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Long Island Home Buyers Ask: What Is The Difference Between A Condo and A Townhouse?

By
Real Estate Agent with The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803

We have been asked this question many times.

 

What Is The Difference Between A Condo and a Townhouse on Long Island?

 

                                   

The following is the easiest way to explain these different terms to consumers buying or selling on The North And South Shore Of Long Island...

 

Buying a Condo or a Townhouse is much like purchasing a house

 

   Attached Condo in Shirley Long Island Sold By Lawrence & Sheila Agranoff

 

 

Condo ~ A Condo is where you own the actual structure of the building jointly with the other members of the Association, along with common areas such as swimming pool, tennis courts etc. Individually you own the airspace and interior of the structure, but not the building itself. You and the other members of the Association own the structure together. Condos come in a wide variety of architectural styles. They can be ranch style attached units, 2 or 3 story units, or they can be in a high-rise building. A Condo can be 1 floor, or two and can have a basement or no basement.  Sometimes there will be neighbors above, below or both.  

 

If you own a condo, you do not own the land surrounding your living space. A condo owner owns only the unit itself, which is taxed as an individual entity, and sometimes a percentage of the common areas of the community.  It is important to note that a condominium, just like a townhouse, refers only to type of ownership and is NOT a type of house.

 

 

                  Attached Townhouse in Smithtown Sold By Lawrence & Sheila Agranoff

 

Townhouse ~ A Townhouse refers to a style of construction and not a type of management, whereas Condos are the types of ownership. It is like a house in that the owner owns both the structure and the land on which it sits, but since it is not free-standing you own the front and backyard. It basically is a building or unit that shares a common wall with the building or unit next door. Townhouses usually are connected to one another in a row and usually have 2 or more stories. They usually do not have not have neighbors above and below, and can be a style of a condo.

 

 

Here's Another Type That Even Many Realtors Aren't Familiar With:

    A PUD Sold in Smithtown NY by Lawrence & Sheila Agranoff

 

Planned Unit Development ~ A PUD can be attached or detached units and is a form of a type of building development with a Master Plan. A PUD can take the form of a community of townhomes or detached homes. There a Homeowners Association Membership (HOA) which is mandatory. The HOA fee is often used to cover road maintenance, or maintenance of commonly owned land or buildings.



The difference between a PUD townhome and a condominium townhome is that in a PUD, you actually own the land your townhome sits on, and usually a small back and front yard also. You can landscape and enjoy the limited land you own, rather than having no control over it.

 

 

Again, the main difference between a PUD townhome and a condominium townhome is that in a PUD, you own some land. In a condo, you don't.

 

 

These forms of ownership have a homeowners’ association and the association maintains the grounds, structures and systems in the complex. The monthly common charges typically go towards upkeep of the common areas, pools, tennis courts, security, landscaping, trash and snow removal. You pay for your own electric, and/or gas, your windows, air conditioning and plumbing.

 

Townhouse ~ owns the land on which it sits.

Condominium ~ owns the inside of the unit.

PUD ~ Owns the land front and back of unit.

 

Most people conveniently refer to all of these types of structures as Condos, although they may actually be a Townhouse or PUD.

 

Are you looking for a particular townhouse or condo property on Long Island?

 

Call Realtors Lawrence and Sheila Agranoffto help you find the type of home ownership you are looking for on Long Island.

 

Call our Cell:  631-805-4400.

 

Search Here  For Long Island Condos

 


 

 

This advertisement does not suggest that the broker has listing or transaction or that any property is currently available.

If your home or condo is listed with another broker, this is not a solicitation of the property.

Sale May Be Subject To Term & Conditions Of An Offering Plan.

 

 

Posted by

                                                    Sheila & Larry Agranoff

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                                                                Cell: 631-805-4400
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Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff are more than just Real Estate Agents. To attain the designation of REALTORS®, we have proven to be more knowledgeable & experienced, above and beyond the average requirements. Being part of the network referred to as REALTORS®, you can be sure we will cater to your Real Estate needs with superior professional practices.
 
If your home is listed with another broker, this is not a solicitation of property. This does not suggest broker has property currently available. Reproduction of text/images contained herein without the express written consent of the authors is strictly prohibited. Sale May Be Subject To Term & Conditions of An Offering Plan. Disclaimer: While information is believed to be accurate it's represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or reliance on information & must be verified by prospective consumer. The authors disclaim liability for any damages/losses, direct or indirect resulting from anything contained herein or the accuracy of comments or opinions of visitors.​©2008-2023.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Comments (28)

Sam Shueh
(408) 425-1601 - San Jose, CA
mba, cdpe, reopro, pe

Regardless what we classify, our county call all of them condos.  This creates a problem with some lenders as they want price for condo or townhome not both.

