10 Things I Wish I’d Known About Townhouse Living Before Buying
WHEN I first bought into a townhouse complex, I had the idea there was some overarching, almost mythical, body corporate taking care of maintenance behind the scenes.
After being widowed and left with a standalone home in need of significant repairs, the thought of shared responsibility felt like a relief. I imagined I could finally relax a little and leave the big-ticket maintenance to someone else.
What I didn’t fully appreciate at the time was how townhouse living with a body corporate actually works, particularly in a small complex.
Over time, I found myself far more involved than expected, navigating maintenance decisions, budgets and the realities of shared responsibility. Like many owners, I’ve come to understand that without forward planning, even routine maintenance can become a source of stress.
It seems I’m not alone. Apartment and townhouse living is becoming increasingly common across Australia, as more people look to downsize, simplify or move closer to lifestyle hubs. Insights from realestate.com.au suggest that apartment living is fast becoming part of the modern Australian dream.
With that shift comes a learning curve. Looking back, there are a number of things I wish I’d understood before buying into a townhouse complex — the sort of things that seem small at first, but make a real difference over time.
While my experience has been in a townhouse complex, many of these insights apply equally to apartment and unit living under a body corporate structure.
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1. Cheap Body Corporate Fees Aren’t Always a Bargain
At first glance, low body corporate fees can seem like a win. Lower ongoing costs are always appealing, especially when compared to maintaining a standalone home.
But lower fees can sometimes reflect something else entirely: a lack of forward planning.
Body corporate levies typically contribute to a sinking fund used for long-term maintenance. If that fund isn’t being built up properly, major expenses don’t disappear, they simply get delayed.
Eventually, those costs tend to reappear in less comfortable forms, such as special levies or urgent repairs.
Sometimes, “affordable” just means “not yet paid for.”
2. Small Complexes Can Be Surprisingly Complex
It’s easy to assume that a small complex will be simpler to manage. Fewer owners, fewer moving parts — it sounds logical. In reality, smaller complexes can be more sensitive to individual perspectives.
With fewer owners sharing costs, financial decisions can feel more immediate. At the same time, personalities and communication styles tend to play a larger role in how smoothly things run.
In a larger complex, there’s often a degree of separation. In a small one, everything is a little closer to home — including the decision-making.
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3. Maintenance in Townhouse Living Takes Time
One of the biggest adjustments in body corporate living is the pace of maintenance.
In a standalone home, if something needs fixing, you organise it and get on with it. In a shared property, the process is more layered.
Maintenance often involves:
- identifying the issue
- discussing it with the committee
- obtaining quotes
- agreeing on a course of action
- scheduling the work.
None of these steps are unreasonable, but together they can take time.
Understanding this early helps set expectations. What might feel like a straightforward fix can sometimes become a longer process in a shared environment.
4. One Issue Can Affect Multiple Lots in a Body Corporate
In a body corporate property, buildings are often interconnected, which means problems rarely stay in one place.
A leak in one area can travel. Drainage issues can impact multiple lots. Roofing or structural concerns are often shared, even if they first appear in a single unit.
This is one of the key differences from standalone living. What might seem like an isolated issue can quickly become a collective one.
It also means that resolving problems often involves more than one perspective, and sometimes more than one budget.
5. Meeting Minutes Matter More Than You Think
When buying into a townhouse or apartment complex, it’s tempting to skim through the paperwork and focus on the property itself.
But the meeting minutes often tell a much more detailed story.
They can reveal:
- recurring maintenance issues
- delays in addressing repairs
- differing views among owners
- patterns of decision-making.
Reading through a year or two of minutes can provide insight into how the complex actually functions — not just how it appears on inspection day.
In many ways, they’re the closest thing to a behind-the-scenes view.
👉 Buying into a townhouse or apartment complex?
Don’t sign anything until you’ve worked through this.
