What Are the Different Styles of Homes?

When looking at homes you may find that you are looking for a certain architectural style of home or you may find that you are more intrigued with purchasing different residential building structures that exist. Either way, this is a pretty exhaustive list of the different styles of homes that you may be interested in purchasing, along with some pictures.

Single Family Detached Home refers to approximately what most Americans live in and think of when they think of buying a house. The single-family home became popular after World War II and is categorized by sitting on its own property away separate from other houses around it. Think suburbia when thinking of single-family detached homes.

Condominiums are another type of single-family home; however, they are considered a single-family attached home. Condos provide for one home amongst many other homes that share the same building on a given piece of land. Often condos are governed by Home Owner's Associations (HOAs) which make decisions on behalf of all unit owners and own the communal areas and land on which the condominium sits. HOA members are elected officials and usually make decisions on factors such as maintenance, grounds, rules, and regulations.

Townhouses are also single-family attached homes and can often be confused as condominiums. A townhome usually shares one or two walls with its neighbors, but unlike a condominium, the owner of the townhome owns both the interior and exterior of the unit and is, therefore, financially responsible for any maintenance of the exterior as well as the interior. Where things get really confusing is that many townhome communities are also governed by HOAs and can include some of the same perks as maintaining common areas, some landscaping, and even some roof repairs. Confusing, right? This is why it is always important to work closely with a REALTOR® and your mortgage lender to determine what type of home you are purchasing based upon the deed.

Bungalow is a small, square single-story home with a front porch. Although they are generally small in terms of square footage, it is not uncommon to see very large bungalows throughout the country. Bungalows were originally designed to provide affordable, modern housing for the working class.

Ranch-style homes are becoming more and more in demand, at least in my area. These homes are one-story homes that tend to have an open concept. They are usually "U" or "L" shaped and have a devoted patio or deck space. Other common features include large windows, sliding glass doors, a low-pitched roofline, and an attached garage.

Mobile or Manufactured homes are homes that are factory-built and constructed to the strict specifications of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's federal building code. These homes can be towed to a lot to remain in place.

Now that we know some different types of housings, let's go explore and see what type of home is the best fit for you and your family!