Same Lifestyle, Different Layouts

Townhouses offer flexible layouts, great amenities and a low-maintenance lifestyle. But "townhouse" covers a lot of ground. Two townhouses at the same price in Saskatoon can live completely differently: one has no stairs at all, another has three floors, and some aren't even side-by-side units but one home stacked on top of another. Before you start booking showings, it helps to know the four main kinds of townhouses you'll see in Saskatoon, Warman and Martensville, and the yard and garage setups that come with them.

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1. Bungalow-Style Townhouses: All on One Level

A bungalow-style townhouse puts the kitchen, living room, main bedroom and laundry on one floor. With no stairs for daily living, it's a great option for any stage of life: downsizers, buyers with mobility concerns, and young families who'd rather not carry a toddler up and down stairs all day. Many also have a basement, finished or ready for development, for guests, hobbies or storage.

Bungalow townhouses tend to be in high demand and are often the first to sell in a complex, so it pays to be ready when one comes up. We keep every one-level condo together in the bungalow condos section of our Bungalows page. Planning a move to something smaller? Our Downsizing Guide helps you find your right-size home in about two minutes.

2. Two-Storey Townhouses: Two Levels of Living Space

The most common townhouse in Saskatoon's newer neighbourhoods. The main living areas are on the first floor and the bedrooms are upstairs, just like a two-storey house. That separation keeps sleeping areas quiet and away from the kitchen and TV, which is why two-storey townhouses are popular with first-time buyers, couples and young families. Many have a basement too, which gives you a third level to develop over time.

3. Three-Storey Townhouses (Main-Floor Garage): More Space, More Flexibility

On a three-storey townhouse, the main floor is a garage, often with a front entry and sometimes a small flex room, and your living space is on the upper levels: usually the kitchen and living room on the second floor and the bedrooms on the third. You get more space on a smaller footprint and an attached garage built right in.

The trade-off is stairs, plenty of them, every time you bring in groceries. These usually don't have a basement, since the garage level takes its place. One local tip: in our market, square footage counts only above-ground livable space, so the garage level isn't included in the listed size. Compare floor plans, not just the number.

4. Coach-Style Townhouses: Two Separately Owned Homes in One Building

Coach-style townhouses (sometimes called coach homes or stacked townhouses) are the one most buyers haven't heard of. Each building has a main-floor unit and a second-floor unit, and you own either the main floor or the second floor, not the entire building.

• Private entrances: both units have their own front door, so it feels like a townhouse, not an apartment hallway.
• Balconies: the second-floor unit typically has a balcony, while the main-floor unit often has a patio or small yard.
• Part of a row: they're usually part of a larger row of attached coach-style units throughout the community.

Coach-style units are often among the more affordable townhouse options, and the main-floor unit can be a good fit if you want one-level living. Before you buy, ask: How is sound between the floors? Is there a basement or storage, and whose is it? Who looks after the roof, balcony and exterior? The second-floor unit has a full flight of stairs at the door, so think about moving day, groceries and getting older in the home.

Yard Options: Private or Semi-Private

Townhouses can come with private or semi-private yards, giving you outdoor space to enjoy, whether it's a fully fenced yard or a shared community space.

• Private yard: a fenced space that's yours to use. Great for pets, kids and a barbecue. Ask who mows and maintains the fence, and whether you can add a garden or deck.
• Semi-private yard: a patio or green space that may open onto shared lawn. Less privacy, but usually less upkeep, since the condo corporation often handles the grass.

In a condo complex, the yard may be common property set aside for your use rather than land you own, and the condo bylaws set the rules for pets, fences, hot tubs and planting. Read them before you write an offer.

Garage Options: Four Setups You'll See

Townhouses offer a variety of garage setups to fit your needs. In a Saskatoon winter, how and where you park matters more than most buyers expect.

• Attached garage: direct access from your unit. The winter favourite, with no scraping or shovelling a path to your car.
• Detached garage: separate from the unit, often in the backyard or nearby. More separation from noise and exhaust, but a walk in the cold.
• Shared-wall garage: the garage shares a wall with the neighbouring unit. Common in side-by-side townhouses, and it can help buffer sound between living spaces.
• Separate long garage bays: individual garages in a separate building or row. Some are deep enough for a vehicle plus storage, so measure if you have a truck.

Whatever the setup, ask whether the garage is insulated or heated, whether there's a plug-in for your block heater, whether a second vehicle has a stall, and whether parking is a titled parking stall or simply assigned. That affects what you actually own and can sell later.

The Part Most Buyers Miss: Condo or Freehold?

The layout is only half the story. How a townhouse is owned changes your monthly costs and who fixes what.

• Condo townhouses are part of a complex run by a condo corporation. You pay monthly condo fees that usually cover exterior maintenance, snow removal, landscaping and a reserve fund for big repairs like roofs and siding. Some are bare land condominiums, where you own the land under your unit but still share common areas and pay a fee.
• Freehold townhouses (often listed as row houses or attached homes) come with the land under them and no condo fee, but the roof, exterior, snow and yard are all on you.

For condo townhouses, review the reserve fund, recent meeting minutes and any planned special assessments before you're locked in. Our post on what's in Schedule C condo documents walks you through it, and our essential tips for condo buyers cover the rest.

More Things to Check on Any Townhouse

• End unit or interior unit: end units usually get more windows and light and share only one wall, and they often cost a little more.
• Sound: visit at different times of day and listen through shared walls (and floors, for coach-style units).
• Rental and pet rules: if you might rent the unit out someday, or you have a big dog, check the bylaws first.
• Your true monthly cost: mortgage plus condo fee, property tax, utilities and insurance. Run the numbers with our mortgage calculator.
• Bring a checklist: our free home viewing checklist lets you score and compare each townhouse you see.

Which Townhouse Fits You?

• Want no stairs? Look at bungalow-style townhouses, or a main-floor coach-style unit.
• Want bedrooms away from the living space? A two-storey townhouse is the classic choice.
• Want the most space and a built-in garage? Consider a three-storey townhouse, if you don't mind stairs.
• Want the lowest entry price? Coach-style units are often worth a look. See what fits your budget on our Browse by Price page or with homes under $300,000.

Still deciding between a townhouse, an apartment condo or a house? Take our Find Your Home Match Quiz, or compare full house styles in our Architectural Home Styles Comparison Guide.

Where to Find Townhouses Around Saskatoon

Townhouses are most common in Saskatoon's newer neighbourhoods, including Brighton, Stonebridge, Rosewood, Willowgrove, Evergreen and Hampton Village, with more in Warman and Martensville. Not sure which area suits you? Try our Neighbourhood Match Quiz.

More Than a Home: It's a Lifestyle

The right townhouse gives you the space you need without weekends lost to yard work and exterior repairs. Talk to Clayton and Jessica, your trusted REALTORS®. Tell us how you want to live, whether that's one level, a big garage or a fenced yard for the dog, and we'll narrow the options and show you the ones worth seeing. Call or text Jessica at 306.241.6029 or Clayton at 306.341.4401.

Browse every townhouse for sale in Saskatoon, Warman and Martensville, updated live from the MLS®.

— Clayton McNally & Jessica Hamel, Trusted Realty, Powered by RE/MAX Saskatoon

More Tools for Saskatoon Home Buyers

Walk through every step of the purchase in our free Saskatoon Home Buyer's Guide, check out condos for sale including apartment-style units, or see new construction homes if you'd like a brand-new townhouse.