What does your dream home look like?

When you envision your dream home is it a Brady Bunch-style “contemporary” or a quaint clapboard Cape? Where I live, north of Boston, there are TONS of American Foursquares. I happen to live in one, and I love the symmetrical, square rooms and the old-style feel. It reminds me of my grandmother’s house, and I just don’t think I’d feel as comfortable and at-home in a one-level ranch.

Style is a personal preference, and for some people, certain home types are absolutely out of the question. Maybe you hate the idea of stairs, and would be happiest in a one-story home.  Or maybe anything conventional bores you to tears and the idea of living in an octagonally-shaped house lights you up. (Yup, that’s a thing--ask my brother, who calls one home.)

Our Multiple Listing Service (MLS) here in New England (the place where agents and buyers go to list and search houses) just added a bunch of new style categories to their system, which means you can now list your particular home style more specifically and you can then search very specifically for the style of house you desire.

Below is the current menu of styles as offered by our local MLS. (And here’s a link to a great feature on Realtor Magazine that gives a little description, some history and an illustration of a lot the styles listed below.)

  • Colonial
  • Garrison
  • Cape
  • Contemporary
  • Ranch
  • Raised Ranch
  • Split Entry
  • Victorian
  • Tudor
  • Gambrel /Dutch
  • Antique
  • Farmhouse
  • Saltbox
  • Cottage
  • Bungalow
  • Multi-Level
  • Log
  • Front to Back Split
  • Lofted Split
 
  • Greek Revival
  • Shingle
  • Mid-Century Modern
  • Villa
  • Carriage House
  • Craftsman
  • Georgian
  • Queen Anne
  • Spanish Colonial
  • Italianate
  • Dutch Colonial
  • French Colonial
  • Gothic Revival
  • Second Empire
  • Colonial Revival
  • Neoclassical
  • Prairie
  • Octagon

What does YOUR dream home look like? Let us know in the comments!