Living in a townhouse in a better neighborhood versus a house slightly further away (Seattle: hardwood floors, HOA)

[MayouInSeattle]

Did anyone make this decision? What did you end up choosing?

Let's assume that the townhouse and the house had a similar size and cost. (SQ footage, number of bed / bath).

The "better" neighborhood might be better schools or shorter commute. Whatever the personal reason is for it being better for you.

[mkarch]

How about an older house with fewer updates? To a large degree it's going to depend on the neighborhood. My main gripe with town homes is the zoning restrictions tend to put them on busy streets more often than not. So even if you get one in a *better* neighborhood, the lot itself is generally not as private/quiet as what you could find with a SFH.

The main reasons I'd trade my SFH for a town home would be 1) newer construction with less maintenance 2) to get in a more walkable area.

For me it would depend on what made the town home neighborhood 'better' and whether I could stand to live in a 3-5 story house with the rooms chopped up and spread across floors. Some of the floor plans on the newer open concept homes are pretty good but the pre-2010 stuff tends to feel cramped.

[homesinseattle]

That's a tough one. Unless the location and/or commute really are better, single family homes will hold their value and increase better in value. They also lend themselves better to improvements and give you a chance to enjoy some yard outside. In general, they are better investments. That being said, a townhome in Phinney Ridge would be a better investment than say a home in Shoreline.

[Ira500]

Of course, not every house purchase should be seen as an investment. If you're buying a place to live in, you should buy the place where you'll be happiest.
Me? I'm not the townhouse type. I like having a yard and a garden, and don't want to share a wall with neighbors, but townhomes are generally closer to things to walk to, and for the price, are generally newer and/or in better condition.
So if you will be happier not working on a house, and living closer to restaurants, etc, a townhouse might be your best bet.
A single family house is generally going to cost more to maintain, but to me is worth it, because I like hanging out in the yard.

[homesinseattle]

Builders certainly are making town homes more aesthetically appealing than they used to. At the end of the day it is a personal decision. You need to balance the commute with what features make you happy, schools and potential resale, statistics say you won't be there forever. I am of the opinion that at least a little patch of earth outside can bring great joy.

[flyingsaucermom]

I technically live in a condo, but most people mistake it for a townhouse. My double garage is on the first floor, main living on the second floor (including patio on ground.. so obviously I'm on a slope). Most bedrooms on the third. One shared wall. Admittedly it's the ugliest condominium in the community from the outside, but once you're in you start to understand its virtues. It doesn't feel much different than a SFH since I've got windows on three sides and high ceilings on the main. It doesn't feel quite as open as most SFH, but more than a townhouse.

It was the best decision for us. Worth about ~$500k, we have a beautiful western mountain view from one room and enough of a greenbelt out the back patio that we frequently have bobcats and deer poking around during the summer. 4beds/1860sq ft. $500k for a SFH in this neighborhood *might* get you 3 bed/1200 sq ft. and perhaps an ugly slab patio "backyard" with a fence around it. No view and no greenbelt.

I love my neighborhood and the schools are great. I don't have to use my car except 2-3x a week just for kids' activities. Everything I need is technically within walking distance.

[misscross]

I would look closely at the townhome's HOA dues. It seems like they've skyrocketed at least in the East Side communities. $400-500 a month is no joke!

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by misscross

I would look closely at the townhome's HOA dues. It seems like they've skyrocketed at least in the East Side communities. $400-500 a month is no joke!

Judging from OP's post where a single family house has similar size and cost, they're not looking at town homes on the Eastside. Over there, the cost differential is much higher since Eastside land (aside from West Bellevue and Houghton) is relatively cheap. Seattle town homes tend not to have HOA's or high dues since they're mostly on separate tax parcels.

[Polymorphist]

I made this choice two years ago when I bought a newer house on the southend vs buying a condo. If I had remained on the Eastside I would have only been able to afford a condo and I just didn't want that. I wanted my own walls, a bigger space. Now, I bought a house about two blocks from a light rail station so it was a very convenient choice for me, I went to driving only on weekends and sometimes i'd go a few weeks without driving at all. The drawback is that I bought in an "up-and-coming" area meaning there is some gun violence.

Now i'm looking at selling the house because I want to live closer to the city core, that puts me in townhouse or loft territory if I can find it.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

One shared wall.

How's the noise situation? I hate my condo because the walls are thin. Over the years I've heard crying babies, barking dogs, music, shoes clacking on hardwood floors, and exercise workouts.