Hello, thanks for looking, any answer will be greatly appreciated. I'm in the process of purchasing a townhouse and need to get it inspected, hopefully by the end of this week. The homeowner claims the electric has not been discontinued to the house, that it's just been shut off at the 'main breaker', she confirmed this by calling the power company. I visited the house last night and switched all breakers in the main panel in the home to the ON position however there was still no power in the home. Then I noticed the spot where the main breaker switch is supposed to be was non-existent as if the main breaker is located elsewhere, some where out of the main panel, anyone ever seen this? If so, where can I find this main breaker switch?

If the power lines run in the house for more than a few feet, the disconnect may be located elsewhere. Check by the meter outside.

With the door to the main panelboard open look on the back of the door cover.

There should be a schematic posted there. It will show you whether this panel has a main disconnect built into the panel.

There also may be a disconnect switch inside the room adjacent to the panelboard or outside.

One thing I did was to call the power company and find out from them where the main disconnect was.

Can you send along a picture of the panel, with the cover removed?

Main breakers for townhouse condos will be located at the meter banks.

Don, they don't own the unit yet, plus not just anyone should be removing panel covers

Maybe ask a neighbor, may be grouped as TK Mentions, could be Underground? Overhead? Look in yours and your neighbors back yards?

Strat, A Main Breaker overhead or underground? I always find them mounted on a wall, either interior or exterior.

OP said town house. Who said condo? Main will certainly be on the property. If present property owner said power is turned off at the "main breaker", why not just ask where it is.
Maybe power company records are incorrect.

TK, I was meaning to say looking Overhead for Drop may help locate the Meters/Disconnects, or if none and it is underground, and if not in the building may be in a Bank of Meters perhaps next to a Transformer fed Underground?