Townhouse - from the English. townhouse (literally translated into Russian - “city house”) is a relatively new offer on the Russian residential real estate market. Realtors offer such housing to those who dream of their own home, but are not ready to give up all the benefits of a city apartment. Who is a townhouse suitable for? The pros and cons of housing in this category specifically for you in our article.
Townhouses - an old tradition or a modern invention?
Russians first heard about such a housing option as townhouses in the mid-90s of the last century. Over the past 10 years, real estate experts have noted a steady increase in the popularity of this category among buyers. Some of our compatriots are already living in a town house, while others are incredulously considering this "novelty."
In fact, the idea of building cottages designed for separate living of several families is not new. The first townhouses appeared in England in the 19th century. At that time, every noble and wealthy family had several residences at once. In this case, one house should definitely be purchased in the capital of the state. The high cost of land and finished real estate made such a property option too expensive. The problem was solved by the construction of houses with several separate sections and an individual house territory for each owner.
A modern townhouse is also suitable for this description. The pros and cons of such housing should be considered thoroughly before making a purchase.
What kind of Russian townhouses are they?
In Russia, the first townhouse settlement was erected in the
near Moscow region in 1995. The tradition to build houses of this type near large cities is preserved today. Only a small percentage of townhouses are being built in the city, often in historic private sectors. What do the houses of this type offered to buyers look like?
A townhouse is a large cottage, usually with 2 to 4 tiers. The house is divided into identical blocks, each of which has its own entrance and plot. Usually, one owner together with the “apartment” gets from 1 to 4 acres of land. Before buying, you need to study in detail the specific selected townhouse. The pros and cons of each such building are different.
Today, houses for several owners are being built across the country, they vary in layout and area. Many townhouses have their own garage, while others only have 1-2 parking spaces. Depending on the number of residential tiers, the number of bathrooms may vary. In modern houses of this category usually provides at least one bathroom on the residential floor. The most diverse townhouses in Russia today, they can have balconies, glazed verandas and many other features.
Value for area
To start comparing the pros and cons of housing in a townhouse, you should review the area and prices of this type of real estate. It is worth noting that a section in a house with several owners will always cost less than a similar apartment. And this is a definite plus, especially for large families and those who love space. Accordingly, the farther the village is from the city, the cheaper the townhouse will cost.
According to the same parameters, it can be compared with an individual cottage. A detached house always costs more than a section in a town house. What is the area of an apartment in a low-rise building for several owners? Standard sections in townhouses usually boast a size of 75-250 m 2 . Some houses in this category have not only 1-3 floors, but also a ground floor underground. Budget options usually consist of several rooms located on 2 tiers. The area of such housing can be quite modest, less than 100 m 2 .
The owner of the block in the townhouse is his own master!
Which is better - townhouse or apartment? Each option has pros and cons, but we will try to consider the advantages of the first type of residential real estate. After the acquisition, even if it is part of a private house, hundreds of opportunities for its arrangement open up before the buyer. It's not just about designer refinements. A personal sauna, a swimming pool, a gym, a fireplace, a winter garden - all this is already in many town houses, and if you wish, you can equip yourself in almost any of the typical sections.
And do not forget about the local area, because you will definitely have it if you decide to live in a town house. The pros and cons associated with a personal plot of land should be considered separately. If you wish, you can arrange private parking throughout the entire territory. Or maybe you want to break a flower garden, build a playground or sports ground or a gazebo for barbecue? All of this is also possible. An interesting idea is that in some townhouses, friendly neighbors unite some of their personal plots and jointly equip them with recreation areas, which are used by all the residents of the house.
Townhouse - a compromise between an apartment and your own house
Most often, sections in houses for several owners are acquired by people who dream of living in their own cottage. When choosing a townhouse, you will not have to give up most of the advantages of living in an urban high-rise building. Apartments in the segment of houses for several owners today are still rarely seen in the secondary housing market. And buying a house in a new house is always pleasant and profitable - you don’t have to think about the overhaul for a long time.
New townhouses delight their owners with attractive facades, decorated in various architectural styles. Real estate of this category is for sale at various stages of construction. Having made such a purchase, you can save almost twice.
People living alone or young families are sometimes afraid to move into their own private home. You certainly will not be isolated from society if you choose a townhouse. The pros and cons of having neighbors should be considered individually. But according to reviews, in small houses all tenants are often friends with each other and celebrate all the holidays together.
Living European in Modern Russia
Watching foreign films, we invariably envy spacious and bright houses, well-groomed lawns and friendly neighbors of the main characters. At first glance it seems that in Russia you can only live in an elite cottage community. This is not true. You can live in a townhouse no worse. The pros and cons of the preferred option should be studied in detail before buying.
Experts say that it is most profitable to purchase real estate of this category in closed new villages. In most of them, the territory is protected, and this is a guarantee of the safety of all family members. Usually in such villages people of the same social class settle down, having kindred views on life. Gradually, quarters of townhouses are overgrown with their own infrastructure. All this is very convenient, because sometimes even in the elite urban complexes of residential high-rise buildings you can still meet random people. In low-rise buildings for several owners usually buy blocks of citizens who dream of living in their own cottage, without giving up the benefits of a city apartment.
