Deciding what to buy
Townhouse
A middle ground between a house and an apartment — often with a small private outdoor area, and sometimes an owners corporation.
Key points
- A townhouse typically sits between a house and an apartment in space and privacy.
- Whether an owners corporation applies varies by development — check the title and plan of subdivision.
- Some townhouses are fully separate (Torrens) titles with no shared obligations at all.
A middle ground
A townhouse typically sits between a house and an apartment: often multi-storey, usually with a small private outdoor area, and commonly — though not always — part of an owners corporation if it shares a driveway, walls or other common property with neighbouring townhouses.
What to confirm
Whether a specific townhouse has an owners corporation — and what it covers — varies by development; some townhouse titles are fully separate (Torrens title) with no shared obligations at all, while others share a driveway or building elements requiring an owners corporation (see that guide). Never assume either way without checking the title and plan of subdivision. Even a fully separate title doesn't automatically mean zero shared obligations — a townhouse can still carry an easement over a shared or party wall with the neighbouring property, independent of whether an owners corporation applies.
Common mistake: assuming all townhouses work the same way. Confirm the specific title type and whether an owners corporation applies before comparing fees and obligations against other properties.
Where townhouse stock actually sits
Townhouses (and the closely related row and terrace housing category) make up a median of only 10.2% of dwelling stock across the 484 Greater Melbourne suburbs in Delora's analysis, but 128 suburbs — roughly one in four — have this stock at 20% or more, concentrated in middle-ring suburbs where infill development has replaced older single-dwelling lots. Checking a suburb's actual dwelling mix on its Delora profile before shortlisting can save time in areas where townhouse stock, and therefore genuine choice, is thin.
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Practical checklist
Before shortlisting a townhouse
- Confirm the title type — Torrens title or strata/owners corporation
- If an owners corporation applies, research it (see the owners corporations guide)
- Check what, if anything, is shared with neighbouring townhouses
Questions for a professional
- Is this townhouse's title fully separate, or does it involve an owners corporation?
Official resources
Important limitations: This is general education. Whether a specific townhouse has shared obligations must be confirmed from its actual title.
Evidence record
Keep reading
- Unit and villa On Property types
- New versus established On Property types
- Off-the-plan property On Property types
- Decide what to buy Step 2 of 7
- Research locations Next step