5 House-Hunting Tips to Find Your Ideal Home Style

Whether you’re considering new construction or purchasing an existing home, style counts. However, in the 21st century, form and function are equally important. “Do you like to cook? Is the primary bedroom on the first floor or the second? How many kids will you have? Do you have a dog?” asks Peter Rotelle, president and CEO of Rotelle Studio(e), a homebuilder in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Answering these questions will help you find the right home style for you and your family.

View the big picture

Location matters. Families tend to select the school district before shopping for a home, says Joe Corcoran, owner of Deb and Joe Corcoran at Keller Williams Real Estate in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Some also want to be near hospitals, transportation, and shopping centers. Others prefer acres of space between their property and that of the closest neighbor, adds Corcoran.

So, be specific with your vision. “We have people who want a big yard, but that means different things to different people,” he says. For instance, do they want to cut the grass with a push mower or riding mower?

Pinpoint your preferences

Use your current home as a resource. What do you like? What don’t you like? Kenneth Yim, managing partner of Toronto-based Owncondo, a real estate and property management company, suggests asking the following:

• Do I prefer open spaces or separate rooms?
• Do I like modern or traditional facades and layouts?
• Is one-floor living important?
• How much outdoor space do I want?
• Do I like to entertain?

Search online design sites and magazines, including Houzz, House Beautiful, Southern Living, and Domino. Use Pinterest to collect useful articles and photos. Visit builder websites to see the floor plans with exterior renderings and options, which is helpful if you want new construction.

For existing properties, drive through desirable communities, go to open houses and note the prevalent styles. Homes in a single neighborhood were often built in the same era, so they’re the same or similar.

Review different architectural styles so you can articulate your preferences to your real estate agent. The National Association of Realtors has a helpful glossary online. Note that existing homes in one area of the country, such as New Mexico, will be different from another.

Corcoran has seen an uptick in the demand for contemporary styles. Like a bank barn, these 1960s-era homes are built into a slope, so the top floor is the main living area, while the bottom opens to the backyard.

“When we have one in nice condition, we get 10 to 12 offers,” he says.

Match the model to your lifestyle

Contemporary homes from the mid-20th century have open floor plans and an owner’s bedroom on the main floor, now a standard feature in new homes, regardless of the stories. Cape Cod homes also have a first-floor primary bedroom. However, parents with young children may prefer a different setup, such as a colonial with all bedrooms on the top floor.

A rancher without steps is another option. “It’s particularly convenient for families with young children or seniors, as they offer easy accessibility,” Cindy Raney, founder of Cindy Raney & Team, a boutique real estate firm in Fairfield County, Connecticut. “Many of our buyers love the ability to walk right outside.”

Increasingly, new construction starts with function and ends with style. For instance, architects are designing family entryways that are more attractive than the late 20th-century mudroom. There is a bathroom here as well as open displays and coatracks. Meanwhile, since open floor plans are still trending, designers are adding a “dirty kitchen” with a door for storage and appliances; the main kitchen can remain uncluttered, Rotelle says.

The overall look has a more contemporary flair with streamlined, cleaner lines, he explains.

Avoid pigeonholding yourself

Rotelle built model homes with layouts and finishes that stayed current for 10 years. That’s changing as fashions come and go in quick succession. Be prepared for change, whether you just bought the home or have owned it for 20 years.

“I live in a traditional colonial but have updated the home by opening walls and making it feel much more current and transitional with wall coverings and furniture,” Raney says.

Yim agrees that you should be flexible. To customize the space, open up walls, add or remove doors, update fixtures and finishes, and landscape.

Rely on your real estate agent

Share the information you’ve gathered with your real estate agent. Since everyone with the internet can access Zillow listings, buyers frequently give agents a shopping list of homes they want to see rather than discuss their lifestyle and plans.

The real estate agent, however, better understands what the homes offer and what else is available. “We see a lot more houses than they’re going to,” Corcoran points out.

So, trust your real estate agent and make a list of what you do and don’t want in a home, your lifestyle preferences, and types of home you’re interested in. From there, your perfect “home style” should emerge.