We have a yard and my kids rarely play in it. They are more likely to run up the street to their friends' houses.

Townhouse was ideal for toddler and preschool years. When both started elementary the TH felt suddenly too small. Kids needed indoor and outdoor space to run, host groups of friends, and it became a drag and tedious to trek to a playground. Most of our neighbors with kids moved onto SFHs around the same age for similar reasons.

I have an end unit TH so I have side and back yards along with the communal space. DS is 10 and he's usually not in the yard but rather on the sidewalks riding scooters with his friends.

We live in a big U shape cul de sac so very quiet and lots of sidewalk for the kids. I can watch them from inside and from deck or front stoop.

It's always a good idea to buy the end unit.

My kid is 8 and I wish I had not bought a house with a lawn. That said, if she had a sibling to play with outside, I would probably feel differently. Could you find a townhouse with a small fenced yard so you can toss them outside when they are bugging you? Our former townhouse yard was ideal for that and took no time to maimtain.