Burlington Freehold & Condo Townhouses for Sale

Freehold or condo townhouse: what do I own?

With a condo townhouse, you own your unit and share the common elements, such as roads, landscaping, visitor parking and often the roofs, walls and windows, with the other owners through a condominium corporation. A monthly fee pays to maintain them and build the reserve fund. Where your duties end and the corporation’s begin is set in the declaration, not the listing. In some Burlington complexes the corporation replaces roofs, windows and doors; in others, owners pay for their own windows, doors, decks or driveways. With a freehold townhouse, you own the house and the lot, with no corporation and no condo fee, and you pay for every repair. Our guide to freehold vs. condo townhouses compares what you gain and give up each way.

How do I know if a townhouse is truly freehold?

Some listings use “freehold” loosely. A POTL, or parcel of tied land, is a freehold lot tied to a common elements condominium that owns shared features such as a private road, visitor parking or landscaping. Every owner pays a monthly fee for them. Many of Burlington’s infill townhouse projects are POTLs. The fee is usually far lower than a condo fee, but it is still required. Before you offer, ask your lawyer to search the title for a tie to a condo corporation, rights-of-way and shared-driveway agreements, and to review that corporation’s budget, reserve fund and rules. Also confirm whether snow clearing, garbage pickup and road repair come from the city or from the corporation you would be paying.

Why are freehold townhouses harder to find in Burlington?

Freeholds are a small share of Burlington’s townhouse listings, far fewer than condo townhouses. Most land north of the urban area is protected countryside and Niagara Escarpment, so the city is not building large new subdivisions the way Milton and North Oakville are. Freehold supply comes mainly from the 1990s and 2000s subdivisions in the north and east end, plus small infill projects. Because supply is tight, well-kept freeholds in good school areas tend to sell quickly, so it pays to look at both kinds with the buttons above.

Why are bungalow townhouses so popular in Burlington?

Burlington is one of the GTA’s most popular places to downsize, and many buyers want to leave a detached house without moving into an apartment. Bungalow and bungaloft condo townhouses put the main bedroom and living space on one floor, often with a finished lower level for guests, and the corporation handles the outside. They come up mostly in established complexes in Headon, Tansley, Palmer and Roseland, and they sell fast. Confirm the layout, since some put a second bedroom or loft upstairs, and check the steps at the entrance and into the garage. Read the rules on noise, visitors, pets and rentals, too. If you want a detached one-floor home instead, see Burlington bungalows for sale.

Where are the freehold and condo townhouses in Burlington?

Condo townhouses are spread across the city. South of the QEW, Appleby, Roseland and downtown Burlington have established complexes near the lake, schools and the Appleby and Burlington GO stations. Brant Hills, Tyandaga and Mountainside hold many 1970s and 1980s complexes, often with larger floor plans and lower prices. Headon and Rose have 1990s and 2000s complexes, and Orchard and Alton have the newest, including stacked and back-to-back units near Highway 407.

Freehold townhouses are mostly in the east end around Appleby, near Appleby GO and the QEW, and in the north end in Rose, Orchard and Alton, near the 407 and Dundas Street shopping. Roseland and downtown have fewer, mostly infill townhouses near the lake, often POTLs. Browse complexes in the Burlington townhouse directory, and use the tiles on this page to see where today’s listings are.

Who pays for roofs, windows and other big repairs?

In a condo townhouse, start with the declaration, which assigns the roof, windows and doors, decks and fences, driveways and outside walls. Then read the reserve fund study, which shows when the corporation plans to replace its items and whether the fund can pay. In a 1970s or 1980s complex, find out whether roofs, windows and paving are done or still coming. A low fee next to a newer complex may simply not have caught up yet, and steep increases or a special assessment can follow. Our guide on evaluating condo fees shows how to compare complexes fairly.

In a freehold townhouse, every repair is yours, from the roof, windows and furnace to the driveway, fences and eavestroughs, so set money aside each year, and more for an older home. Shared walls add a wrinkle: a roof or party-wall repair can mean working with the neighbour next door.

What should I check before making an offer?

For a condo townhouse, make the offer conditional on your lawyer’s review of the status certificate, which the corporation must deliver within 10 days. It holds the budget, reserve fund, any special assessment and the rules on pets, parking, renovations and rentals. Our status certificate explainer goes through it item by item. Book a home inspection too, since the furnace, water heater, appliances and basement are yours.

For a freehold townhouse, the inspection is the most important condition. Ask for a report on the roof, including where it meets the neighbours’ roofs, the windows and outside walls, the furnace, air conditioning and water heater (owned or rented), the attic and insulation, and the grading around the foundation.

For both, look closely at drainage. The August 2014 storm flooded basements across Burlington, so ask about past water, sump pumps and backwater valves, and what drainage work a condo complex has done since. Halton Region’s basement flooding subsidy helps pay for backwater valves and sump pumps.

Can I add a unit or renovate?

In a freehold, generally yes, within the rules. Ontario now allows up to three units on most urban lots with a townhouse, which can include a basement apartment, but ceiling height, a separate entrance, parking and fire code decide whether it works. You need a City of Burlington building permit. If a home already has a basement apartment, ask whether it has a permit, since an unpermitted unit can affect financing and insurance. For a POTL, the corporation’s rules also apply, and in a condo townhouse most outside changes need the board’s approval.

What will it cost to buy and own?

On closing, you pay the Ontario land transfer tax. Burlington has no city tax, and first-time buyers may get a refund; try our land transfer tax calculator. Add legal fees, title insurance and adjustments, all in our closing costs guide. Each month, add the mortgage, any condo or POTL fee, property tax, utilities, insurance and a repair budget. Utilities are usually separate in townhouse complexes, so ask for recent bills. Make sure your lender includes any condo fee in your pre-approval.

How do I read Burlington townhouse prices?

The figures at the top of this page cover freehold and condo townhouses and update with every MLS® sync. Freeholds usually sell for more because the land comes with them, so use the buttons to compare like with like. The Burlington townhouse market report tracks monthly sold prices and the year-over-year trend. Months of inventory is the most useful single signal for negotiating: more supply means more choice and more room on price, while less means well-priced townhouses, especially bungalow units, can sell quickly. For more space, Burlington detached and semi-detached homes are the next step up.