Where you can find new townhouses in Canberra and what are the hidden costs?

Townhouses have long been called Canberra’s “missing middle”, although the truth is they’re not so much missing as mired in red tape and daunting costs.

Mario Sanfrancesco of Blackshaw Manuka says there are plenty of buyers for the townhouse option.

“Many people preparing to downsize are looking for a more affordable option than a detached home,” he says.

“There are plenty of apartments, but townhouse sites are far and few between in the established inner suburbs”

There’s also a $30,000 development tax introduced in 2017. That applies to each of any townhouses built on it.

“Developers tell me it’s hard to make the cost equation work,” Sanfrancesco says.

“I think buyers would respond if these costs and zoning rules were reviewed. And they would also welcome an expansion of the product mix to also include terrace homes alongside a townhouse option.”

Boris Teodorowych of Boris Property says newer areas like the Molonglo Valley and Gungahlin have incorporated new levels of townhouse stock.

“And they’ve been selling really well – they’ve been snapped up,” he says.

“Buyers have responded to a couple of factors: they’re more affordable than a detached home and it’s an option that promises low maintenance and increased lifestyle.”

Teodorowych says townhouse options in the Gungahlin region are sought after because of the area’s well-established infrastructure.

“Elsewhere, options are limited. A townhouse’s asking price can often be competing against a detached home in the inner suburbs,” he says.

• Go modern. Plugging “townhouses” into the AllHomes website delivers some 347 options. Closer inspection reveals many of these are offered in the newer regions of Gungahlin and the Molonglo Valley.
• Pros. Townhouses are usually offered at competitive prices over those of detached homes in the same area. Often, they have similar sized living areas but enjoy low-maintenance courtyards, rather than gardens.
• Cons. There can be some compromise on privacy depending on the size of a development. Townhouses are also likely to appreciate more slowly than a detached home with larger land content.

Check out this Griffith townhouse on the market:

Griffith

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If townhouse living means the enjoyment of a contemporary lifestyle in an accessible location close to a wide range of amenities, then this stylish beauty in leafy Griffith ticks all the boxes.

The modern two-storey home has been renovated in a sophisticated style that confirms the aesthetic touch of an experienced interior designer.

Entry takes a visitor through a walled courtyard which leads into the home and a timber-floored open-plan living, dining and kitchen area.

This fantastic space is absolutely filled with light drawn in through full-length glass doors that connect to a timber deck for highly private entertaining.

A gas fireplace in the living area provides essential winter warmth while further comfort is delivered upstairs through a split system.

There’s a sleek designer kitchen with quality appliances, stone benchtops, custom cabinetry and luxury fixtures and fittings.

Upstairs, are three generous bedrooms and a modern bathroom.There is another courtyard at the rear with established plantings and parking for one vehicle.

The popular Griffith shops are mere metres away while Manuka, Kingston and the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets are also readily accessible. A range of nearby schools offers plenty of options while the energetic will appreciate the proximity to parks, walking tracks and Lake Burley Griffin.

This is a stylish, low-maintenance option that offers the up, down or side-sizer the opportunity of a change of pace with the emphasis on lifestyle.

Price guide: $800,000 +

Auction: 10am, June 27

Agent: Blackshaw Manuka, Mario Sanfrancesco 0412 488 027

Or try these:

Yarralumla

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Price guide: $1.599 million

Private sale

Agent: Belle Property Kingston, Dan McAlpine 0401 005 282

Casey

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Price guide: $569,000 +

Private sale

Agent: Blackshaw Belconnen, Jack Doyle 0431 994 107

Moncrieff

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Price guide: $590,000

Private sale

Agent: Living Design Probjects, Boris Teodorowych 0402 907 182