Townhome Guide
Understand what makes a townhome different, how renting compares with buying, what an HOA means, and what to consider when choosing a townhome in Tempe.
Townhomes can look similar while being rented, individually owned, or legally structured as condominiums. This guide helps make sense of the differences.
Townhomes Aren't Always as Simple as They Sound
Search for a townhome in Tempe and you may find individually owned homes, rental properties, condominiums, and even apartment communities advertising townhome-style residences.
That can make the terminology confusing, especially when properties that look nearly identical are described differently.
Part of the confusion comes from mixing together three separate questions: How is the home built? How is the property legally owned? And are you renting it or buying it?
Understanding those differences can help you compare properties more accurately and know what questions to ask before signing a lease or purchasing a home.
What Is a Townhome?
A townhome is generally an attached residential home that shares one or more walls with neighboring residences while having its own exterior entrance. Many townhomes have multiple stories, and some include features such as a private patio or yard, covered parking, or a garage.
But what a property looks like doesn't necessarily tell you how it is legally owned.
A row of nearly identical attached homes could include individually owned townhomes, condominium units, or residences operated as rentals. Even an apartment community may use the word "townhome" to describe the layout or style of some of its rental units.
That's why it's helpful to think about the property's physical style, ownership structure, and rental status separately.
Apartment, Condo, or Townhome?
Apartment: Usually describes a residence that is rented within a property or rental community.
Condominium: Describes a form of ownership in which individual units are separately owned while other portions of the property are held as common elements.
Townhome: Commonly describes the physical form of an attached home, although the term is also used for individually parceled attached properties.
A home can therefore look and live like a townhome while legally being structured as a condominium. A rental community can also offer townhome-style residences without those individual homes being available for purchase.
Apartment vs. Condo vs. Townhome: Understand the Differences →Renting a Townhome vs. Renting an Apartment
You don't have to purchase a townhome to experience townhome living. Individually owned townhomes are frequently offered for rent, while some larger rental communities also offer townhome-style residences.
The difference for a renter is often less about ownership and more about how the property lives and how it is managed.
A Townhome Rental May Offer
- A separate exterior entrance
- Multiple levels
- No neighbor directly above or below
- Private patio or yard space
- Covered parking or a garage
- A smaller residential community
An Apartment May Offer
- On-site property management
- Dedicated maintenance staff
- Larger amenity packages
- Centralized leasing and services
- More unit choices within one community
- A lower-maintenance rental experience
These features vary by property, and neither type of home is automatically better. The useful question is which living arrangement better matches the space, privacy, amenities, management, and flexibility you're looking for.
Compare Renting a Townhome vs. an Apartment →Renting a Townhome in Tempe
When you rent a townhome, you're paying for the right to live in the property under the terms of a lease. The property itself remains owned by the landlord.
What can differ from a traditional apartment experience is who owns and manages the individual property. A Tempe townhome may be managed directly by its owner, by a real estate professional, or by a property management company. It may also be located within an HOA-governed community.
Questions to Ask Before Renting a Townhome
- Who manages the property and handles maintenance requests?
- Which utilities and services are included in the rent?
- What parking is assigned to the property?
- Are there HOA rules that apply to tenants?
- Who maintains patios, yards, or other outdoor areas?
- What are the pet rules?
- What community amenities are available to tenants?
- Who should you contact when something needs repair?
These details can vary even between two townhomes located in the same community, so it's worth understanding the individual lease and property rather than making assumptions based on the word "townhome."
Browse Tempe Townhomes for RentRenting vs. Buying a Townhome
A townhome isn't necessarily a rental simply because you found it while searching for one. Some townhomes are offered exclusively for rent, others are available for purchase, and occasionally the same property may be offered either way.
The home may not change, but your relationship with the property does.
When You Rent
You enter into a lease with the property owner and receive the right to occupy the home for the lease term.
