Duplexes vs standalone houses-

Which should I buy: duplex or standalone house?

  • Duplex

    Votes: 5 6.4%

  • Standalone house

    Votes: 61 78.2%

  • Neither

    Votes: 4 5.1%

  • Either, doesn’t matter

    Votes: 8 10.3%
  • Total voters
    78
I will never live in a complex at my own free will again.
 
Brawler said:
I will never live in a complex at my own free will again.
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That's true. But it seems like duplexes go into a pretty sweet niche where you find 8 to 10 duplexes in these small mini-complexes. So you're talking 16 to 20 families, so theoretically should be a lot quieter and more stable than your average large complex with 80+ apartments. It's almost good enough to make it tempting ... but the levies and the Body Corporate issues are the major factors pushing me away.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
Top floor (suffer with stairs), middle floor (suffer with people above and below you) or ground-floor (still got people living above you and looking into your garden generally)?

In the estate I live there are a lot of garden units but the "garden" isn't much to speak of. Can't swing a cat by a tail in it, and I want to get a dog that doesn't immediately get PTSD.
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Nothing wrong with stairs.
 
KleinBoontjie said:
I own a 2 story duplex, although not in a complex. I don't care about duplex or free standing, but I do draw the line with body corporate's and levies. So I won't live in a complex again.

@OP, your definition of a duplex is a bit skew. Most of the pro's and con's you mention there is more synonymous with complex's, than duplexes.
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My definition definitely not the same as op.
 
I always maintained complexes give a false sense of security. But if you going to do it. The complex should be as small as possible i.e. under 20 homes/families.
 
If you have a family and don't want to stress going out leaving them alone at home in this country. A complex is always the better/safer option.
But, if you like to make noise or do not like to follow rules, do not live in a complex.
Also these duplexes that share a wall with neighbors on both sides is mostly a bad choice.
 
rh1 said:
My definition definitely not the same as op.
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Same - duplexes in my book are just two homes sharing one building. They don't have to be in complexes any more than single dwelling houses.
 
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Think you should rename the title to sectional vs full title (without a HOA).

I live in a 3 bedroom stand alone house. Zero levies. Only extra cost on my side is ADT, and all maintenance (my baby)! But I can do and please as I want
 
From the comments, it is clear that there is some confusion in definitions.

A duplex (or duplex home) is a particular architectural build of a home, which can be sectional title, HOA or full-title (think of the old semi-detached houses in older parts of Johannesburg. A duplex, as pointed out by the OP, is typically an arrangement where there are two stories, one above the other. The living areas like kitchen, dining room and lounge are typically downstairs, with bedrooms and bathrooms on top, although some may have pyjama lounges upstairs, and guest toilets downstairs, or a combination of bedrooms both up and down.

As stated, these can be community schemes (ST or HOA) or full-title, which is what most are confusing them with.

For the record, even standalone homes can be ST, HOA or full title. The architecture of a home does not prescribe the title deed.
 
Imo, with a standalone house you can't really have dogs in the front yard. They will be poisoned.
You should have a bigger yard, meaning you can do more to properly secure your place and get an early warning system in place. On the flip side, if the early warning system fails and you are the victim of a home invasion, other people are so far away that no-one will call security for you.

Free standing - you have to sort out billing issues on your own. Sectional title you have a management company to handle that stuff.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
So I’m on the hunt for a three-bedroom family home, and I’m struggling to make up my mind about the pros and cons of duplex homes in complexes vs standalone homes.

Does anyone with practical experience of both have some insights to share into the actual value of the points I’ve collated below?

Duplex Pros:
- Tend to be a bit more secure than standalone homes
- Easy to put a security gate between the bedrooms on the top level and the rest of the home on the bottom level for extra security
- Tend to be considerably cheaper in terms of purchase cost
- Benefits from shared services like garden services and maintenance
- Often has common property assets like a swimming pool and braai area at least, or a nice garden area for picnics

Duplex Cons:
- You’re sometimes uncomfortably close to neighbours
- Levies can run up over R3000/month easily …
money which could have gone into a larger bond on a standalone house
- You most likely have to deal with body corporate rules in terms of things you can and can’t do
- The risk of falling down stairs inside your home is a risk you don’t have with a single-floor house
- Gardens tend to be smaller (you’re limited to tiny dogs by complex rules generally … if at all)
- Roof space is smaller for that all-important solar installation

Standalone house pros:
- Do what you want to your house, it’s yours!
- No levies
- More roof space for solar
- A bit more privacy from your neighbours
- Your property value is less closely linked to your neighbours

Standalone house cons:
- More investment required into security (can get a gated suburb for a little more peace of mind)
- More investment required into usual monthly upkeep
- No shared spaces or facilities: it comes with what it comes with
- Tends to be a few hundred thousand more expensive than the equivalent duplex
- No falling down stairs
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Standalone/freehold. Whether you go in an estate or on the street is up to you, but sectional title is the WORST thing on the face of the earth.
 
pinball wizard said:
Standalone/freehold. Whether you go in an estate or on the street is up to you, but sectional title is the WORST thing on the face of the earth.
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Why do you feel so strongly about it? Have you had your fingers burned with some negative experiences? I’m always curious about the actual experiences behind the reactions.
 
Foxhound5366 said:
Why do you feel so strongly about it? Have you had your fingers burned with some negative experiences? I’m always curious about the actual experiences behind the reactions.
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For me it's a freedom thing.

In a sectional title place, you can literally do ****all. Like paint or build on, or renovate anything. It's a pain in the arse, and I want to determine for myself what I do and don't do with my own damn home.
 
zerocool2009 said:
Think you should rename the title to sectional vs full title (without a HOA).

I live in a 3 bedroom stand alone house. Zero levies. Only extra cost on my side is ADT, and all maintenance (my baby)! But I can do and please as I want
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Duplexes tend to come in complexes in my area, and they have a couple unique pros and cons I’ve been considering (as I listed in my OP). So far nobody here has said “Oh you must go duplex because my family was saved from a home invasion at night by the security gate protecting our bedrooms upstairs”, which is the kinda practical reaction I’m fishing for.
 
zerocool2009 said:
Think you should rename the title to sectional vs full title (without a HOA).

I live in a 3 bedroom stand alone house. Zero levies. Only extra cost on my side is ADT, and all maintenance (my baby)! But I can do and please as I want
Click to expand...
I don't mind an HOA so much. I mean you even have them in boomed off or gated communities. But you still have a freehold home.
 
pinball wizard said:
For me it's a freedom thing.

In a sectional title place, you can literally do ****all. Like paint or build on, or renovate anything. It's a pain in the arse, and I want to determine for myself what I do and don't do with my own damn home.
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You know most of the rules are there to protect you and your property value? its stops your neighbor from painting his house like a smartie box, or building 10 rooms that he rents out or opening a panel beating shop in in his garden?
 
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
You know most of the rules are there to protect you and your property value? its stops your neighbor from painting his house like a smartie box, or building 10 rooms that he rents out or opening a panel beating shop in in his garden?
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You know I think sectional title has zero property value from the get go?
 
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