Single-family home
A standalone house on its own lot, not sharing walls with any other unit. It's the most common form of home ownership in the U.S. You own the building and the land under it outright.
Every term like this one lights up in the step you're on.
Free to set up. No credit card.Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
A detached house on its own lot is the most common thing sold and the simplest: no HOA underwriting, no shared walls, no board. Every guide on this site is written with one in mind unless it says otherwise.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
A three-bedroom detached home on a quarter acre. The sale runs through the ordinary steps with nobody else's building in the way.
| Compared with | What a single-family sale skips |
|---|---|
| A condo | The HOA questionnaire and the building's underwriting |
| A co-op | The board approval |
| A townhouse | The party wall and, often, the HOA |
Single-family is the default. The other types add a layer to it.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That single-family means no rules. Zoning, covenants and, in some subdivisions, an HOA still apply.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
One piece of your sale. Here is where all the pieces live.
In your room, this word explains itself where it appears.
Keighbor keeps your whole home sale in one place and defines every term like this one right where you meet it, in the step you're on. Free to set up, with or without an agent.