As the American dream has changed, so have townhouses. Once a stepping stone to a single-family house in the Washington suburbs, townhouses now are a housing destination.
"Both husband and wife work, so they want to take advantage of the weekend and not worry about yard work," said Bob Youngentob, president of Bethesda-based builder EYA. "The townhouse has become a lifestyle decision. Buyers are intending to stay longer."
| Resources |
| » EYA, Bethesda eya.com |
| » Doll Homes, Fairfax dollhomes.com |
| » Keller Williams Realty, Reston kwreston3e.com |
The realities of the real estate market have made it difficult for many homeowners to make that jump from townhouse to single-family home using equity gained by rising home values and prices. Buying a townhome today may mean staying put for at least five years or even longer.
"People no longer buy townhomes with transition in mind," said realtor Kate Dolby with Keller Williams Realty in Reston. "Our buyers have stability in mind."
They also have affordability in mind.
Last year in Northern Virginia, a three-bedroom townhouse averaged $398,190, a single-family home $466,191. Four-plus bedrooms averaged $445,473 versus $727,218, respectively, said Michael Coffey, chief executive officer of Keller Williams in Reston.
"A new single-family home in Herndon on a quarter- to a third- acre lot starts in the low $700,000s, but that won't get you an extra 1,000 square feet over new townhome construction," Dolby said.
Spacious rooms and adaptable design make today's townhouses an attractive alternative.
"Townhouses today feel like single-family homes," Dolby said. "Upgraded appliances, crown molding and hardwood floors, 9-foot ceilings, huge gourmet kitchens -- all the bells and whistles for less."
Some luxury townhomes, such as EYA's New York-style Brownstones at Park Potomac in Potomac, Md., offer four stories, private elevators and lavish window treatments.
The cramped, narrow designs of the '70s, '80s and '90s squeezed 1,500 to 1,800 square feet into three stories, Dolby said. The standard width was once 18 to 22 feet. Fairfax builder Doll Homes' Heritage Chase models in Herndon are 26 feet to 31 feet wide.
Secondary bedrooms once were 8-by-9 to 10-by-9 square feet. Doll's two-bedroom model added 136 to 154 square feet to that.
Doll's largest townhome has a three-car garage and 3,500 finished square feet.
EYA aims for larger rooms within smaller, more efficient -- and thus more affordable -- floor plans, Youngentob said. Less space is dedicated to less functional elements, such as fancy stair designs.
"We focus on urban locations, so our changes were not geared to making the townhouses larger but to provide more design flexibility within the footprint."
Both EYA's and Doll's open kitchens adjoin a dining room, family room, office or playroom -- a large open space that can be adapted to a homeowner's needs.
"Our buyers are families, young professionals and empty nesters who want to live in the city near the Metro, shops and retail," Youngentob said.
Builders' options include decks, rooftop terraces, gas fireplaces, more storage or extra bedrooms. Because younger families want at least one bathtub, EYA provides single or double showers, bathtubs, or a combination.
Dolls' lower-level recreation rooms have gas fireplaces, half or full baths, and enough space for a fourth bedroom, office or playroom.
EYA's Chancellor's Row in the District will offer front porches facing common areas where couples can enjoy the fresh air or kids can play in a parklike setting.
"What you can get in a townhouse versus a single-family home is affordability plus space, upgrades and better amenities than a lot of neighborhoods provide," Coffey said.
"People choose townhomes to get quality in our area."
