Close your eyes.
Think of all the beautiful houses you’ve seen that have left an impression on you. Of those houses, which ones would you personally choose to have as your home? Narrow it down to one or two.
How do the exteriors look? One-story or two? Flat roofs or peaked? Columns or an open porch?
Imagine pulling up to the house and looking at the front door. Is it a stately home with grand columns that give it an air of importance and security? Is it a sprawling home, each wing of the house stretched out on its own plot and an open porch that’s just waiting for you to come up and knock?
This is all part of a home’s architectural style. We are drawn towards homes that we think (or desire to) best fit the personality and needs of the family. If you’re in the market for a pre-owned home, you will may have a slew of homes that meet your criteria, but only seriously consider placing offers on the homes that visually appeal to you. With that in mind, it’s worth taking the time to read up on the main architectural styles you’ll see while house hunting, along with their respective pros and cons!
The more you know about what you’re looking for in a home, the more confident you’ll feel when you do find it. And of course, if you’re building your own home with us at Experience Homes, you can make sure your build plans have exactly what you want for your dream home.
RANCH HOME
The most common style you’ll see today in pre-owned homes is the ranch style home. This style is characterized by a lack of stairs- the home is all one level. Most of the homes in this style are seen in the classic “L” shape but there are also those with a “U” shape that allow for a pool or contained garden and/or lawn.
One of the unexpected benefits of the ranch style will come to light if you only plan on living in the home for a short term: moving costs and moving effort is much, much lower than other styles. The level floor plan allows you to move in easily and without fuss. Heating and cooling is easily controlled as long as the attic is properly insulated, making for lower utility bills. Maintaining the exterior of the ranch style can be easily done by yourself with a just a stepladder while a bi-level home needs more manpower.
On the flip side of the coin, a downside of the ranch style is that there is less privacy as the bedrooms and living areas alike are all on the same level. If you’re thinking of buying a ranch style home, pay attention to the condition of the roof. Because of the sprawling single-story layout, ranch homes typically have expansive roofs and replacing one can be costly.
PROS:
- Easy move-in, move-out
- Lower utility bills
- Easy maintenance
CONS:
- Less privacy
- Expense of replacing a roof
