Classic Home Styles: Popular And Common Styles In Real Estate

If you’re actively looking to buy a home, then you probably know how confusing house hunting can be. You might have a picture-perfect idea in your head but just can’t describe exactly what you’re looking for.

We’ve gathered a list of structural and architectural home types to help you imagine your dream home. Before you jump and get a mortgage, let’s take a look at the different types of houses you could potentially call your own.

10 Common Structural Styles Of Homes

People live in homes of all different shapes and sizes. We’ve compiled a list of the most common structural house types to help you figure out what you’re looking for in your home search.

1.   Single-Family Homes

Single-family homes are freestanding residential buildings. A single-family home doesn’t share a wall with another building. A single-family homeowner typically owns the building and the land the building sits on.

2.   Semi-Detached Homes

A semi-detached home is a single-family dwelling that shares one common wall. Unlike a townhome where you may have a neighbor on both sides of your home, semi-detached homes share only one wall, and the home design is typically the same for each dwelling of this type.

3. Multifamily Homes

A multifamily home is a residential property consisting of more than one housing unit. Each unit will likely have its own main entrance, kitchen space and bathroom.

4. Townhomes

Townhomes are multifloor homes with their own entrance, bathroom and kitchen space. Townhomes share two walls with neighbors unless the townhome is located at the end of a building. In some markets, the terms “townhome” and “townhouse” are used interchangeably.

5. Apartments

An apartment is a unit inside of a building structure composed of similarly styled individual units. A tenant rents an apartment from a landlord, which means the tenant isn’t building any equity while paying rent. While lease agreements vary, many landlords are responsible for making repairs and upgrades to the leased unit. Some apartment communities include common area amenities like a laundry room, gym or pool.

6. Condominiums (Condos)

Condominiums, or “condos” for short, are buildings made up of individual units that are owned. They can look and feel like an apartment building or community. Unlike with an apartment, a condo owner owns the interior space of their unit and is building equity with every mortgage payment. The common area is usually managed by a homeowners association, with fees being assessed to homeowners for common area expenses.

7. Co-Ops

A co-op may physically resemble an apartment or condominium building, but on paper, a co-op is very different. People who invest in the co-op are called shareholders. Shareholders who live in the co-op have a proprietary lease giving them the right to live in a specific unit in the building.

Co-op housing is typically owned by a cooperative corporation. A co-op owner is a shareholder of a corporation, and the corporation owns and manages the building. The cooperative corporation is run by a board of directors elected by the shareholders and responsible for common area maintenance and repair.

8. Tiny Homes

Tiny homes are homes that are generally 60 – 400 square feet in size but may go up to just under 600 square feet. Since becoming a popular type of alternative housing, tiny homes are available in a wide range of styles. Many are prefabricated with custom interior and exterior features and benefits that can make tiny living livable.

9. Manufactured Homes

Manufactured homes are homes built in factories, according to standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Manufactured homes are affixed to a permanent chassis with wheels and can be installed in both permanent and temporary locations.

Manufactured homes built before June 15, 1976, are called mobile homes and feature looser construction standards. As a result, through Rocket Mortgage^®, you can get a conventional loan, FHA loan or VA loan on a manufactured home built on or after that date if you have real property permanently affixed to the land. FHA loans will require foundation inspections in accordance with the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, but you can use a previous inspection if you’ve had one in the past.

10. Mansions

A home is typically defined as a mansion when it’s at least 5,000 square feet. Modern mansions are considered luxury properties similar to a chateau, villa or manor. They often include a large living space with plenty of rooms for comfort and entertainment, quality appliances and beautiful landscaping on a small acreage that may include a pool or guest house.

Unlike a McMansion, which describes a mass-produced house built to convey wealth without the structural quality of a mansion, true mansion properties usually start at around $1 million. This may warrant you getting a jumbo loan unless you’re paying with cash.

20 Popular Architectural Styles Of Homes

Travel across America and you’ll find an incredible variety of architectural styles. As you search for your new home, take note of the classic home styles you prefer on the exterior along with the classic home decor styles you like on the interior. The descriptions below could help you articulate to a real estate agent just what you’re looking for in your new home.

