first home, and ended up choosing a single family home. The single family home was in a much nicer neighborhood than 90% of the townhomes we looked at, we have a great ward, live one block away from a park, etc.... Our neighbors across the street have kids the same age as ours and they play all the time. We have a backyard, and enough Sq. footage that we can live here for quite awhile while our family expands. All for the same monthly payment that a smaller townhome in a worse neighborhood would have cost us (when you factor in HOA fees). Yes, I have to mow my own lawn and things but I actually enjoy that. We have a garden, enough space to play bocce ball on the lawn, etc... it's great.