 

Jun 02, 2017 07:18 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Hi Sheila and Larry... a great explanation for something that is not always understood. And here in Charlotte, we also have townhome structures that are condos in reality and condo-type structures that are run like townhomes, just to make things more complicated.

Jun 02, 2017 07:25 AM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Many ways to own a piece of the Real Estate pie

Jun 02, 2017 07:26 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Great description for your area. In reading it I realized that is not the way it is in Clarksville and I should let buyers know. Sharing the wall came to mind and in our area there are actually two walls with an airspace for code and to serve as a firewall. As you can see my mind is whirring and I must right a post about this question about adjoining walls.

Jun 02, 2017 08:02 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Good morning, Sheila and Larry -- When it comes to Long Island real estate, it makes sense for y ou to give your perspective on this commonly asked question. The differences in the "language" we use to describe the different words can often vary by location.    

Jun 02, 2017 08:12 AM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Kat, We do have Co-ops, but thats' a whole other challenge!

Jun 02, 2017 08:53 AM
Adam Feinberg
Elegran - Manhattan, NY
NYC Condo, Co-op, and Townhouse Advisor

Excellent description. In NYC, a condo (apartment) you can have outdoor space attached to your apartment- though it is considered a limited common element. The unit owner is responsible for the maintenance/upkeep of that outdoor space, but the condo reserves the right to access the space if needed for maintenance.

Jun 02, 2017 11:09 AM
Stephen Turner
House Broker Realty - York, PA
The BIG Guy of NEW HOME SALES

In PA we deal with this frequently as well. Most buyers ask for condos here when they want a townhome, mainly because so many townhomes are Condo ownership. I'm amazed just how many people don't know condo is not a product or home type, its a type of ownership.

Jun 02, 2017 12:40 PM
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Great information! We do have condos that look like townhouses in our area. Some of them do have a front and/or back yard and/or one or more balconies. While they may not own the land, they have the restricted use of same. Just shows how real estate customs, practices and laws can vary geographically.

 

Not discussed but deserving of a post of its own is the way in which lenders look at condos vs puds and non-condo townhouses. 

Jun 02, 2017 01:26 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I hope home buyers will read your post and learn from it. Thank you for sharing 

Jun 02, 2017 04:44 PM
Mari Velasquez
Olympus Executive Realty - Orlando, FL
Real Estate Agent serving central Florida!

This is a great clarification!  Thank you for the information!

Jun 02, 2017 06:39 PM
Ernest Villafranca
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate - Oakland, CA
3923 Grand Ave. Oakland CA, 510-418-9443

A condo is like a room in a hotel. A townhouse is more like a house. (However, sometimes a townhouse is a condo. )

Jun 02, 2017 10:05 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Long Island is a great place and I hope you get great properties so all parties can be happy! Love and light!

Jun 03, 2017 07:32 AM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

Yes, there is confusion with the consumer on exactly what is the difference in properties.

Thanks for clearly spelling it out.

This would be a great read for the consumer.

Jun 03, 2017 07:41 AM
Peter Davies
Borawski Real Estate - Northampton, MA
Exceptional service, without exception...

In our New England area we usually refer to townhouse as a style of condo or apartment with multiple levels, as opposed to a garden or single level. Attached homes that own the land under them and have yards are usually known as rowhouses and usually sell as single family homes with no condo association.  Marketing language has sometimes triumphed over the actual meanings.

Jun 03, 2017 08:37 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Great job as always Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400  sp many buyers and sellers have no idea  what the difference is

Jun 03, 2017 03:44 PM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Larry and Sheila  Agranoff post go a long way in explaining the difference between  a condo and a townhome in Long Island.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Jun 03, 2017 07:27 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Thanks for the informative post. We have neither here in our small community, but I do sometimes write property descriptions for agents who deal with condos. It's good to know what I'm talking about!

Jun 06, 2017 08:03 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

I wish we had a specific distinction in Arizona.  Condos and townhomes can be labeled as such on our tax records, but the land is typically still owned by the HOA.  This is a good entry for the contest on FAQ's.  

Jun 09, 2017 04:39 PM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Great post and illustrations about condos, townhouses, and PUDs. Many agents IMO have mistakenly identified townhouses as condos and as illustrated, there is a big difference between them. 

Jun 09, 2017 07:51 PM