1. Ranch

Ranch-style homes are built with accessibility and flexibility in mind. Many are constructed horizontally, with each room easily interchangeable with the next. A large family room can easily become a home-school classroom by adding French doors, or you can turn a bedroom into a home office.

Unique features of a ranch-style home include:

• A single story with brick, wood and stucco exterior
• Attached garage
• Simple trim accents throughout
• Large picture windows and sliding glass doors that lead to a deck or backyard
• Open floor plans

2. Cape Cod

The Cape Cod-style home originated from the Cape Cod area in the mid-1600s. Originally designed to withstand incredibly harsh New England winters, homes featured heavy shutters that could be closed to protect windows and keep drafts down during heavy storms.

Original Cape Cod homes featured a central fireplace linked to chimneys throughout the home to heat separate areas of the home more efficiently. Modern Cape Cods have decorative shutters and fireplaces placed at the end of the home as opposed to the center.

Unique features of a Cape Cod-style house include:

• One or one-and-a-half stories with a steep roof and a small roof overhang
• Wood construction and coverings of clapboard or shingles
• A symmetrical appearance with a center door
• Multipaned windows and dormers (which are created as usable space with windows in the roof)
• A formal floor plan, usually with hardwood floors

3. Colonial

Like the Cape Cod, colonial-style homes were built out of necessity. Weather along the Eastern Seaboard can be tough and cold. Central fireplaces, separate rooms and relatively low ceilings retained heat efficiently. Early colonists brought with them their own architectural twist from the countries they left. We now have different variations of colonial-style homes, and these include the Georgian, Dutch and Spanish colonial styles, to name a few.

Although their roots were planted in the 17th century, traditional and modern colonial-style homes can be identified by their unique use of soothing symmetry. Exterior windows, doors and columns on one side of the home are often mirrored on the other side. Other features include a square symmetrical facade, evenly spaced multipaned windows with shutters, and fireplaces with evenly proportioned chimneys.

Unique features of a colonial-style home include:

• Two to three stories with a rectangular shape
• A gabled roof (both sides slope at the same angle) and dormers
• A decorative crown over the front door, supported by pilasters or columns
• Construction made of brick or wood siding
• Grand entrances and porticos that reveal living areas on the first floor (plus bedrooms on upper levels)

4. Victorian

When calling a house a Victorian-style home, “Victorian” is actually referring to the time period from roughly the 1830s to 1900. The home’s architectural style is called a Queen Anne. Victorian-era homes are large structures with ornate woodwork and large wraparound porches. The paint and decor span the spectrum of design.

Original Victorian era-style homes were often brightly painted with no shortage of unique features like turrets, verandas and multipurpose rooms for the busy family.

Unique features of a Victorian-style house include:

• Steeply pitched roofs of irregular shape with a dominant front-facing wide gable
• Ornate woodwork and textured shingles with decorative wooden brackets and clapboard siding
• An asymmetrical porch one story high that extends around the front or the front and sides of the house
• Some combining up to eight exterior colors
• High ceilings and deep archways between rooms
• Small rooms divided up by their use, whether it be as a formal dining room, a small library, a parlor or a formal living room

5. Tudor

Like some of the other home architectural styles we’ve discussed, the Tudor home originated in England. Tudor-style homes feature multigabled roofs and half-timber framing. They were a highly sought-after home style prior to World War II; however, after the war, many people wanted a more modern, American-style home.

Unique features of a Tudor-style home include:

• Steeply pitched roofs with wide gables
• Elaborate chimneys with small dormers and slate surrounds
• Exposed wood framework on the exterior, with the spaces between the frames filled with stucco and masonry
• Large, narrow casement windows with multiple panes that are framed with wood or metal
• Stone trim and decoratively embellished doorways with stone trim and door surrounds

6. Mediterranean

The Mediterranean style draws from countries like Greece, Spain and Italy. These homes are typically built with a stucco exterior featuring large, arched windows and red clay roof tiles. Spanish settlers in the Southwest during the 16th century took advantage of the thick clay walls to maintain cooler temperatures in the desert heat. In the 1920s, Americans became fascinated with this distinctive style, and it soon took off in popularity.