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6. A Good Body Corporate Manager Makes All the Difference
The body corporate manager plays a key role in how smoothly a complex operates.
When things are working well, much of that work happens in the background; communication is clear, processes are organised, and maintenance is coordinated in a timely way.
But, when things aren’t working as well, the opposite can be true.
While the committee ultimately makes decisions, the manager often helps guide how those decisions are implemented. Their level of organisation and responsiveness can have a noticeable impact on day-to-day operations.
It’s not always something buyers think to consider, but over time, it can make a significant difference.
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7. Decisions in Townhouse Living Can Take Time
In body corporate living, even relatively straightforward decisions often involve a process.
There may be:
- discussions between committee members
- multiple quotes to obtain
- budget considerations
- formal approvals.
Individually, these steps make sense. Collectively, they can slow things down.
For those used to managing their own property, this can take a little getting used to.
Patience isn’t listed anywhere in the by-laws, but it’s certainly helpful.
8. Common Property Isn’t Always Straightforward
The term common property sounds simple enough, but in practice it can be less clear-cut.
Areas such as:
- balconies
- external walls
- roofs
- pathways
may fall under shared responsibility, but the boundaries aren’t always obvious.
In some complexes, there may also be areas designated for the use of particular lots, sometimes described as exclusive use or private access. While these spaces may only be used by one owner, they can still form part of the broader property structure.
Understanding how these arrangements are defined — and how maintenance (and cost) responsibilities are shared — can help avoid confusion later on.
It’s one of those details that’s easy to overlook at the beginning, but important to understand over time.
9. Not All Owners See Things the Same Way
In any body corporate, owners bring different perspectives. Some may prefer to keep levies as low as possible. Others may favour a more proactive approach to maintenance and long-term planning.
There can also be a mix of:
- owner-occupiers
- investors
- short-term vs long-term outlooks.
None of these are inherently right or wrong, but they can influence how decisions are made.
Understanding that there will be a range of priorities helps set realistic expectations.
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10. Good Communication Makes Townhouse Living Work
If there’s one thing that underpins everything else, it’s communication.
Well-run complexes often share a few common traits:
- clear communication
- respectful discussion
- a willingness to work toward practical solutions.
Where communication breaks down, even small issues can become more complicated than they need to be.
Like most shared arrangements, body corporate living tends to work best when people approach it with a degree of patience and understanding.
Final Thoughts on Townhouse Living
Townhouse and apartment living can offer a genuinely appealing lifestyle: less maintenance, shared responsibilities and often a strong sense of community.
For many people, particularly those looking to simplify or downsize, it can be a very comfortable way to live.
At the same time, it’s a different kind of ownership. Decisions are shared, timelines can vary, and understanding how the system works makes a real difference.
Taking a little time to look beneath the surface before buying can help ensure the property you choose is not only appealing on the day, but sustainable over the long term.
For more detailed information — including pets, by-laws and dispute resolution — the Queensland Government’s Body Corporate and Community Management (BCCM) website is a helpful place to start.
Thinking of buying into a body corporate?
Before you commit, it’s worth taking a closer look at how a complex is really operating behind the scenes.
👉 Download the Body Corporate Health Check — a practical checklist to help you spot issues early and avoid costly surprises.
About the author
With several years’ experience as a body corporate secretary, Jocelyn brings a practical, real-world perspective to buying and living in townhouse and apartment complexes.
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If you’re settling into a smaller space or simply refining your surroundings, these partners offer a range of ideas worth exploring:
→ Mica Lighting
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→ Tefal Australia
Well-designed cookware and appliances can make compact kitchens easier and more enjoyable to use.
→ Kakadu Plum Co.
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→ Lazy Tiles
Stylish peel-and-stick tiles designed to refresh kitchens, bathrooms and small spaces without the renovation drama.
- Jocelyn Magazine is filled with ideas for coastal living, travel, healthy eating and creative pursuits. If we inspire your next purchase through links in this email, we may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
