Source: Woodgate Townhomes
Introduction
A recent study brings to attention the value of renting over buying in today’s current housing market. The report showed that renting is more affordable in urban or populous suburban areas such as Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix, Arizona. For those seeking to save money during today’s uncertain economic climate, it may be time to take advantage of the many virtual tours being offered right now and start looking for the perfect rental.
But what does that dream rental look like to you? There are so many options available beyond buying a house. At Woodgate Townhomes, we are dedicated to helping you find the best living experience possible. In today’s post, we’ll discuss the differences between townhomes and apartments to inform your decision-making process and help you find the ideal fit for all your housing needs.
Townhomes vs. Apartments: What’s the Difference?
Source: Woodgate Townhomes
Townhomes are defined as a two- or three-level house that’s attached by a similar house by a shared wall. In comparison, apartments usually consist of multiple units within a building.
Townhomes allow you to feel as if you’re living in your own house with private front door entry and your own parking area. Apartments often feel more like a community, sometimes with shared amenities and services.
Apartments and houses usually spread across the property area, but many townhomes are built vertically, with living space on each floor and much more height than your average apartment unit.
Space
One of the most apparent advantages of renting a townhome is surely the amount of available space. Most townhomes have a greater square footage than apartments, even if they’re dispersed across a split level layout.
Keep in mind that a townhome may have stairs, and more levels and rooms than an apartment.
For large families or residents with roommates, a multi-level townhome is an ideal option so that everyone can have the privacy they desire. Residents can live on different levels of the townhome and even set up a quiet home office in a separate part of the home. At Woodgate, we have floor plans with and without stairs, meeting a variety of needs, abilities, and preferences.
Maintenance
Source: Woodgate Townhomes
Generally, maintenance concerns are left up to the owner if you’re renting an apartment. The owner or operator of the complex also maintains common areas like laundry rooms and shared community spaces. Other than personal utilities, the renter has very few responsibilities when it comes to maintaining his or her space.
Similar to renting an apartment, tenants of townhomes have very few maintenance responsibilities but have the advantage of various amenities that make the living experience more comfortable. Townhome communities offer convenient perks such as on-site staff and maintenance, plumbing services, and quarterly pest control. Some townhomes even offer lawn mowing and yard work to their tenants. These services set the townhome experience apart from other living situations, as extensive maintenance services are not normally available to renters or owners of single-family homes. In that kind of situation, you’d have to take care of your own lawn care and upkeep, including costly repairs.
Parking
Even the best of apartment buildings offer a limited amount of parking space, if any, for its residents. Further, even if an apartment rental offers space to its tenants, guest parking privileges are a rarity and even more limited in supply. Compare this to certain townhomes that offer many parking options for both tenants and guests. Some townhomes have a private garage as well as driveway space and copious parking options for guests.
Source: Woodgate Townhomes
Privacy
If privacy is a concern for you, take heed when comparing apartments versus townhomes. In an apartment building, your living space may be connected on all sides to another apartment unit. Your ceiling might be connected to someone else’s floor, which means you may have to deal with the sound of someone walking, stomping, or dancing above you. Your floor may be connected to someone else’s ceiling, which means you may be subject to noise complaints should your own activities disturb others.
In addition, an apartment is surrounded by other units on both sides and potentially your back wall as well, increasing the possibility of disturbances during your rental period. In a worst case scenario, your apartment walls could potentially be shared with up to nine other families in total, two to the side, above, below, the four corners, and the back wall of your apartment. Finally, since apartments share a building with other units, you will be sharing a main entryway into the building.
On the other hand, a townhome affords much more privacy to tenants. Townhomes usually feature a private entryway that only people living within your unit can use. A private front door is particularly valuable during virus outbreaks, pandemics, and flu season in general, since there will be fewer people using the entryway and doorknob. There’s honestly never a time when having your own private entrance isn’t preferred, since it offers extra privacy and added luxury.
Along the same vein, renting a townhome means you can avoid sharing community spaces like parking garages and laundry rooms, where bacteria can easily multiply. Even when we’re past the concerns of safety, having a personal entryway gives you and your family the autonomy and privacy to come and go as you please, without having to call downstairs or grant access to the main entrance as you would do in an apartment building.
Unlike apartments, most townhomes share only one or two walls with other units, limiting the amount of noise disturbance. The ultimate townhome experience would be in a duplex, where the townhome shares only one wall with another. This private format gives residents a feeling of privacy that apartments lack.
In fact, many describe the townhome experience as a stepping stone before purchasing a house. The privacy of renting a townhome combined with a lower cost commitment (as opposed to a home mortgage) can show you what it’s like to own a house before you take the leap.
Amenities
A comparison of amenities in townhomes versus apartments depends on the building or community. Amenities differ across apartments as well as townhome communities. Some apartment buildings are just a series of units with few facilities, while others boast on-site gyms, dry cleaning services, and in-room washer/dryer appliances. Amenities at townhomes usually include in-room washer/dryer hookups, lots of parking space, and possibly front or backyard space.
Key Takeaways
Source: Woodgate Townhomes
As you can see, whether you choose a townhome or an apartment as your next place of residence depends on many factors unique to your current situation. It pays to take some time and make a list of what your priorities are when it comes to choosing a new home. Who you plan to live with, your current budget and your desired neighborhood should all be taken into consideration when deciding whether to live in a townhome or apartment community.
Here’s our list of what to look for when choosing a new home to rent:
Space. How much space do you and your family need? If you’re living with in-laws, roommates, or children, look for a space that offers both privacy and room to grow. Do you need a private office or studio? Consider whether a townhome with two or three floors might suit your needs better than an apartment.
Maintenance. How much time do you want to devote toward home maintenance? Would it be better for your family to rent a home that provides for on-site maintenance needs, plumbing services, and pest control? If these are pain points at your current living situation, look for a place that takes care of these concerns for you.
Parking. What are your parking needs? Does your family have more than one car? Do you regularly have guests visiting you? If so, look for a place that can provide convenient and ample parking spaces.
Privacy. What are your privacy concerns? Do you need to be away from noise and nuisance? Do you prefer a private entryway? If so, a duplex townhome unit may be the best bet for you.
Amenities. Is lawn care and lawn mowing something you’d prefer to leave up to the experts, free-of-charge? Do you like having on-site staff and maintenance to address your concerns? Look for a place that can handle these issues so you don’t have to worry about them.
Should you choose a townhome as your next dream home, be sure to take a look at what Woodgate Townhomes has to offer. Contact us today to view one of our luxury units and see how a townhome can be the perfect place for you to live.