Townhouse or House in Snohomish County in 2026? The Price Gap, the Monthly Payment and the Resale Trade-Off in Five Cities
Short answer: A townhouse is the cheaper way in, but how much cheaper depends on the city. Redfin's September 2026 medians put an Everett townhouse at $500,006 against $619,753 for a house, a gap of $119,747. In Lynnwood the gap was $297,311, and in Edmonds, Mukilteo and Mill Creek it was over $422,000. At Freddie Mac's 7.18% average rate, the monthly difference before HOA dues runs from about $730 in Everett to $3,320. The trade-off: townhouses are a small part of the market here, and in several cities they took longer to sell.
Price and payment gap, September 2026
Source: Redfin, housing market pages for each city, September 2026 data by property type, checked November 5, 2026; payment at Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed average of 7.18% for the week of November 5, 2026. Payments are principal and interest only on a 30-year loan with 10% down, before HOA dues, property taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance. Townhouse counts outside Everett are small (1 to 10 sales a month), so one or two sales can move those medians a lot. Use them as a rough guide, not a quote.
Everett has the only steady townhouse market
Everett is the one city here with enough townhouse sales to read a trend. Redfin counts 259 Everett townhouse sales over the 12 months ending September 2026, roughly 17 to 25 a month. The monthly median ran between about $525,000 and $565,000 for most of the past year before September's $500,006, down 17.0% from a year earlier. The single-family median was $619,753, down 5.0%.
At those medians with 10% down, principal and interest is about $3,048 a month for the townhouse and $3,779 for the house. HOA dues of a few hundred dollars a month close a large part of that gap, while the house comes with its own roof, siding and yard costs. Get the dues figure and what it covers before you compare.
How thin the townhouse market is
Source: Redfin, monthly homes-sold counts by property type, added over the 12 months ending September 2026, and September 2026 median days on market; checked November 5, 2026.
Fewer sales matter twice: when you buy, there are fewer comparable sales to judge the price and support the appraisal, and when you sell, there are fewer buyers shopping for that home type. In September 2026, Everett townhouses took a median 34 days against 11 for houses, and Lynnwood townhouses 53 days against 17. Edmonds and Mukilteo townhouses sold faster than houses that month, but on 6 and 7 sales.
What to check before you choose a townhouse
- HOA dues and what they cover. Roof, siding, exterior paint, landscaping, water and sewer, and the master insurance policy vary from one community to the next. Lenders count the dues in your housing payment when they qualify you.
- Reserves and special assessments. Ask whether the association has a reserve study and whether any big project is coming.
- The resale certificate. In a community covered by RCW 64.90, the seller must give you one. It lists current and special assessments, any expected repair or replacement costs above 5% of the annual budget, whether a reserve study exists, and the most recent financial statement. You can cancel within five business days after first receiving it, unless you got it more than five business days before signing.
- Ownership type. Some homes marketed as townhouses are legally condominium units. That changes what you own, what the HOA insures and which loans are available. Your agent and escrow officer can confirm it from the title report.
- Parking, storage and rental rules. Read the declaration and rules for limits on parking, rentals or exterior changes before you write an offer.
When a house makes more sense
If the price gap is small, as in Everett, a house with no HOA dues may cost only a few hundred dollars more each month once the townhouse dues are counted, though you pay for your own exterior upkeep. You also get a larger pool of comparable sales when you sell. If the gap is large, as in Edmonds, Mukilteo and Mill Creek, a townhouse may be the only way to buy in that city at your budget. Either way, compare the full monthly cost, not just the price. Rates change weekly, and your own rate depends on credit, loan type and points.
FAQ
Is a townhouse cheaper than a house in Everett?
Yes, by a smaller margin than in nearby cities. Redfin's September 2026 medians were $500,006 for an Everett townhouse and $619,753 for a single-family home, a gap of $119,747. At Freddie Mac's 7.18% average with 10% down, that is about $730 a month in principal and interest, before HOA dues.
What is the monthly payment on a townhouse in Snohomish County?
At Freddie Mac's 7.18% average for the week of November 5, 2026, principal and interest with 10% down is about $3,048 a month on Everett's $500,006 townhouse median and $3,856 on Edmonds' $632,508 median. Taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues come on top.
Do townhouses take longer to resell?
In some cities. In September 2026 Redfin shows a median of 34 days for Everett townhouses against 11 for houses, and 53 against 17 in Lynnwood. Townhouses sold faster than houses in Edmonds and Mukilteo that month, but on only 6 and 7 sales.
What should I check before buying a townhouse?
Ask what the HOA dues cover (roof, siding, exterior paint, landscaping, water, insurance), whether a reserve study exists, and whether a special assessment is planned. If the community is covered by RCW 64.90, the seller must give you a resale certificate, and you can cancel within five business days after first receiving it unless you got it more than five business days before signing.
Why are there so few townhouse sales in Snohomish County?
Townhouses are a small slice of the market here. Over the 12 months ending September 2026, Redfin counts 537 townhouse sales across Lynnwood, Edmonds, Everett, Mukilteo and Mill Creek, against 4,485 single-family sales. Fewer sales means fewer comparable sales for pricing and appraisal.
Talk it through with a local agent
Peter Kim and Odigo Real Estate Club help buyers compare townhouses and houses on the full monthly cost, HOA documents included, with 25+ years combined experience, 593+ closings, and 122 five-star Zillow reviews. See our home buying services, the Everett first-time buyer guide, the Edmonds first-time buyer guide, or our Everett page.
Odigo Real Estate Club · REAL Brokerage, WA #112064 · 16108 Ash Way, Suite 201, Lynnwood, WA 98087 · (425) 409-3823 · Mon–Sat 9 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday
Sources
- Redfin, Mill Creek WA housing market (September 2026 figures by property type, monthly history, and sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/11701/WA/Mill-Creek/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
- Redfin, Lynnwood WA housing market (September 2026 figures by property type, monthly history, and sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/10421/WA/Lynnwood/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
- Redfin, Edmonds WA housing market (September 2026 figures by property type, monthly history, and sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/5357/WA/Edmonds/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
- Redfin, Everett WA housing market (September 2026 figures by property type, monthly history, and sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/5832/WA/Everett/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
- Redfin, Mukilteo WA housing market (September 2026 figures by property type, monthly history, and sale-to-list / above-list / price-drop shares), https://www.redfin.com/city/12197/WA/Mukilteo/housing-market , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
- Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed 7.18% as of Nov 5, 2026), https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
- Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.90.640 (resale of units; resale certificate), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.90.640 , accessed Nov 5, 2026.
About the Author
Peter Kim
Peter Kim is the owner of Odigo Real Estate Club, a leading real estate agency in the Greater Seattle area that specializes in residential, commercial, and luxury properties. With over 25 years of combined experience and a team of highly skilled agents, Peter brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the real estate space.
