to do everything and factor that into your monthly cost. for a 1/2 acre lot you're looking at say $1,500 for annual mulch/spring cleanup, $500 for weed control/fertilizing, and $1,000 for mowing or about $3,000 annually. $3,000 / 12 = $250 a month. But if you buy a townhome you'd probably pay around that in association fees.

[3littleblessings]

That was really helpful. I had no idea how much that type of service costs. Thanks for the tips. We're heading out there next week to explore the area a bit more, so hopefully we'll get a better idea of the areas we prefer, and see some townhomes as well as singles in those areas.