Types Of Residential properties

People live in homes of all different shapes and sizes. We’ve compiled a list of the
most common structural house types below to help you better define 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 home owner typically
owns the building and the land that the building sits on.
2. Semi-Detached Home
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 a mirror of each dwelling.
3. Multifamily Homes
A multifamily home is a residential property that is comprised of more than
one housing unit. Each unit will likely have their 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 comprised of similarly
styled individual units. A tenant rents an apartment from a landlord, so 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 condo for short, are buildings made up of individual units
that are owned. They can look and feel like an apartment building or
community. Unlike 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 look like an apartment or condominium building physically, 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 are given a
proprietary lease that gives 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 who are elected by the shareholders and are responsible for
common area maintenance and repair.
8. Tiny Home 
What is a tiny house? Tiny homes are homes 60 – 400 square feet in size.
Since becoming popular, tiny homes come in a wide range of styles. Many
are prefabricated with custom interior and exterior features and benefits
that can make tiny living livable.
9. Mobile Home
Mobile homes are also referred to as manufactured homes are built in
factories, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD). Manufactured homes are affixed to a permanent
chassis with wheels. Manufactured homes can be installed in both
permanent and temporary locations.
Popular Architectural Style Homes
Travel across America and you’ll find an incredible variety of architectural
styles represented. As you search for your new home, take note of the
home styles you prefer. The descriptions below could be helpful in
articulating just what you’re looking for in your new home.
1. Ranch Style
 In the late 1930s, after World War II, soldiers were ready to come home
and start a family and the demand for affordable, quality homes
skyrocketed.
Ranch-style homes are built with accessibility and flexibility in mind. Many
are built 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 a bedroom into a home office.
Unique features include:

 Single story with brick, wood and stucco exterior. You will often find an
attached garage and the whole home accented with simple trim.
 Large picture windows and sliding glass doors that lead to a deck or
backyard.
 Floor plans tend to be open unlike the other home styles we’ll discuss.
2. Cape Cod Style
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 of the home.
Unique features include:

 Either one or one-and-a-half stories with a steep roof and a small roof
overhang
 The home is constructed of wood and covered with clapboard or shingles
and boasts a symmetrical appearance with a center door
 Architecture includes multipaned windows, dormers (which are created as
usable space with windows in the roof) and a formal floor plan, usually with
hardwood floors
 
3. Colonial Style
 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 like the Georgian, Dutch and Spanish Colonial styles to name
a few.
Though 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 façade, evenly spaced multipaned windows with shutters and
fireplaces with evenly proportioned chimneys.
Unique features include:

 Two to three stories with a rectangular shape, a gabled roof (both sides
slope at the same angle) and dormers
 Decorative crown over the front door that’s supported by pilasters or
columns
 Construction is made of brick or wood siding
 Grand entrances and porticos reveal living areas on the first floor while
bedrooms are located on upper levels
 
4. Victorian Style 
When calling a house a Victorian-style home, “Victorian” is actually
referring to the time period from 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 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 homes have combinations of up to eight exterior colors
 The home’s interior often contains high ceilings and deep archways
between rooms, with small rooms divided up by their use: a formal dining
room, a small library, a parlor, a formal living room and so on
5. Tudor Style
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. It was a highly sought-after home style prior
to World War II; however, after the war many wanted a more modern
American-style home.
Unique features 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 Style
The Mediterranean style draws from countries like Greece, Spain and Italy.
These homes are typically built with a stucco exterior with 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 include:

 A flat or low-pitched tile roof, often red, with warm-colored stucco finishing
 Many homes include extensive outdoor living areas or verandas, second-
floor balconies, and large open seating areas to allow for air flow
throughout the home
 Balconies and large arched windows are surrounded by wrought-iron
railings and details
 
7. Contemporary Style
Contemporary and modern are often used interchangeably when
discussing architecture, but they are quite different. “Modern” refers to a
period that has already passed, where “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 include:

 Clean, simple lines

 Neutral colors and natural textures
 
8. Modern Farmhouse
A new 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 clean lines and modern
convenience.
Unique features include:

 Barn-shaped roofs, large porches

 Clean lines and modern functionality
 
9. Prairie Style
 During the Victorian era, young architects were tired of the 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 include:

