What is the difference between a condominium a townhouse and a duplex?

Townhouse


Generally, a townhouse is one of a row of attached dwellings that share common walls. The term 'town home' is used in some regions. Each 'townhouse' owns the land beneath it and there may or may not be common areas set up by the developer. However, a townhouse is an individually owned attached building and the owner owns the land underneath it. There are lot lines that separate the ground under the buildings even though the buildings are attached. The lots at the ends of those buildings generally contain more land. The exteriors of the buildings are owned by the townhouse owners. To confuse the average person who is not experienced with property law, some condominiums are called townhouses. In that case the term refers more to the style of the condominium buildings.


Condominium


Generally, a condominium project is a form of fee ownership by which several owners share ownership of a building(s) by each owning their respective units. In addition to their unit, each owns a proportionate interest in the land that forms the condominium property and common areas of the condominium such as pools, recreation areas, game rooms, community rooms, elevators, stairwells, corridors, streets, surrounding land, laundry rooms, and unassigned parking areas. By the acceptance of their unit deed each unit owner agrees to have their unit subject to the provisions in the Master Deed. Although a condominium is governed by statutory law, can promulgate rules and regulations and assess monthly maintenance fees, the ownership of a condominium unit is considered a fee simple estate.

• Types of Condominiums:
• Generally, a "Townhouse condominium" is a building style that describe a condominium unit on multi-levels. There are also condos in high-rise buildings, two or three in several separate buildings, patio style and garden style condos. Duplex style single homes have been converted into condominiums with each unit owner owning a 50% interest in the ground under the dwelling. The exterior of the buildings is the responsibility of the Condominium. The different types of condos are only limited by imagination and the laws of the jurisdiction. The primary factor is that you own the unit, have a common interest in the common areas and facilities and own a percentage of the fee simple interest in all the land owned by the condominium.

Duplex


A duplex is a single house which is owned in fee with two units that share a common wall. It can be owner occupied with multiple owners dwelling in the two units, one unit rented to tenants or both units can be rented. The important factor when comparing it to a condominium is that there is a single owner of the property by deed, in fee.