4 Most Popular Home Styles for 2016

By Christina El Moussa

One of the most common questions that I hear when Tarek and I teach our Success Path Education seminars is, “How do I choose which houses to flip?” With the housing market on the rebound, there might not be quite as many distressed properties for sale right now as there were a couple of years ago, but there are still plenty around. With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which house you should put your money on.

When Tarek and I are choosing the best flip houses to buy next, we look at the styles of the homes that are on the market in our price range. We often make our decision based on the most popular home designs in the country and which house is most likely to sell quickly when we’re done with rehabs.

We won’t necessarily go with the most popular styles every single time, but knowing which home designs are more likely to catch our buyers’ attention helps a lot. So which homes are we most likely to choose?

Craftsman

Back in the early twentieth century, the Arts and Crafts movement was started by designers and architects responding to the Industrial Revolution. Homes in the Arts and Crafts style were unique and had a lot of rustic charm, as they were essentially a protest against mass production and manufacturing. Craftsman-style homes are often inspired by and reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts movement, and they’re seeing a big resurgence in popularity right now. These fun and unique bungalows are always really rewarding flip houses.

Ranch Style

Traditionally found on the west coast and throughout the Southwest, ranch style homes were first made popular in the 50s and 60s. These sprawling, single-story homes can be really eclectic and offer a lot of options for design. I always enjoy working on them, and they sell really quickly. They’re also great because they’re more accessible to people with mobility issues than multistory homes, which can be a big bonus, depending on your market.

Southern

With their big porches, columns, and quaint style, Southern-style homes are inspired by the architecture of the American Southeast. In states like Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, the weather is hot and humid, so these houses were built with high ceilings, lots of windows, shaded porches, and ceiling fans to keep them cool and comfortable. Some of these houses have some antebellum details, like Grecian columns, but others are a little bit more contemporary. They all have a warm, inviting look and feel that buyers love.

Country Style

When you think of country style homes, think of the Colonial style of architecture but with an updated look. They’re influenced by those old Colonial homes of the eighteenth century, but they don’t stick exactly to that kind of architecture. Most country style homes will have a window on either side of the front door and a row of five windows across the top of the door. Some of the most common details include dormer windows, large shaded porches, shutters, and wood detailing. They’re also usually at least two stories.

There you go – four of the most popular home designs for 2016! These aren’t the only designs that are selling right now, but they’re definitely some of the more sought-after homes across the US. Of course, design preferences do vary from one place to another, so do some research on the most popular home designs for your particular area.

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