A semi-detached home could be the perfect middle ground for those wanting to move into a more spacious, single-family house. The difference between a detached home and a semi-detached home, is that a semi shares one common wall with one other home. This is unlike a townhouse, where you’d share multiple walls on either side. And while a semi-detached home offers a little more privacy, there are a few factors to consider when deciding if this is the right type of house for you.
Establishing your budget is one of the most important first steps when deciding to purchase a house. One of the biggest advantages to buying a semi-detached home is the more affordable price tag than detached homes. Opting for this would mean smaller mortgage payments, which could end up saving you thousands of dollars over time.
Another advantage to owning a semi-detached home is the reduced cost of maintenance. Unlike a condo or apartment, there are no maintenance fees. But what’s even better is that any upkeep can usually be split with your neighbour. For example, if there’s damage on your roof, you can negotiate with your neighbour to share the cost of the repair. This cost-sharing could extend to other maintenance such as snow removal, lawn mowing, etc.
The luxury of moving into a semi-detached home compared to a townhouse or an apartment is that it offers more space. Not only does this apply to the interior of the home (semi’s tend to be more spacious than a townhouse) but the biggest space gain also comes from having your own backyard. So although your lot is shared with one other neighbour, you still end up winning when it comes to having more room both inside and out.
Though semi’s offer a bit more privacy than a townhouse, they aren’t fully noise-free the way a detached house would be. You’re still sharing a wall and outdoor areas with one other neighbour. And though it’s just one common wall, this doesn’t necessarily stop any noise from coming in, even with soundproofing. Before you decide to purchase a semi-detached home, you might want to consider meeting the neighbours and understand what their lifestyle is like. This could give you a better idea if you can expect parties and lots of noise, or if sharing won't be much of an issue.
Sharing the outdoor space means you don’t have control over your neighbour’s yard or upkeep of the home. If you’re someone who keeps your landscaping in tip-top shape and puts lots of effort into your exterior decor, there’s no guarantee that your neighbour will do the same. Or, let’s say, you and your neighbour have completely opposite colour schemes for your exteriors. This can create a bit of a mismatch for your curb appeal and could result in some difficulties down the line if you ever plan on selling.
While sharing repair costs is included as an advantage to a semi-detached home, there is the flip side to it which means that you may have to share costs on your neighbours repairs. This could end up causing a disruption in your livelihood from unexpected construction noise or any unexpected costs that may come up over the year.
There are lots of things to weigh when determining the type of home you want to live in. A semi-detached house could end up being your dream one and a stepping stone into your first single-family home. If you’re considering a home purchase or have questions about your mortgage options, one of Pine’s mortgage advisors would be happy to speak with you to help kickstart your home ownership journey.