Your home is your most important purchase and one you will live with for a very long time. When you are shopping there are so many important factors to consider when making a home purchase including price, location, schools (if you have or plan to have kids), and what friendly loan terms are available.
Another key thing to consider is the style of the home you want to build or purchase. Homes range in many popular styles from Colonial, to Craftsman to Mediterranean with each having its own attributes and charm. Picking a style is important not only because you will have to look at and live in it every day, it can also contribute to your ability to get a higher price if and when you want to sell. Here is a look at a few popular styles that look great and attract buyers.
Contemporary / Modern
Contemporary / Modern homes reference a style popular in the 1950s and ‘60s and have now been updated with custom designs and materials that make them look more modern. They generally have flat or lower slope roofs, horizontal windows and large, undecorated fireplaces, and draw on a wide variety of influences from the mid-century modern homes, to the recent geometric A-frame. The homes pull these influences together in an often minimal look that shows of the clean lines and corners. They are often constructed out of stone or concrete using the latest advance in building technology and architecture. The interiors are also about clean straight lines with open floor-plans and a focus on high-quality materials. The latest designs are sleek and elegant with an emphasis on indoor/outdoor living spaces and optimal use of natural light. Contemporary / Modern house plans offer flexible space and flexible usage, allowing the homeowner to tailor the home’s functionality to their lifestyle.
Contemporary / Modern designed homes are often custom built and have exploded in popularity in cites from San Francisco in the US to Perth Australia where home seekers can find a Perth home builder to create their Contemporary / Modern dream home.
Traditional style
If you see a home with a porch or sunroom, it is probably a Traditional. A traditional home plan incorporates many different historical architectural styles, without being easily classified as any one. For instance they may have Greek columns and a farmhouse style frame in other words, they might display multiple stylistic influences or capture historical influences in a modern-day style. Their exteriors are usually brick, stone or clapboard and can be painted any of a number of warm colors. Because of this approach traditional homes fit architecturally into any neighborhood. Their floor plans come in all sizes, have one or several levels and typically feature a formal living, dining room and fireplaces in some rooms. These homes seek to exude charm and give off a very comfortable vibe and are very attractive to families.
Ranch style
Ranch homes were starter homes first built in the US in the 1930s as lower income families began to migrate to the suburbs. The homes were wide and flat, often either rectangle, “L” or “U” shaped and could be accommodated by the large cheap lots available in the US west at that time. Within twenty years, ranch homes were the most popular home style in the US. The homes are usually made of brick, have an attached garage, and feature a simpler exterior that may borrow some influences from other style homes to make it a bit more ornate. The homes feature an open floor plan and an efficient use of space. The openness is because of few interior walls and a combining of rooms. Most of these homes have a one level floor plan (some people call all one story homes ranch homes) or are a split level that features large picture windows and sliding glass doors in common rooms and bedrooms, and lower pitched ceilings. Ranch style homes had dipped in popularity, but with the focus on open floor plans, they have made a resurgence.
Out of the three, Contemporary / Modern is by far the most popular and seems to be extended its popularity over the other two home styles.
