Buying a Condo or Townhome in Nashville (2026)

Condo buyers in Nashville have more choices and more room to negotiate than they've had in years. Greater Nashville Realtors counted 2,788 condos for sale across its nine-county area in September 2026, up from 2,479 a year earlier, while the condo median price barely moved. If you've been waiting for a calmer market to buy a smaller place, this is worth a close look.

This guide covers the real costs: HOA fees, loan rules, short-term rental limits, and Metro property taxes. Every number has a source and a date, and where our data is only a sample, we say so. Want to browse while you read? Start with Nashville condos for sale or Nashville townhomes for sale.

Here's what we'll cover:

The Nashville Condo Market at a Glance

• Condo median price: $331,780 in September 2026, compared with $329,250 in September 2025 (Greater Nashville Realtors, nine-county area).
• Condo inventory: 2,788 in September 2026, up from 2,479 a year earlier (GNR).
• Condo closings: 452 in September 2026 (GNR).
• August 2026: condo median $339,995, down from $353,450 in August 2025, with 2,813 condos for sale (GNR).
• For comparison: the overall residential median was $510,000 in September 2026, up from $490,000, and homes took 57 days on average from list to contract (GNR).

Downtown is its own story. In August 2026, downtown condo closings fell 38% from a year earlier and were down 9% for the year, with about 22 months of inventory, per GNR figures reported by the Nashville Post on September 8, 2026. GNR's president put it this way: "buyers have considerable leverage and more opportunities to negotiate, while sellers must be realistic about pricing and prepared for their property to take longer to sell."

Condo vs. Townhome: What You Actually Own

The words get used loosely in listings, so ask how the property is legally set up. With a condo, you usually own the space inside your walls plus a share of the common areas, and the association insures and maintains the building's exterior and roof. With a townhome, you often own the structure and the land under it, and you may carry more of the exterior and roof costs yourself. Some Nashville "townhomes" are legally condos, which matters for financing and insurance.

Our condo and townhome buyer guide walks through the differences in more detail. The short version: read the recorded documents, not the marketing description.

The Shelby Street Bridge over the Cumberland River, with downtown Nashville behind it.

HOA Fees and What They Cover

HOA dues are part of your monthly payment, so they count against what you can borrow. We looked at the 48 condo and townhome listings shown on our Nashville condo and townhome pages on November 1, 2026. That's a sample, not the whole market. Of the 47 with a posted HOA fee, the median was $300 a month, and fees ranged from $90 to $1,389. The 24 condos in the sample had a median of $356 a month. The 23 townhomes came in lower at $240.

Higher dues often pay for things like a doorman, a pool, a gym, structured parking, or building insurance. Lower dues can mean fewer services, or a reserve fund that isn't keeping up. Plug the HOA into our mortgage calculator so you see the full monthly number.

Reading the HOA Documents

Before your inspection period ends, ask for the budget, the reserve study, recent meeting minutes, the master insurance policy, and the bylaws and rules. Look for special assessments, pending lawsuits, rental limits, and pet rules. A building with thin reserves and an aging roof can send owners a large bill later.

Financing a Nashville Condo

Lenders review the building as well as the buyer. That's the part that surprises people.

FHA Condo Approval

You can check whether a project is already FHA approved on HUD's condominium search at entp.hud.gov. If it isn't, HUD's single-unit approval may still work. Under HUD rules, the project must be complete, have at least five units, not be manufactured housing, and have no adverse determination. FHA loans can't exceed 10% of the units in a project with 10 or more units, or two units in a smaller one. Your lender handles the paperwork on form HUD-9991. HUD also sets an owner-occupancy minimum, which federal rules (24 CFR 203.43b) allow to range from 30% to 75%. First-time buyers can learn more in our first-time home buyer guide.

Conventional and VA Loans

Conventional lenders run their own project review and look at things like reserves, insurance, and how many units investors own. VA loans require the condo project to be VA approved. Ask your lender to check the building before you write an offer. Then use the affordability calculator to test your budget with the HOA included.

Short-Term Rental Rules in Nashville

Plenty of buyers ask whether a condo can double as a short-term rental. In Nashville, the answer depends on zoning and on the building. Metro Codes does not issue new non-owner-occupied short-term rental permits in AR2a, R, RS, or RM residential zones. Those permits are limited to certain mixed-use, commercial, and downtown zones. Applicants must confirm the HOA or condo bylaws allow short-term rentals, carry $1 million in liability insurance, and stay within four sleeping rooms. A permit is cancelled when the property changes hands, so it doesn't come with your purchase. Check any address on Metro's short-term rental eligibility map before counting on rental income.

Property Taxes on a Nashville Condo

Metro Nashville taxes homes at 25% of appraised value. The combined rate is $2.814 per $100 of assessed value in the Urban Services District and $2.782 in the General Services District, per the Metro Trustee. On a condo priced at September's $331,780 median, the assessed value would be $82,945, which comes to about $2,334 a year in the Urban Services District. Your actual bill depends on the assessor's appraisal, so look up the parcel before you budget. Our Davidson County homes page is a good place to compare areas.

The Honest Downsides

A condo or townhome can be a smart buy, but it isn't the right fit for everyone.

