Buying a Townhouse in New York City
This type of structure was pre-eminent in the 1840’s and up through the 1930s. Townhouses were primarily built as private residences for its occupants with one family owning and occupying the entire structure. These structures were usually built in groups and were commonly referred to as row houses. Townhouses were built four to five stories high and enjoyed many common design elements. Commonly, the houses were built with an English basement level (slightly below street grade) which housed the kitchen at the front of the building underneath the building stoop (or stairs) and was entered via a service entrance. At the rear of the first level was usually a Dining Room leading to the private garden. The second level, referred to as the Parlor floor was used for entertaining. Visitors entered the townhouse via the steps leading to this floor.
When buying a townhouse, there are two different housing types for you to consider. Each has its own benefits depending on your financial situation and your personal home ownership goals.
Single-family home - A single-family home is a building intended to house one family. While you have the freedom to make all decisions with this type of property, homes are generally more expensive and there can be additional costs to renovate.
It is worth investing in this type of property if you know that you value complete freedom and privacy; but you also must be able to take full responsibility for any repairs or renovations that need to be done.
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