Housing maintenance - plus or minus for a townhouse?
Saving on utility bills after moving to a townhouse will fail. In most cases, the cost of heating, electricity, water and gas is higher than in a similar city apartment. In some suburban villages, owners of sections of houses for several families are happy with the general improvement of the local area, round-the-clock protection and daily garbage collection. Of course, property owners also pay for all these services. But these are both the pros and cons of living in a town house.
The advantages of housing in this category include the mandatory installation of meters for all types of resources in each section of the cottage. In addition, modern homes use smart engineering systems. For example, often the owner can independently regulate the power of central heating in his territory.
And the neighbors behind the wall ...
Are you afraid that you will be flooded by neighbors from above? An affordable solution to this problem is to buy a townhouse. The pros and cons of housing in this category - the presence of tenants in other sections of the house, namely through the wall from your rooms. Many in this neighborhood see only positive aspects. For example, you can always go on vacation and entrust neighbors with watering flowers and caring for pets. If the family is large or there are time-tested friends, you can buy the whole townhouse and each owner will have a separate entrance and personal space.
But sometimes it is because of the neighbors that it becomes impossible to live in a town house. Each of us has its pros and cons: young people can have noisy parties, newlyweds have children, elderly people sometimes express discontent even due to a slight noise. If you decide to buy a block in a commissioned house for several owners, be sure to get to know other owners before making a deal. It is much more pleasant and convenient to live through the wall with people who are similar to you in their lifestyle and temperament.
Remoteness from the city, infrastructure and other subtleties of survival in a town house
At first glance, it seems that it is most profitable to buy a section in a townhouse located in a suburban village. Indeed, such a property is the cheapest in its category. Country villages delight the eye with their grooming, many of them are built in picturesque places and ecologically clean areas. If you wish, it is easy to find fully finished townhouses in this market segment that are fully equipped for the new owners to move.
What are the disadvantages of such houses? The first of them and the most tangible is the remoteness from the city. If you plan to maintain a workplace within the boundaries of a large settlement or if there are children in the family attending educational institutions, it is necessary to appropriately evaluate the transport accessibility of the new house. Some residents of new villages take at least 1.5-2.5 hours daily to travel from home to work. It is desirable that the village has at least a minimally developed infrastructure: shops for food and convenience goods, a pharmacy, and a salon for household services. Otherwise, you will have to regularly organize large-scale procurement and organize at home your own warehouse of provisions, personal hygiene products and everyday items.
Buying a Townhouse: Legal Details of the Deal
Not only the choice of a townhouse, but also its purchase has its own characteristics and subtleties. Typically, such houses are sold in shared ownership. From a legal point of view, the entire townhouse is a single property that can be sold to several buyers (each of which becomes the owner of one section). Before making a transaction, it is important to study the documents on the land on which the house stands. It is important to understand that the site adjacent to the purchased section does not become the property of the buyer.
There is no such thing as a town house in Russian law. Typically, houses in this category are decorated in much the same way as ordinary typical high-rise buildings. And this means that the owner of the land on which the building stands is HOA. Accordingly, the owner of the section in the townhouse can use and improve "his" land at his own request, but does not have the right to erect capital constructions on it.
Moreover, some residential areas have their own internal rules. They must also be examined before purchase. Often, owners are not allowed to significantly change the architectural appearance of the building and the adjacent territory. This means that it is possible to put garden furniture and break a flower garden, but you cannot build a high fence. Sale of a section in a townhouse is also carried out according to special rules. First you need to inform about the desire to sell your share of all other owners of the building. They have priority purchase rights. If none of the owners expressed a desire to buy a section for sale, you can make a deal with a third-party buyer.
Townhouse: pros and cons. Reviews of those who have already moved to their townhouse
According to statistics, our citizens most often buy sections in townhouses as their first home or after an apartment in the city. This category of section owners in “European-type” houses is more enthusiastic about acquisitions. A family house with several children can comfortably accommodate in a townhouse; there is a place here for arranging a personal office or home gym.
What do the owners say about such housing, which, in their opinion, has the pros and cons of a town house? There are various reviews: someone talks about having already made friends with neighbors, and “holidays of the whole yard” have become a good tradition on weekends. Someone, on the contrary, considers the townhouse as a temporary housing option, intermediate between the apartment and its own cottage. Indeed, a section in a house for several owners will always cost less than a similar detached mansion. If you want to buy a townhouse, photos of the options sold are unlikely to help you. It is necessary to precisely formulate your own requirements and examine in detail each property that suits them. It should take into account the costs of maintaining housing, the location of the house, the layout of the sections, getting to know neighbors. However, if the purchased townhouse does not live up to your expectations, it will not be difficult to sell it. Today, buyers' interest in real estate in this category continues to grow steadily.