Chapter 1 Architectural Styles 27
in buildings that do not have proper sound
insulation. Association fees, as well as mainte-
nance and repair fees, may be costly and are not
tax deductible.
Townhouse
A townhouse is typically a two- to four-
story house connected to one or more similar
houses by a common wall. Typically, a town-
house occupies less land than a single family
house. Townhouses, also sometimes known as
rowhouses, are commonly placed next to each
other in a row to form a close community. See
Figure 1-31.
A townhouse has the same benefi ts and
disadvantages as a condominium, with some
additional conditions. The buyer purchases not
only the unit, but also the land it sits on. A town-
house generally includes a small yard and often
a basement. Maintenance can be a disadvantage
property and facilities may include hallways,
laundry areas, parking lots, sidewalks, lawns,
tennis courts, and swimming pools. Common
property is maintained using association fees
paid monthly by the owners of the condo-
minium units.
Any type of dwelling can be a condo-
minium. A condominium complex may consist
of a single building or a group of buildings and
surrounding property. It may include a mixture
of converted apartments, single-family homes,
townhouses, duplexes, and high-rise buildings.
The main benefi t of a condominium is pride
of ownership with the ability to gain equity.
Also, condominiums are generally more afford-
able than single-family houses. Other benefi ts
include amenities such as security, recreation
and fi tness areas, and the convenience of not
having to perform maintenance.
A condominium is not without some potential
disadvantages. Privacy can be a major problem
Konstantin L./Shutterstock.com
Figure 1-31. Townhouses share a common wall, but they are often detailed differently to help distinguish the
units from one another and to add style to the building.
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