Whether you've done it before or this is your very first time, buying a new home is a big deal. Richmond, Virginia is full of properties available to be bought, but which one will you choose? The task of making this decision can often seem hopeless. However, don't give up and become a hermit just yet. It often helps to narrow the decision down if you can get together with your family members and choose the style of home that will suit your needs best. Will it be a detached home, a town house, or a condo? Here's some information that may help you decide.
Detached House
We all know what detached houses look like. For decades they've been the American ideal: the single family home in the suburbs with the green lawn surrounded by a picket fence. Suburban neighborhoods often have privacy fences and yards. Even if they aren't all the same, they all have one thing in common: space. Specifically, breathing room between one home and another. The yards may be small in some cases, but they're enough to separate your house from your neighbor's. Typically detached homes are favored by families with enough members to fill up the bedrooms and a desire for private outdoor space to have barbecues or just play around.
Town House
The town house is a city invention, created as a balance between the detached home (which often takes up too much space in a city to be economically viable) and the apartment or condo (which are often too cramped for families). They're the perfect type for the inner city Richmond neighborhoods. Town houses are typically built in a row, with each one attached to its two nearest neighbors by its outer walls. Each property has its own entrance and sometimes a small yard in the rear. City-dwelling professionals, with or without children, favor these types of home.
Condominium
The condominium is a relatively recent invention, which blends the convenience of an apartment with the investment potential of a house. Put in simple terms, they're apartments you can own. They're preferred by affluent single professionals who don't want the bother of commuting from the Richmond every day and by retirees who can't manage the upkeep on a detached property any longer. They come in a variety of sizes, styles and buildings, but are generally congregated in the highest density downtown neighborhoods of cities.
Making the Decision
You'll need to take several factors into consideration before you decide on which type you'll be looking for in Richmond. The first and most important is budget. The more you get for your home, the more you'll be able to afford in Richmond. Most often the order of the most expensive homes to the least expensive homes is detached home, town home, condo. The second factor is space. The size of your family dictates how much room you'll need, with the property size going from smallest to largest: condo, town house, detached home.
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