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Townhouse – (toun’hous’)
Noun.
1. A residence in a city.
2. A row house, especially a fashionable one.
3. One of a row of houses joined by common sidewalls.
What is a townhouse?
1. A house in the city, esp. as distinguished from a house in the country owned by the same person.
2. One of a row of houses joined by common sidewalls.
3. A dwelling unit, generally having two or more floors and attached to other similar units via party walls.
Why are townhouses being built?
Land in Seattle is becoming scarce and very expensive. With short supply of land, developers and city leaders have to utilize the land in the most efficient way. Townhouses provide a vertical and dense housing option other than condominiums and apartments. With their smaller footprint, typically more townhouse units can be built on appropriately zoned property than detached homes. Providing more housing units and much needed options for Seattle homeowners.
Can a developer build a townhouse project anywhere they want?
No. While townhouses offer solutions to housing issues in Seattle. The development of townhouses is predictable. Townhouses are built on property that is zoned for multifamily or higher density than single-family zoning. Zoning regulations determine how many units can be built on a plot of land. While the city government recognizes the need for housing there has been little rezoning to accommodate townhouse construction.
What is a zero lot line?
A type of housing development in which individual dwelling units are placed on separately platted lots and share a common wall(s). Typically townhouses in Seattle fall under this category.
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Is a townhouse a condominium?
For Seattle the answer is often, no. Typical Seattle townhouse construction is done in a zero lot line fashion. This is a situation where there is no home owners association and each parcel is individually owned often with a small yard or green space.
Is there a Homeowners Association?
In Seattle the answer is typically no. Each owner is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of their own home. Just like a stand-alone single family. Often the developer will put in place maintenance agreements and easements to create an understanding amongst owners on certain areas like driveways. Today some homeowner associations are being put in place but only for maintenance of landscaping or walkways. Not for the entire exterior structure like a condominium.
In the suburbs townhouse developments are typically done on a larger scale. These are called Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). Often these types of units are condominiums and are run like any other condominium association with a homeowners associations and homeowner’s dues.
What is a maintenance agreement?
An agreement between owners to jointly share in the cost or effort to maintain a section of property.
What is an easement?
A right created by grant, reservation, agreement, prescription, or necessary implication, which one has in the land of another. It is either for the benefit of land (appurtenant), such as the right to cross parcel A to get to B, or "in gross", such as public utility easement.
What is the difference between a townhouse and a townhome?
A townhouse is the proper term for attached housing that generally has two or more floors. Townhome is a word created by real estate agents for marketing townhouses. While not accurate many real estate agents use the term townhome to describe townhouse style architecture.
What Is Built Green?
Built Green homes are designed to provide homeowners with comfortable, durable, environmentally friendly homes that are cost-effective to own and operate. These resource-efficient homes are crafted to exceed building codes and provide homeowners with years of healthy, quality living, while protecting the precious Northwest environment. Townhouses are a great example of a low impact, small footprint concept of living. Providing higher density urban living. Allowing for more in-city housing options.
Built Green is a network of architects, builders, developers, subcontractors, suppliers, lenders, and real estate agents working together to improve quality of life in King and Snohomish Counties.
The Built Green program accomplishes this by using a menu of options that provide quality homes which, compared to standard homes, are more cost-effective to own and operate, healthier, safer, and more protective of our beautiful Pacific Northwest environment. Built Green is a Program of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties in Partnership with King County and Snohomish County. You can find an extensive amount of information at the website: www.BuiltGreen.net
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