Whether you're buying or selling, reading real estate ads can be
confusing. Here are explanations of more style terms used in
real estate ads.
"Split Foyer" style
A home entered by a foyer with a half flight of stairs up to the
upper level (where the living spaces and one or more bedrooms
are usually located) and a half flight of stairs to the lower
level (typically housing the family room and additional
bedrooms).
"Tri-Level" style
A home with three levels. It is typically entered on the middle
level and has half flights of stairs to the highest and lowest
levels. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are usually on
the middle level. The bedrooms are usually on the highest level.
The lowest level may be unfinished or have family room, laundry,
and perhaps a garage located there.
"Contemporary" style
These vary greatly, but none looks as if it could have been
built prior to 1900. Some are almost entirely of glass. Some are
almost entirely under ground. Roofs can be gable (slants down on
each side of a ridge line creating triangles of space at each
end), shed (slants in one direction only from high on one side
to low on the other), flat, or sod (grass covered) for that
matter. Often several roof styles are incorporated in one home.
Energy saving or indoor-outdoor connectedness tend to be
designing motives. Simplicity, straight lines, and open spaces
are hallmarks. Decks, patios, and terraces are frequently
featured and are often constructed of the same materials used
indoors.
"Victorian" style
This style is based on houses built during Queen Victoria's
reign and for a while afterwards. They are usually at least two
stories tall and maybe more. They are embellished with a variety
of things including porches, turrets, towers with conical roofs,
pediments with fanciful shapes over doors and windows, windows
to the floor with perhaps only one sheet of glass per sash. And
do think "gingerbread" or wood fashioned into intricate shapes
for gable ends, places where porch posts reach the ceiling, at
stair landings, and so on. Modern builders usually pare this
style down because of the expense, but even the most recently
built examples can be rather fanciful.
Summary
When looking at homes, you'll find particular styles appeal to
you. Once you identify the styles, you can narrow your search
for the perfect home.
About the author:
Raynor James is with
http://www.fsboamerica.org - FSBO homes for
sale by owner. Visit our "sell my home" page at
http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to sell your own home
yourself with a free 1 month listing.
