What's The Difference Between A Townhouse And A Condo?

If you own real estate or are considering buying real estate, then you've probably run across terms such as townhouse, townhome, row house, condo and condominium. So what exactly are these terms and is it better to own one type of property over another?

Let's begin by defining these words. The confusion surrounding these terms has to do with the distinction of how people legally own property vs. the type of property owned. While there are many ways to legally own property, the two most common methods are Fee Simple (sometimes called Fee Simple Absolute) and Condominium.

Although a through description of the benefits of owing property in Fee Simple is beyond the scope of this article, a brief definition is, having an unqualified ownership interest in a property or other real estate. In most cases, people who own a home in Fee Simple not only own the home's interior and exterior, but they also own the land beneath, and in front and back of the property, as well as having some rights to the air space above the property. In contrast, people who own property as a Condominium, only own the inside of the unit itself. The land below the property, the air space above the property, the front and back yards (if any), the exterior of the unit, the stairs outside of the unit (if any), are all owned collectively by all the unit owners within the Condominium development.

So now that we've discussed how property is typically owned, let's review briefly the various property types. The most common type of property in the United States is a single-family home (SFH). SFHs are detached structures that usually have one or two levels, a front and back yard, and are designed to meet the needs of a single family. SFHs are typically sold as Fee Simple.

A Condominium, Condo for short, is a single unit that is attached to other units within a larger complex. Condo owners only own the inside of an individual unit. Collectively, all unit owners within a development own all the structures and land outside of the individual units. Condos usually share common walls with the units above, below, and to either side, and all owners share the costs of maintaining the structures and land external to the units. You might be interest to know that many buildings that look like apartment complexes, actually sell individual units as Condos instead of renting the units.

The terms townhome, row house, and townhouse are often used interchangeably. These terms describe a consecutive series of similar residential units that may or may not share common walls with the adjacent units. These properties unusually have two or more levels, may or may not sit on individual lots, and may or may not have front or backyards. These types of properties are sold either as Fee Simple or Condos, so it's important to know what you're getting.

The confusion then lies in what term is being used in what way. A townhouse, townhome, or row house could be either Fee Simple or a Condominium. If a property is advertised as a condo, then the method of ownership is readily obvious, condominium ownership. In contrast, single-family homes are typically sold as Fee Simple.

Each of the ownership methods and property types above has advantages and disadvantages. If you're considering buying real estate, be sure to talk to your Real Estate Agent and legal advisor about the pros and cons of various ownership methods and different property types.