Which Style of Home is Best For You?

Working with first-time homebuyers, I have noticed that early on in the home search process, they tend to start favoring one style of home over the others.  This article will highlight the five most popular home styles in our south Jersey / Pennsylvania areas. 

Of course, these are not all the styles that are out there, but these are the most popular ones for starter homes that I have shown (and sold) to many buyers over the years.   

You will become a little better acquainted with the features of each style and will be better informed as to which ones will best suit you and your family needs when the time comes.

Working with first-time homebuyers, I have noticed that early on in the home search process, they tend to start favoring one style of home over the others.  This article will highlight the five most popular home styles in our south Jersey / Pennsylvania areas. 

Of course, these are not all the styles that are out there, but these are the most popular ones for starter homes that I have shown (and sold) to many buyers over the years.   

You will become a little better acquainted with the features of each style and will be better informed as to which ones will best suit you and your family needs when the time comes.

1. Cape Cod

This architectural home style is, I believe, the most popular style in our area for first-time buyers.  This home is recognized by its very slanted roof.  One of my buyers while searching even called them “the little hats” and ended up buying one of them.

Cape Cod’s have existed since the 1600’s in New England states.  Their layout adapts well to the rough winters.  The slanted roofs were steep so snow and rain don’t accumulate and can easily be removed.  In the 1950’s, the Cape Cods became popular after World War 2, because returning soldiers needed inexpensive and quick build homes. 

These homes are ideal for new families being formed.  They are small, typically between 1,000 to 2,000 square feet.  These are two-story homes,  with 2 very small bedrooms and 1 full bath on the first floor.    The 2^nd floor has two very large bedrooms with slanted ceilings and the newer ones have a 2^nd full bath.   These homes are also great for extended families, where you can have an elderly parent or family member on the first floor and

 they don’t have to use the stairs for their basic needs. 

2.  Colonial

Colonial homes are the 2^nd most popular style of homes with first time home buyers, in my opinion.  This style also started in the 1600’s, like the Cape Cods, but in England.  There are different types of colonial homes such as Dutch Colonial, French Colonial, Georgian and others.   Buyers that already have families find this home ideal for their needs. 

These homes are larger, typically from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet.  These homes are “boxy” or have a square layout, with not a lot of wasted space.  A typical Colonial has the front door in the middle opening up to a small vestibule.  Once inside, you can go to a formal living room on one side and the other side is the formal dining room.  You walk along a small hallway down the middle and towards the back you have the kitchen and a family room.  Some have a powder room on the first floor.   Upstairs you typically have 3 or 4 good-sized bedrooms.  Also, one full bath in the hallway and another full bath in the master bedroom. 

First-time buyers that have families like this home because there is enough space for everyone and now with more people working from home, it is easy to have a separate room as an office. 

3. Split-Level Entry

These homes are relatively larger for a starter home.  They range in size from about 1,500 to 2,600 square feet.  They can have two, three or even four levels – that’s a lot of stairs!   Like the Colonials, these homes are favored by first time home buyers that have started families.  These are also ideal for extended family members (such as in-laws) due to their layout. 

The typical Split-Level home has the front door in the middle.  When you open it you will step into a small vestibule with a small set of stairs going up and one going down – thus the name “Split Level”.   When you go up the stairs, you will have the living room, kitchen, three bedrooms and a full bath.  Some split levels have another set of stairs going up to the bedrooms.   When you go down the stairs, you have a family room, bedroom, full bath, and garage.  Some split levels have another set of stairs going down to a basement.  From the lower level, you can go to the backyard, typically through a sliding glass door. 

That’s why these are favored by larger families, because there is room for all members.  And, like the Colonial, they are ideal for those working from home using the lower-level bedroom area. 

4. Rancher

These homes were built in the 1920’s and became more popular in the 1940’s to the 1970’s, in the post-war housing boom.   They are also known as “California Ranch” and “Rambler”.  They are more popular on the west coast, but many can be found in our area. 

These homes are typically smaller, from 800 to about 1,500 square feet, have an open layout, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and ideal for today’s first-time homebuyers as a starter home.  Most have an attached garage and those that have a basement are called a “Raise Rancher”. 

5. Bungalow

They were first built in England in the 1860’s because sailors first drew inspiration from Bengali farmer’s huts.  The word “bungalow” comes from the Hindi word “bangla”.    These homes then became popular here in the early 1900’s.   So, they’ve been around for a while, especially in our older neighborhoods.  There are a few types of bungalows that you might have heard of:  Craftsman, Tudor,  Prairie among others.

These homes are smaller in size from 700 to 1,500 square feet, sometimes a little larger, depending on the layout.   As you open the front door, you go right into the small living room, the kitchen is in the back and the bedrooms, typically 2 but sometimes 3, and one bath are on the side. These are great starter homes for first time homebuyers that want more privacy than living in a condo or townhome. 

And there you have it!  The five most popular starter architectural styles for first-time homebuyers (based on my experience).    I hope this has helped you in becoming more familiar with the different starter home architectural styles in our area to help determine which is the best fit for you.    Of course, there are many more styles of homes in our area, but these are the most that I help my first time homebuyers purchase. 

If you have any questions about a particular home style or if you are ready to start (or restart) your home search, feel free to email me at ccr@ccrsellsrealestate.com or click below.