We?ve all heard of condos and detached single-family homes. But what?s the difference between a condo and a townhouse? And what does an attached single-family home mean? Do you want a Craftsman-style home or something more minimalist like a Ranch?
Searching for a home can be a lot of fun. Yet even with an idea of what you?re looking for, sometimes the options are overwhelming. We get it! With that in mind, we thought we?d help break it down by diving into the different styles of homes you may find in your target location.
Condominiums vs. Townhomes
A condo is more of an apartment-style unit within a building or building community. What sets it apart from being an apartment is that the resident owns the unit as opposed to rents it from a landlord or management company. A townhouse is also known as an attached-unit home. They are part of a larger complex with two or more homes attached and separated by a common area wall. People living in townhomes tend to share common areas like garages and yards.?Condos and Townhomes?will have amenities that come with the property like pools, balconies, and dry cleaning to name a few. It depends on the location and community.
Single Family Homes
A Single Family Home is a stand alone property completely unattached to any other house. Single Family Homes have perks like larger yards, no sharing walls with neighbors, private garages, and more space in general. They can come with or without a Homeowners Association. It depends on whether the house is located within a community. They are great options looking for families that are planning to grow and want a larger investment in their future.
Modular & Manufactured Homes
Have you ever seen a truck carrying what looks like a new house down the road? Chances are, it?s part of a Modular or Manufactured Home. A?Modular Home?is a house built offsite in an indoor factory that?s climate controlled. It?s either built as one whole house or in a few different sections to be assembled once it arrives on the property. Modular homes can be customized and come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
Manufactured Homes?are also built off-site in a factory. They were traditionally known as mobile homes but are a little more complicated than that now. Manufactured homes are assembled on a steel frame as opposed to having a solid foundation but it?s still structurally sound. These houses can be customized and vary in size and design. While they can still be built on wheels to be the traditional ?mobile home?, many are permanent fixtures on owned property instead.
Besides these house styles, there are also different architectural designs to consider. For example, here in Colorado our most common style homes are Craftsman (Bungalow), Ranches, and Victorians.?History Colorado?has a great in depth look at the different styles we?ve seen in the state over the years. These are a few of our favorite styles that can be great while looking for inspiration in your own search.
Craftsman Houses
A Craftsman is one of the most popular style homes in America. Craftsman homes have beautiful craftsmanship (if that wasn?t obvious from their name) using lots of natural materials. Some of the details you?ll find in a Craftsman are large fireplaces, open floor plans, and exposed beams. Depending on where you live, Craftsman Houses are also referred to as Bungalows.
Ranch-Style Houses
Ranches are a classic American home, practical in design and modeled after traditional ranches from the turn of the century. This style house generally is one level with or without a basement. They lean towards a mid-century design since their popularity boomed between the 1950s and 1970s. It carries a low profile and was designed for the American middle class family.
Victorian Homes
Denver has plenty of gorgeous Victorian-style homes to admire. If you like taking a step back in time, visit the?Molly Brown House Museum?to see what a Victorian would have looked like at the turn of the 20th Century. Victorian-style homes hail from the Victorian era. There are a few different types of a Victorian homes but the general idea is that these houses were designed to make a statement.?They were built for looks rather than function. There are a lot of details within the design, large porches, and over-the-top finishings.
Farmhouse Style Homes
We won?t say that Joanna Gaines is single-handedly responsible for bringing Farmhouse back in style but it?s hard to deny that she didn?t help the cause. A Farmhouse style home is typically identified by its location as opposed to style. They?re built on rural land and designed to function well. Farmhouses gaining in popularity for their looks is actually a newer concept. Their original design was out of practicality and built for what was needed to support farming families.
Contemporary & Modern Homes
Houses with a?Contemporary or Modern design?have a much more 21st-Century, futuristic feel to them. They often connect the indoors and outdoors and boast energy efficiency. These houses are built with sustainable materials. They let in lots of natural light and lean towards a design with clean lines and structure. While this style home might seem like a younger design, there are many Modern homes that can date back as far as the 1920s.
There are many more architectural styles of homes including European, Mediterranean, Cape Cod, Colonials, Chalets, and Cottages. Knowing your style is important and helpful but you need a home that will fit your needs. An agent can help identify a layout that?s best for your lifestyle.
Be sure to check out?7 Reasons you Should Hire an Agent!
