Differences in 4 Home Architectural Styles

The style of home you buy can have a big impact on your quality of life, things you do in your spare time and your family's overall growth. If you're a home buyer who will soon be looking at homes available in the neighbourhoods where you want to live, it's helpful to know what architectural styles will be best for you.

Residential architectural styles have evolved over the years. They've gone from large in the Victorian era, to smaller and more easy to manage in the 20th century. Knowing which styles suit your lifestyle best will help you narrow your choices when trying to select a Bayside home.

Ranch Style: Perfect for Aging in Place

Ranch-style homes are generally all on one floor, although some ranch-style homes do have basements with laundry facilities and room for storage. Because they're all on one floor, ranch-style homes are perfect for aging in place. They're also a smart choice for homeowners with small children who are just learning to walk.

Ranch homes tend to be easier to maintain, because there's little or no walking up and down stairs when performing daily chores. These homes are practical, which makes them a good choice for people who want to spend less time on home maintenance.

Victorian: Romantic Hideaway for the DIYer

Victorian homes tend to be multiple stories. These structures have textural siding made from different kinds of shingles and siding boards. On the outside, Victorian homes tend to be colorful and decorative. Inside, Victorian homes often have original woodwork and craftsman details that make them stunning to look at. For homeowners who have difficulty walking up and down stairs, Victorian homes can be a challenge.

Their age and large size also makes Victorian homes difficult to maintain. Temperature control inside Victorian homes can be a challenge. Often, these homes have old plumbing and electrical wiring that can present home hazards. This type of home will need more than the average amount of maintenance to look its best.

Split-Level: Practical and Easy to Maintain

Split-level homes were most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Compared to Victorian homes, split-level homes are far more practical. Although they do involve stairs, the differences between levels tend to be less than a storey, so homeowners in split-level homes have far less walking up and down stairs to do.

Like ranch-style homes, split-level properties tend to be very practical to maintain. They're also relatively new (often newer than ranch-style homes), so the wiring and plumbing and other features may need less maintenance overall. This is a practical home for people who want to spend as little time as possible on maintenance.

Millennium Builder: Big and Beautiful

Millennium Builder homes are large and boxy, often built with stucco or sometimes brick veneer. Millennium Builders are often multiple storey homes, with lots of stairs going up and down. These homes are newer than the other styles mentioned in this article, and should require the least amount of maintenance. Most Millennium Builders were built in the last 30 years, although some homes go back to the 1980's. This makes these homes suitable for many modern lifestyles.

Contact Your Real Estate Professional

If you're a home buyer looking for a property, whether it's a Victorian home, ranch-style home or some other architectural style, contact a real estate professional with experience in the areas where you would like to buy a home. Working with a real estate professional can help you get the right home at the right price.