Duplex

Separate each home from the shared building

A two-unit building may have homes beside each other or on different floors. Inspect the actual layout and approved use; two doors or a converted basement alone do not establish two lawful dwellings. An apartment describes a dwelling, condominium describes an ownership arrangement, and townhouse describes a building form. Those labels do not replace title, occupancy or unit records.

Identify each home's entrance, address or unit identifier, utilities, meters and included facilities. Set out parking, yard, laundry, storage, waste and shared-access arrangements in the appropriate agreements. A yard, separate meter, garage or washer is not automatic. Keep unit-specific repairs and records separate while assigning responsibility for shared roofs, drainage, structure and systems.

Living in one unit and renting the other is a different operating plan from renting both. Review financing, insurance, local requirements, privacy and maintenance for the intended arrangement with qualified help. Budget vacancy, repairs and continuing costs across the building; two potential rent streams do not guarantee collected income or passive management. Use the property-type comparison to organize the decision, and verify the actual property before relying on a listing label.