Is buying a townhouse in bay area worth?

LinkedIn / Eng
Loaner

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Apple
 Loaner
Mar 30, 2017 12 Comments

Looking for homes in South bay (Sunnyvale, Fremont, Milpitas, etc.)

Traveller. 31. No kids. Have Wife. Want good quality of life.

I see that townhouses are too costly for their place value, but there are additional things like community, safety, and a metro feel, etc.

If I put 1M+ in such a townhouse (vs 800k for a single family home), is that worth?
I already feel 1M is too much. Is this price going to appreciate further? Would it be a wise decision if seen from investment angle too?

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 TOP 12 Comments
  • Google
    lobwtjt

    Go to company page Google

    lobwtjt
    How on Earth are you getting a townhome for 1M+, but a SFH at 800k !? are you comparing very different location or is the SFH really shitty compared to townhome ? I mean usual prices in Sunnyvale are 1.2M+ for townhomes and 1.5M+ for SFHs...how come you got the numbers backward ?

    PS: I am looking to buy as well..same area..market is fucking brutal :(
    Mar 30, 2017 2
    • Google
      eRDP27

      Go to company page Google

      eRDP27
      can buy sfh in North Sunnyvale for $1M. list prices in the 8 and 900s. if you put $100K into fixing it up you will end up with a sweet pad 5 miles from the googleplex. the trade-off is school district.
      Mar 30, 2017
    • Google
      lobwtjt

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      lobwtjt
      Yes you can buy some SFHs for $1M. But what I am really asking is that OP mentioning that they need 1M+ to buy townhomes and want to compare it to 800k for buying SFH. The relative price of SFH being *lower* than townhome in their question is what I don't understand !? that's why I asked are they comparing Townhomes in Mtn View, vs SFH in San Jose (different locations), or drastically different in terms of built (like townhome being new construction vs SFH being something from ~1900 ?). Because I don't see any other way to reach the estimate that SFH will be 200k lower
      Mar 30, 2017
  • VMware
    yvJS68

    Go to company page VMware

    yvJS68
    A SFH in SVL for $800K is going to be 20+ years old, probably won't have air conditioning and even if a nice place, will be in neighborhood of scrapers.

    A SFH will certainly appreciate faster and had the advantage of no HOA fees.

    But the neighborhood is going to suck for ten years until the last meth addict is evicted.

    Faced with those choices I bought a town home for about $1M last year. It had doubled in priced over a span of 6 years from the time it was built. It has appreciated another $50K since then.

    Hold your HOA fees to under 0.5 percent a year. Town homes with high HOA fees will not appreciate.
    Mar 30, 2017 0
  • Google
    classy

    Go to company page Google

    classy
    Buy buy buy. Before you are left out of the party when prices reach 100 times your salary.
    Mar 30, 2017 0
  • Check out Peninsula/ San Mateo for Baymeadows
    Mar 30, 2017 0
  • LinkedIn / Eng
    Loaner

    Go to company page LinkedIn Eng

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    Apple
     Loaner
    OP
    Yes. I am comparing SFH in Santa Clara vs Townhome in Santa Clara.
    All townhomes are new. All SFH are old (though the owners have done much work)

    I am obviously looking for New homes (built 2000+) and close to 1M and I only find townhouses.
    Hence the question. Is it worth to invest 1M on a townhouse? I feel the appreciation would not be as great as SFH.
    Mar 30, 2017 1
    • Apple / Eng
      S Nutella!

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      BIO
      Lmfao
       S Nutella!
      If same exact schools and area (closeness to cal train, walk score) then SFH would be better. But in a better location, town home can perform better than a worse location SFH
      Mar 30, 2017