Unique features of a Mediterranean-style house include:

• A flat or low-pitched tile roof, often red, with warm-colored stucco finishing
• Extensive outdoor living areas or verandas, second-floor balconies and large open seating areas to allow for airflow throughout the home
• Balconies and large arched windows surrounded by wrought-iron railings and details

7. Contemporary

The terms “contemporary” and “modern” are often used interchangeably when discussing architecture, but they’re quite different. Modern refers to a period that’s already passed, whereas contemporary refers to now. Many contemporary homes are built with eco-friendly materials and a design focus on clean lines and natural textures.

Unique features of a contemporary-style home include:

• Clean, simple lines
• Neutral colors, including white, black, gray and beige
• Natural materials, including stone, glass and lighter woods
• Large windows to let in plenty of natural light, often floor to ceiling or a series of panels set high
• Either no moldings or simple, unadorned baseboards or crown moldings

8. Modern Farmhouse

A new classic American home style gaining popularity is the modern farmhouse. Pulling inspiration from traditional farmhouses, modern farmhouses often feature tall ceilings, exposed beams and a large front porch. Modern farmhouse style combines the rustic feel of a farmhouse with decor, clean lines and modern convenience.

Unique features of a farmhouse-style house include:

• Barn-shaped roofs
• Large porches
• Clean lines and modern functionality
• Natural wood and stone materials

9. Prairie

During the Victorian era, young architects were tired of European styles and wanted to create something fresh for modern American living. The prairie-style home is designed to reflect and pay homage to the surrounding environment. Made popular by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, prairie-style homes are designed to be functional, flowing and open.

Unique features of a prairie-style home include:

• Cantilevered long, flat roofs
• Simple and natural woodwork
• An open concept floor plan
• Large central chimney and fireplace
• Interior and outdoor spaces connected seamlessly

10. Midcentury Modern

The midcentury modern style is easily recognizable and most often characterized by flat straight lines, large glass windows and open spaces. The focus of midcentury modern style is its simplicity and integration with nature and the surrounding environment, with an emphasis placed on form as function.

It was made popular in the mid-1950s with the work of famous architects Rudolph Schindler, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Joseph Eichler.

Unique features of a midcentury modern-style house include:

• Bilevel and wide-open floor plans
• Wide, flat roofs with angular details and asymmetrical features
• Floor-to-ceiling windows, walls of glass
• Construction materials like steel, plywood and concrete

11. Split-Level

Split-level homes emerged from the ranch-style home design of the 1950s. In a split-level home, living spaces are separated by short flights of stairs, unlike a standard two- or three-story home connected with long flights of stairs.

Unique features of a split-level home include:

• Large living spaces separated by short flights of stairs
• Increased living space in the basement
• Low-pitched roofs
• Integrated garages
• Multiple attics with space for storage
• Double-hung windows with a large picture window

12. Cottage

Brought over from England, cottages were the home to working-class farmers. Cottage-style homes are cozy and typically on the smaller side in square footage. They often feature wood or wood shingle siding, small porches and a cozy fireplace.

In America, some people purchase cottages to use as a vacation home, and many people prefer the tighter quarters and personality of a cottage.

Unique features of a cottage-style house include:

• Wood shingles or siding
• A small yet cozy living space
• Front porch and/or back deck
• Individual character
• Beautiful landscaping

13. French Country

French country-style houses are inspired by the gorgeous homes found in the French countryside in areas like Provence. French country homes typically have pointed roofs and shutters, and they incorporate stone and have a weathered appearance. Inside, you’ll find subdued color palettes with worn colors and exposed natural wood grain.

Unique features of a French country-style home include:

• Stone construction and stone elements
• Distressed, painted, vintage furniture and decor
• Lots of wood and other natural materials

14. Bungalow

The term “bungalow” can be traced back to the 19th century when the British ruling class set out to build an easily constructed rest house to use during their visits. Charles and Henry Greene are credited as early adopters of this style. A bungalow-style home typically has tapered or squared columns supporting the roof, lots of main-floor living space, and a fireplace.