 Cantilevered long, flat roofs

 Simple and natural woodwork
 Open concept floorplan
 
10. Midcentury Modern Style
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 include:

 Bilevel floor plans with wide, flat roofs, angular details and asymmetrical
features
 A focus on the use of floor-to-ceiling windows, walls of glass and wide-open
floor plans
 Known for using materials like steel, plywood and concrete in the home’s
construction
11. Split-Level Style
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 include:
 Living spaces separated by short flights of stairs
12. Cottage Style
Brought over from England, cottages were the home to working-class
farmers. Cottage style homes are cozy and typically on the smaller side
when it comes to 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
there are still many people who prefer the tighter quarters and personality
of a cottage.
Unique features include:

 Wood shingles or siding

 Small living space but very cozy
 Individual character
13. French Country Style
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, shutters, incorporate stoned and have a
weathered appearance. Inside you’ll find subdued color palates with worn
colors and natural exposed wood grain.
Unique features include:

 Made of stone or incorporates stone elements

 Distressed, painted, vintage furniture and decor
 Lots of wood and other natural materials
14. Bungalow Style
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.
 The simple, affordable style grew in popularity in the 1900s in America.
There are several styles of bungalow – California style, Michigan style,
Chicago style, ranch style – but they all refer to the same type of home.
Unique features include:

 Made of stone or incorporates stone elements

 Either one or one-and-a-half stories with a low-pitched roof and a horizontal
shape
 Low eaves with exposed rafters
 Tapered or squared columns that support the roof
 Large covered front porches
 Most of the living spaces are on the main floor with the living room located
in the center
 Lots of built-in cabinetry, shelves and a large fireplace with cabinetry built in
on either side
15. Craftsman
A Craftsman-style home focuses on the value of handmade, well-
constructed architecture. They 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 fire places, and window seats.
Unique features include:

 Hand-crafted wood features

 Exposed beams
 Large square or tapered columns

The Requirements Before Buying the Right Property

Before hurrying on to the process, the first and the foremost thing you must
ask yourself is, “why do I need to buy the house?”, “Why not rather
rent an apartment?” Because the return on rent is usually more beneficial
than a home loan, in which you will have to pay the interest on the principal
amount of around 8 to 9%. Or is it? Due to the insecurity or the pressure
from the landlord, that you are taking this decision as he won’t let you have
the freedom to make lifestyle changes in your house or the fear that he can
ask you to vacate any time, has compelled you to go for your own house.
If not that, then based on your circumstances how soon you want to move
into the new house? Ask these questions as it will help you figure out
whether you want a ready to move in property or the one under
construction. It should not happen that your requirement is to move in
within a year but the committed delivery period turns out to be 2 years.
Apart from the construction period, you must also be clear with the tentative
size and specification you are in need of, 1BHK, 2 BHK, 3 BHK, or above.
Once you know the size and specification you require, you can narrow
down your search and can also figure out the budget in which you can
afford to buy a specific house, which will also make you aware of whether
your preferred location is within your reach or not. Apart from that based on
these factors you can also figure out various options and offers available
from various builders on which you can work out a better deal with the
developer.

Financial Status of The Buyer

This is the major game changer with most people. It so happens we see a
plush property with all the tick off’s like balcony, deck, living space,
amenities, etc. We almost finalize it in our mind, but as we sit for
negotiation it goes way above our budget. Therefore, it’s very important to
have a fixed budget in place.
Buying a house is a hefty long-term investment. Therefore, to apply a
capping on your budget you must calculate your other expenses like car
loans, education fees or loans, monthly incoming v/s outgoing, unforeseen
financial requirements, etc.
Once you’ve evaluated your financial liabilities you will have a clear picture
of the kind of budget range and EMI outgoing, you can afford to pay. Never
go over budget as repaying the home loan can turn into a nightmare and
you may not be able to enjoy all the plushness and the amenities for which
you ended up paying through your nose.
 Check Developers Reputation & Goodwill Before Buying Right
Property
Real-estate is a hard-selling business off late, though many regulations
have been in place, we are still in the phase of organizing, real-estate
sector. Therefore, before buying the right property it’s very important you
do thorough research on the builder’s profile and dig in through the history
of the builder. You can surf online or refer to the developer’s website and
draw various insights about the developer’s reputation by looking at his
earlier projects which he has delivered so far.
You can even check on the status of his current under-construction
projects, his goodwill amongst its earlier clients, their reviews and
experiences with the developer. This investigation will help you discover
the builder’s credibility and reliability for you to make an informed and safe
investment.

