Looking at a townhouse to buy - Page 4

MamaWick · ‎03-09-2010

Our first condo (where we lived for 20 years) had in the bylaws that all window coverings must be white to the outside. So watch for stuff like that.

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness ~ Dalai Lama XIV

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace ~ Jimi Hendrix

FiddleDeeDee · ‎03-06-2020

@gloriajean The most important thing (and you are ENTITLED to these so DEMAND them) are the HOA docs/Architectural Guidelines OR the Condo docs (a townhouse can be a condo). Read through them VERY carefully before you sign off on the documents. Here's why:

1) Look and see what you are NOT allowed to do. You may be surprised.

2) Look at what the PENALTY/FINE is for violating the by-laws. IF THERE IS NO FINE/PENALTY, then run. This means that homeowners can do ANYTHING they want and there is no way legally for the HOA or CONDO board to enforce the community standards. It's the biggest dirty little secret and the most dangerous because a community can down the toilet quickly when everyone knows about it. Believe it or not, 9 out 10 do NOT READ THE DOCS BEFORE BUYING. They complain about stuff and then are told "sorry, we can't do anything about it due to the bylaws". READ them before signing off on them.

3) Request the monthly financial statement of the HOA/CONDO. Often this is on a community website (along with the HOA/CONDO docs) but if not, request it so you can see financially how it is. Ask when the last Reserve Study was conducted. Ask if there are any projects planned AROUND THE COMMUNITY. You never know what is about to happen behind your house....

4) Ask what the fees cover weekly. monthly, yearly. Do you have county or private garbage pick-up? How about recycling? Snow removal and ice treatment? Are they all county or private?

What does landscaping cover? Just common grounds or your grounds as well? Do you paint the outside of your house or is this part of your fees and they hire a contractor for doors, frames and window trim?

Bottom line, read those documents CAREFULLY. You will learn a great deal about your community and the people who live there BASED on what those documents state.

"Coming to ya from Florida"

wakefield64 · ‎03-10-2010

I am in a townhouse and enjoy it for the most part. Something to think about is where your bedroom is in case of having access if you are getting older. Mine is on the first floor even though the stairs are not a problem right now, but you do have to plan ahead.

Also, there is no age restriction here, but everyone in my area is in 50-70. So if you enjoy have children around make sure you look for age ranges around you.

CANDLEQUEEN · ‎03-09-2010

I live in the Mid West and we have some lovely Town homes here that vary drastically in cost and size. In the town that I live in we have newer ones that are 55 and up that are beautiful and quite spacious, probably about 2200-2500 square feet and they are bi levels, my sister and her husband looked at them when they both retired and moved here from NJ......They loved them, but they felt the rules were just too much and they ended settling for a single family ranch home, now they are sorry because they now have to pay someone to snow plow and to cut grass as they no longer can do it.....

Even though they don't come right out and say it I think they wish they would have gone for the town home and not had the worry of yard work or snow removal! Good luck to you and let us know what you end up deciding!

KatieB · ‎03-10-2010

I've lived in a townhome for over 25 years. I liked it at first, now not so much.. I'd rather have a single family home.

If you like living in an apartment, you will like a town house... It's basically the same type of living arangement with the exception of owning the town home and most of the expenses that go with home ownership.

kivah · ‎03-11-2010

@gloriajean wrote:
Tomorrow we will look at a townhouse to buy, it's in a good location, not far, and the inside is great! It's got 4 townhouses - we would be one of them. Anyone live in a townhouse and like it? It still would beat apartment living on second floor which we are for almost 5 years. Of course there's association fees,, so no working outside and that's a good thing.

In 1989 I sold my beautiful house and bought a 2-story townhouse (from hell) in Oak Park, CA. Hated every day for the 11 yrs I lived there. Totally claustrophobic, no sidewalks - just streets that were tar, no sun (faced the wrong way), my small yard backed to the unit behind me - and it felt like we were tooooooo close. One morning I was in my bedroom waking up - and I could hear the neighbors behind me - and the unit to their left - speaking. The area is mountainous and the sound bounces. When u walked in my 1400 sq ft small unit, I could hear the cars drive by. There were 3 sets of attached units - and I was the middle one. People walking and driving by always waved to the point that I couldn't stand it. They were never friendly - just waved. They take care of mowing the very small front lawn - but I had to take care of the backyard -- and there was no side-gate --- so I had a guy pour concrete in my yard - he had to go thru my unit. Where's the bargain??? You pay a hefty homeowers fee every month and there's no accounting where all that money goes. You have a pool - and no one ever uses it. Now - with the pan-demic, I doubt anyone would ever use it. I escaped in 2001 and bought my beautiful house 45 minutes north - 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, corner lot, good-sized backyard - lots of street parking --- and I don't have neighbors breathing down my neck. My gardener comes here every Wednesday - and he charges a very reasonable price --- I actually gave him 3 raises thru the 19 yrs and he never asked. So much happier now. And---I don't have to deal with that homeowners assoc. with their strict, unreasonable rules. My new house does not have a homeowners assoc.

cowboy sam · ‎06-15-2015

hmm no word from @gloriajean yet..was wondering what she /they decided to do??

preds 06-21-20
"Always be thankful andyou'll have more than you know."

gizmogal · ‎05-09-2014

Before you buy it, make an effort to get an appointment to return to the place in the evening, around 8pm or later so it's dark. You'll want to get a feel (or a listen) for how noisy is the street; stay quietly inside for several minutes and see if there's a loud TV next door that you can hear through the walls or maybe neighbors having a spat. Adjoining dwellings or street conditions can have noise issues you won't know about unless you show up for a tryout one evening. Especially observe night conditions in the bedroom you will use for sleeping.

Not saying you have to bring a sleeping bag and a toothbrush! Just try a half hour of sitting in places within the unit you will be buying and see what lights shine into the windows, what noises you hear, what the cross ventilation is like with windows open. You want to live there, so get a feel for comfort and noise.

Also, take a good look around the neighborhood for conveniences like merchants and businesses you might want to use. Do you want to drive everywhere to get ordinary errands done?

Check out street parking access--if you like to invite guests for dinner or home entertainment, you don't want them having to park 6 blocks away because your block and all around you is infernally crowded. If you don't have guests often, it won't matter. If you don't have a private parking space for your own car, it will!

Also, be aware of things very nearby like firehouses and police stations, which tend to be active 24/7 and maybe have sirens or vehicles going at all hours.

Best of luck. I'm sure you'll love your new home.

queendiva · ‎03-12-2010

Good point about the exposure of a townhome.

The front of my unit faces E- SE. It has windows from East facing around to SW, so I get sunlight/ daylight all day in my end unit. I am also surrounded by mature evergreen trees: privacy and light diffusion. The walls where I have no windows face due N (garage) and W.

When my sister chose a condo for our elderly mother the unit had windows on only one side and they all faced north. You needed to have the lights on all day, every day. The kitchen had no windows either. I found it to be dark and depressing. I could never have lived there.

Something to think about.

gloriajean · ‎03-10-2010

Yes, all things to consider. We haven't decided on anything yet, also looking at ramblers too. The thing is, we really want to have a garden again. So tired of living in this apt. going on 5 years in Sept. I appreciate you posts, it's a big help!