What Is The Difference Between A Condo And A Townhouse?

Question:

Recently I was asked “ What is the difference between a Townhouse and a Condo?”

Answer:

While there are certainly many attributes that are the same, hence sometimes it is hard to tell the difference, the main differences are:

• In a condo the ownership is the interior space of the home from the paint inward.


• The exterior walls, ceiling, roof and actual land the home is on, is jointly owned by all members/owners, in a separate corporation.


• The corporation/condo association is typically divided equally between all of the units. The condo association is responsible for upkeep, maintenance, and/or repairs of the exterior of the units as well as all common elements of the complex.


• In a townhome each individual owner, owns their lot, and exterior walls, roof etc.


• It is possible that the owners of a townhome will have an undivided interest in the common areas. Depending on the bylaws of the HOA, they may or may not be responsible for the exterior maintenance of the homes.

In Arizona the easiest way to determine if it is a condo or townhome, is that the legal description for a condo will typically include either a statement like “lot 1 AMC condominiums” or a statement of undivided interest in the common area.

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