Construction Quality of the Property

Before you get lured by the decked-up sample flat and finalize the deal,
check the quality of construction by inspecting the strength of the walls,
kind of flooring used, type of color applied, check window frames, the
standard of bathroom fittings, etc.
Supposing, you are booking an underdeveloped property then check online
or if possible, pay a visit on developers’ other properties that he has
constructed in recent times. To know more you can even visit the
developer’s project which is on the verge of completion and have a
walkaround to get a fair idea about the builder’s construction style and
quality.

Carpet Area of the Property

Don’ t fall for the per square foot bait which developers usually use to lure
their customers. Builders usually include the construction cost of the lobby,
shafts, elevator space, wall thickness, staircase, etc in the pricing and
include it in their configuration to increase the per square foot area.
This inflated specification is called a super built-up area which is generally
30% of the actual usable area i.e. carpet area of the house. Therefore,
check the dimensions of your living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, or
balcony in the construction plan to figure out in reality what’s the area you
will be getting to use, based on which you can take your decision and also
avail a good bargain from the developer.

Location & Neighbourhood of the Property

Sometimes we may come across a property which has all the specifications
and amenities we were looking out for, which would melt your heart. It may
even not be as expensive as it seems and somehow fits in your budget. But
you must let your mind take over your heart and rationalize your decision
by considering various vicinity factors like the ease of accessibility, road
conditions, location of the property, kind of amenities, construction quality,
locality, infrastructure development, or any future developments like Metro
rail, flyovers, schools, markets, hospitals around it to be done.
Also, you must consider the neighborhood, the kind of people within and
around the property who will be or are already living there. It should not
happen that you want to take a stroll with your wife or parents, but you can’t
as the property is situated in an unsafe or lonely location. Also, don’t fall for
the gimmick as some developers may even quote comparatively high cost
by highlighting some ambiguous proposed future development projects
which may or may not take place. Don’t stick yourself to one developer visit
other developers in the same vicinity to compare and also figure out
whether or not your developer claims are true. Therefore, always take a
walkaround of the area to gauge and note down the pluses and minuses of
the surrounding vicinity of the property.

Connectivity from the Major Points

One of the major factors that you must consider while buying a house is the
connectivity of the place, especially from your office. Check how close and
easily accessible are transportation facilities, like stations, bus stops,
express highways from the property.
Since you will be traveling every day it should not happen that you end up
spending hours of your life traveling from home to the office and vice-versa.
As it can drastically hamper your personal and professional life. Over and
above if you bought the place for its scenic location and features, in this
case, you won’t be able to enjoy it completely the way you intended to as
you may not get enough time to experience it.
Therefore, it’s highly recommended, closer the better, look out for the
house which is closer to your workplace so that you save time on traveling
and have space to unwind individually and with your family.

Rental and Re-Sale Value of the Property

Accounting the rental and future resale value of the house is very
important. Not only for those who are predominantly investing in the
property to let out or resale but also for those who usually plan to buy the
house and live in it for a long time or maybe lifelong.  When you are
finalizing the house, you must consider the future gains which you can reap
out of the property.  Therefore, it’s vital to acquire a complete knowledge
about the location in which the property is situated.
You can do reiki in the surrounding area to inspect the current
infrastructure and also find out if there are any proposed future
development plans like schools, freeways, hospitals, shopping malls, etc. to
be made. Remember the closer the better.  As your ROI will depend on the
location’s ease of accessibility to these things. It will eventually benefit you
in the longer run by fetching a good rent or resale value in the case due to
any reason you wish to do either of the two.

Fine Prints to Understand Before Buying Right Property

Once you are through with most of the above points and have decided to
go ahead and issue the token amount, hang on!!! Ensure you have
thoroughly read between the fine lines and understood all the clauses,
penalties, and its implications. Make sure you have calculated the
additional expenses incurred in the price like GST, Registration fees, home
loan processing charges, etc.
Also, check the delivery date as most builders keep a buffer of approx. 6
months to 1 yr. as a grace period. In case of delay in possession, the
builder is liable to compensate the buyer till he fulfills his commitment. Also,
check the penalty clause in case you’re EMIs get delayed for any reason,
are you liable to pay any extra charges or not? Also, figure out if there are
any hidden charges that have been implied which were not mentioned
during the deal. Once you have prudently verified all the terms and
conditions in the agreement to your satisfaction, then only sign the final
agreement.
Home is the most valuable asset we invest in. We put most of our earnings
into building it. Therefore, before investing, consider the above points as a
checklist. Also don’t hesitate to explore and compare various properties,
especially if they are located within the same vicinity. Comparing two
nearby properties will give you a fair idea about the correct pricing and
offers which will help you gain a good bargain while closing the deal with
the builder.