Townhouses and duplexes sit somewhere between a freestanding house and an apartment. You usually have your own entrance and often your own small yard, but you share at least one wall with a neighbour, and depending on the title you may share ownership of common property. That mix means you need to inspect with both a house mindset and an apartment mindset.
Understand the title first
The single most important thing to establish is the title type. A Torrens title townhouse means you own your dwelling and the land it sits on outright, with no shared ownership or ongoing body corporate fees. A strata title townhouse means you own your dwelling but share ownership of common property with the other owners, pay levies, and make some decisions collectively. This fundamentally changes your ongoing costs and obligations, so confirm it early and factor it into everything else.
The shared wall
The wall you share with your neighbour is where townhouses and duplexes differ most from a freestanding house. Noise transmission through that wall is a real liveability factor. If you can, take a moment during the inspection to gauge how much sound carries as you'll be living with it. Look for any cracking along the shared wall line that might suggest movement between the two dwellings.
Inspect it like a house
Most of the house checks still apply. Look at the roofline and roof material, check the gutters and downpipes, and confirm the ground drains away from the building. Inside, check ceilings for cracks and water staining, walk the floors for bounce or unevenness, and check the lowest section of walls for damp. Tap wet area tiles for the hollow sound that points to failed waterproofing or spot-fixing. Open and close internal doors and windows.
If the townhouse is multi-level, check the staircase and balustrade: push and pull the balustrade to confirm it's solid.
Privacy, parking, and outdoor space
Assess privacy. How overlooked is the outdoor space and the main living areas by neighbours? Check the parking arrangement and condition, and inspect any private courtyard or yard, including fencing and whether it appears to sit on the boundary. Where there's shared or common property, the same considerations as an apartment apply regarding maintenance and levies.
What this doesn't replace
Inspecting carefully helps you decide which townhouses and duplexes are worth pursuing. It doesn't replace a professional building and pest inspection, and for strata title properties, a strata report - both of which you should obtain before making an offer. Use your own inspection to decide which properties are worth that next step.