Ownership and Responsibility
The most significant difference between a condo and a townhouse lies in ownership. With a condo, you own the interior space of your unit, but the exterior, common areas (like hallways, landscaping, and amenities), and often structural elements are owned collectively by the condo association. A townhouse, on the other hand, usually grants you ownership of the entire structure, including the land it sits on. This means you’re responsible for maintaining the exterior of your townhouse, whereas condo owners share the responsibility of maintaining common areas through condo fees.
Exterior Maintenance
This point directly follows from ownership.