This simple, affordable style grew in popularity in 1900s America. Bungalows come in several styles – California style, Michigan style, Chicago style and ranch style – but they all refer to the same type of home.

Unique features of a bungalow-style house include:

• Stone construction and stone elements
• One or one-and-a-half stories with a low-pitched roof and a horizontal shape
• Large covered front porches
• Living spaces located primarily on the main floor, with the living room located in the center

15. Craftsman

A Craftsman-style home focuses on the value of handmade, well-constructed architecture. Craftsman-style homes feature beautiful hand-worked materials, exposed beams, low-pitched gable roofs and tapered columns on their porches. Inside, you can find custom elements like built-in bookshelves, hand-laid fireplaces and window seats.

Unique features of a craftsman-style home include:

• Hand-crafted wood features
• Exposed beams
• Large square or tapered columns
• Built-in cabinets and shelves
• Unique custom-made features like window seats

16. Art Deco

Art deco architecture originated in Paris in the early 1920s from a collection of young designers and artists from around the world, and it came to the U.S. soon after. In fact, many U.S. skyscrapers, including the Empire State Building, used the art deco style.

Ornate and geometric details, smooth stucco exterior with curved walls, decorative windows and doors and spires are all trademarks of this style.

Unique features of an art deco style house include:

• Strong geometric shapes
• Exotic motifs
• Bold, contrasting colors
• Flat roofs with parapets
• Curved walls combined with straight forms

17. Neoclassical

Neoclassical architecture is closely related to colonial revival. Originating during the 18th century in France and Italy, this American house style focuses on grand scale, symmetry and classical elements like columns. All of this combined made it one of the most easy-to-recognize styles in the Western area.

Unique features of a neoclassical style house include:

• Full-height porch with massive columns that are often Corinthian
• Large porticos or pediments over the entryway
• Symmetrical facade
• Flat or domed roofs

18. Greek Revival

Greek Revival-style homes emerged in the U.S. in the 1820s after being inspired by ancient Greek democracy and culture to appear as Greek temples. Architects used this style to construct many government buildings, including banks and libraries.

Large columns, a symmetrical shape and a white facade often define these homes. This grand type of home also offers rich curb appeal, especially for those who favor a traditional style.

Unique features of a Greek Revival-style house include:

• Large, white, classical columns
• A grand entrance
• Pedimented gable ends
• Portico or full-width porch
• Ceiling medallions

19. Italianate

The Italianate house style was popular in the 19th century, inspired by medieval Italian country villas and Italian Renaissance architecture. This style of house is most often seen in the Eastern U.S., but some Italianate houses are in the Western areas as well.

Some of its popular characteristics include tall rectangle shapes, a brick or wood facade and an ornate interior. Italianate features were also accessible for a variety of other home types, including large estates and townhouses.

Unique features of an Italianate-style house include:

• 2 – 4 stories high
• Low-sloped roofs with overhanging eaves
• Tall, slim windows with rounded tops
• Arched doorways
• Cast iron detailing and decor

20. Gothic Revival

Gothic architecture was an early style of Victorian-era homes that originated in France in the mid-18th century and arose in America in 1832. The Gothic Revival style was influenced by medieval and Renaissance styles and was originally designed as a country home.

Many buildings, including schools and churches in the U.S., feature Gothic Revival style, which is especially prominent with cathedrals. Most homes with elements of this style feature pointed arches, stained glass windows and even trademarks of gargoyles.

Unique features of a Gothic Revival-style house include:

• Pointed arch doors and windows
• Decorative stained glass or leaded windows
• High, steeply pitched roofs
• Brick or stone construction, resembling a castle-like exterior
• Vaulted ceilings
• Stone carvings of birds and flowers on the interior

The Bottom Line: The Right Home Style For You Will Depend On Your Preferences

Choosing the right home for your lifestyle and personal goals can be tough if you can’t articulate what you’re looking for. Take the time to review some of these classic American home styles with your real estate agent to make sure your agent knows exactly the style you desire.

If you’re ready to get on the road to homeownership, connect with a Verified Partner Agent from Rocket Homes^SM today.