- Lower upfront financial commitment
- Greater flexibility to move
- No ownership interest in the property
- The owner retains any property equity
- Many property maintenance responsibilities remain with the landlord
- You may still need to follow applicable HOA rules
When You Buy
You purchase an ownership interest in the real estate and take on the benefits, costs, and responsibilities associated with ownership.
- Opportunity to build equity
- Potential gains or losses as property values change
- Down payment and closing costs
- Property taxes and homeowners insurance
- Applicable HOA assessments
- Greater responsibility for maintenance and repairs
Buying isn't automatically better than renting, and renting isn't simply "throwing money away." The better fit depends on your finances, expected length of stay, need for flexibility, willingness to take on maintenance, and whether homeownership is part of your plans.
Explore Renting vs. Buying a Townhome →What Does an HOA Mean for a Townhome?
Seeing an HOA doesn't automatically mean a property is a condominium. Many Arizona townhome communities are governed by homeowners associations.
Depending on the community, an HOA may maintain common landscaping, recreational amenities, shared spaces, or certain exterior components while also establishing community rules.
Exactly what an HOA is responsible for depends on that community's governing documents.
If You're Renting
The property owner is generally the association member responsible for the property, but tenants may still be required through their lease to follow applicable community rules.
Parking, pets, outdoor areas, noise, and use of community amenities are all worth understanding before moving in.
If You're Buying
Ownership brings the applicable HOA rights and responsibilities associated with the property.
A prospective buyer should understand assessments, community rules, maintenance responsibilities, and the association's governing documents before purchasing.
Who Takes Care of the Roof, Yard, and Exterior?
There's no universal answer.
It's easy to assume that living in an HOA means the association handles everything outside the home. That isn't necessarily the case.
Depending on the property and governing documents, responsibility for the roof, exterior walls, landscaping, patios, plumbing, and other components may belong to the individual owner, the association, or be divided between them.
The question changes depending on whether you're renting or buying.
Renters: Who do I contact when something needs attention, and what does my lease make me responsible for?
Buyers: Which future maintenance expenses will be mine, and which are handled by the association?
The lease, property disclosures, and HOA governing documents provide more useful answers than assumptions based on the word "townhome." Our Townhome HOA Guide explains how association responsibilities, owner responsibilities, and community rules can fit together.
Is Townhome Living Right for You?
Townhomes occupy an interesting space between traditional apartment living and detached single-family homes. That can make them appealing to renters and buyers looking for a particular balance of privacy, space, community, and maintenance.
Rather than asking whether a townhome is better, consider what matters most to you.
How important are a separate entrance, multiple floors, or having no neighbor above or below?
How much responsibility do you want for the home and surrounding property?
Would you value a private patio, courtyard, or small yard?
Is assigned parking enough, or are covered parking and a garage priorities?
Do you value the ability to move at the end of a lease, or are you considering a longer-term home?
Is owning real estate and building an ownership interest in your home important to you?
Your answers may point toward an apartment, condo, townhome, or detached home. Understanding the differences makes it easier to compare them on the things that actually matter to you.
Finding the Right Townhome in Tempe
Once you understand what type of property you're considering, you can start comparing individual homes and communities.
Look beyond monthly rent or purchase price. Consider the layout, parking, outdoor space, maintenance responsibilities, community rules, amenities, and total housing costs.
Location matters too. Tempe neighborhoods have different relationships to ASU, public transportation, freeways, parks, restaurants, shopping, and neighboring cities.
Learn About Tempe
Explore neighborhoods, transportation, recreation, local resources, and everyday life in Tempe.
Explore the Tempe GuideSee What's Available
Already know a townhome is what you're looking for? Browse current Tempe townhome rentals.
Browse Tempe TownhomesHave a Question About Tempe Townhomes?
I'm Jenna, a Tempe local, ASU alum, and Arizona real estate agent. Whether you're looking for a townhome to rent, considering buying one, or simply trying to understand the differences between your options, I'm happy to help.
You don't need to know all the real estate terminology before you start looking. That's what this guide is here for.