• Resale can take longer. With about 22 months of downtown condo inventory in August 2026, sellers there face real competition.
• HOA dues rise. Fees can go up every year, and special assessments can hit with little warning.
• Rules limit you. Rental caps, pet limits, and renovation approvals come with shared ownership.
• Financing is pickier. A building that fails a lender's review can sink a deal, even if your credit is strong.
• Rental income is not a sure thing. Short-term rental permits are limited by zoning and bylaws, and they don't transfer to a buyer.
• Parking and noise. Downtown and Midtown buildings can mean paid parking, event traffic, and late-night noise.

Lakes, Greenways, and the Commute

Condo living doesn't mean giving up the outdoors. Percy Priest Lake covers 14,200 acres with 213 miles of shoreline, and Old Hickory Lake covers 22,500 acres with 440 miles of shoreline, per the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. From downtown, Percy Priest Dam is about 18 to 28 minutes by car and Old Hickory Dam is about 26 to 36 minutes.

The Shelby Bottoms Greenway in East Nashville.

Drive times from the OSRM routing service, measured November 1, 2026, from downtown Nashville: Nashville International Airport (BNA), about 16 to 26 minutes; Brentwood, about 14 to 24 minutes; Franklin, about 27 to 37 minutes; and Murfreesboro, about 42 to 52 minutes. From the Charlotte Pike area in West Nashville to downtown is about 13 to 23 minutes, and from Bordeaux about 11 to 21 minutes. Those are open-road estimates, and rush hour adds more. WeGo Public Transit runs the city's bus network. Moving from out of state? Our Greater Nashville relocation guide and remote home buying page cover the rest.

Homes and Neighborhoods in Nashville

Condos cluster downtown, in the Gulch, and in Midtown, where you'll see high-rise towers and older mid-rise buildings. Townhomes show up more along Charlotte Pike in West Nashville, in East Nashville, and in newer communities near Bordeaux and Whites Creek. If you'd rather have a yard, compare single-family homes in Nashville. Want more space for the money? Look at Murfreesboro and Mt. Juliet, or Brentwood for a suburban setting. Builders are adding townhomes too, so our new construction guide and our post on new construction vs. existing homes in Nashville are worth a read.

Students in Nashville attend Metro Nashville Public Schools. Zoned schools change with the address, so verify by address with the district before you buy.

Homes for Sale in Nashville Right Now

A sample of active condos and townhomes with a Nashville address, each showing ACTIVE on maxhousere.com on November 3, 2026. Prices and status change quickly, so confirm before you tour.

$159,900

Flat condo | HOA $260/mo

1 bed | 1 bath | 683 sq ft

6680 Charlotte Pike #A12, Nashville, TN 37209

MLS# RTC3628003

Listing courtesy of Cumberland Real Estate LLC

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$280,000

Flat condo | HOA $223/mo

2 beds | 2 baths | 800 sq ft

1808 State St #101, Nashville, TN 37203

MLS# RTC3628757

Listing courtesy of Benchmark Realty, LLC

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$349,990

Townhouse | HOA $190/mo

3 beds | 3 baths | 1,765 sq ft

1311 Stubblefield Aly, Nashville, TN 37218

MLS# RTC3629628

Listing courtesy of Century Communities

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$375,000

Flat condo | HOA $440/mo

1 bed | 1 bath | 800 sq ft

1002 Division St #304, Nashville, TN 37203

MLS# RTC3628123

Listing courtesy of Compass

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$418,500

High-rise condo | HOA $487/mo

1 bed | 1 bath | 719 sq ft

1212 Demonbreun St #811, Nashville, TN 37203

MLS# RTC3627785

Listing courtesy of Compass RE

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$499,999

Townhouse | HOA $220/mo

3 beds | 4 baths | 2,200 sq ft

6719 Charlotte Pike #3, Nashville, TN 37209

MLS# RTC3628901

Listing courtesy of Keller Williams Realty

View this home

IDX information is provided exclusively for personal, non-commercial use, and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

See All Homes in Nashville

Still weighing the city as a whole? Read our pros and cons of living in Nashville and our guide to where to buy near Nashville under $800K.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nashville Condos and Townhomes

Are Nashville condo prices dropping?

Not across the board. The nine-county condo median was $331,780 in September 2026, slightly above a year earlier, per GNR. August was lower than the year before. Inventory is up, which gives buyers more room to negotiate.

What is a typical HOA fee for a Nashville condo?

In our November 1, 2026 sample of 47 listings with a posted fee, the median was $300 a month, ranging from $90 to $1,389. High-rise buildings with more services tend to cost more.

Can I use an FHA loan on a Nashville condo?

Yes, if the project is FHA approved or the unit qualifies for HUD's single-unit approval. Check HUD's condo search, then have your lender confirm.

Can I rent my Nashville condo as a short-term rental?

Only if the zoning allows it, the bylaws allow it, and you get a Metro permit. New non-owner-occupied permits aren't issued in most residential zones, and permits are cancelled when a property sells.

Which schools serve Nashville condos?

Nashville addresses inside Davidson County are served by Metro Nashville Public Schools. Verify by address, since zoning can change.

Have questions about a specific building or HOA? Our team helps buyers and sellers across Nashville and Middle Tennessee, and we'll help you read the documents before you commit. Talk with our team anytime. MaX House, brokered by LPT Realty.

Cover photo: Nashville skyline 2009 by Kaldari, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Photos: Shelby Street Bridge by Kaldari, CC0, and Shelby Bottoms Greenway by MaxKelley620, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.