"Semi-detached is fine, but we're definitely not interested in houses that are attached on both sides."
I hear this from clients all the time, but I always try to get them to at least consider the potential of a row house before writing it off completely.
Some buyers are more open to the idea than others.
The objections are always the same though...
Aren't row houses narrower than semi-detached?
Not necessarily.
I've been in row houses that feel remarkably wide inside.
Clients of mine recently bought a row house in Leslieville, primarily because the main floor was so wide & spacious. We had already seen plenty of semi-detached homes in the area, and this row house was wider than any of them!
My clients were able to scoop it up relatively quickly and at a fair price, in part I think because it was a row house. It simply flew under the radar of the competition.
Aren't row houses darker on the inside, compared to semi-detached?
Not always.
Take a look at the floor plan below (paying attention to where the windows are), and keep in mind that this is a very common layout for semi-detached homes and homes that are attached on both sides.
Note that every room has a window, including the rooms that sit in the middle of the house (the dining room on the main floor, and the middle bedroom on the 2nd floor).
With this floor plan, regardless of whether the home is semi-detached or attached on both sides, the amount of light coming into the house is essentially the same.
Like I said, some buyers are more open to the idea of a row house than others. I've had plenty of clients flat out refuse to look at them.
"I don't want to live with neighbours attached on both sides."
"The only access we'll have to the backyard is through the house."
Fair enough. To each their own, and these are all valid objections for some people.
If you can get past these "negatives" though, some row houses really do have a lot to offer.
And some row house actually outshine their semi-detached counterparts. Just ask my clients who bought in Leslieville...
If you're thinking of purchasing a semi-detached or row house, please contact us for more info.