Video:Characteristics of a Ranch Style Home

Transcript:Characteristics of a Ranch Style Home

Hi, my name is Anita Cordell and I am a real estate agent in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area and I am here today to talk to you about Ranch style homes for About.com. 

Ranch Homes Utilize the Main Level

This style of home is actually a true American style home and it was popular in the 1945's all the way up until 1980's. This style of home can have all kinds of diverse features about it.  You can have smaller features that are a little more boxy, you can have it more spread out. So, depending on your budget and depending on your price range, you have a lot of options for a Ranch.

So, if you are looking for a Ranch style home there are a couple of things that you really have to look out for.  A true Ranch is where everything is on the main level, including the laundry.  Now, sometimes you will find online that there are Ranches that are listed where the laundry room is actually in the basement.  So you really have to watch out for where is the laundry room and if that is important to you you, you have to be sure that you catch that. 

Why Ranch Homes are Popular

This style of home is really popular in two types of families. One with children because mom's don't want their children to walk up and down the stairs, so this is great for a family with small children.  Also, the aging population, because they do not want to walk up and down the stairs, or they have difficulty with it. So if you are wanting to sell, more than likely you are going to sell to that particular age group. 

This particular style became very popular after world war two.  All across America it seems to be a pretty standard style of home that you can find in just about any market.  One con about this floor plan is that if you are in a specific price range, and that price range really does not a lot for a wide foundation for the property, you may find that you will not have as much privacy as you would with a split level Ranch, or a two story house.  It's all on the same level so they privacy issues may be a challenge for you.  So you just have to determine what is important to you.

Ranch Homes in the Real Estate Market

It seems that true Ranches will hold up in just about any market because there seems to be someone one always looking for a true Ranch. Especially with the laundry on the main level. 

Just remember when you are looking for a Ranch style home it doesn't have to be bland and boring. There are all kinds of neat features about Ranch style homes.  They are not always boxy although many of them are.  You can have a wide open floor plan, there is all kinds of different ways you can look at a Ranch style floor plan.  So always keep an open mind when you are looking at them.

Thank you for watching, and for more information, visit us on the web, at homegarden.about.com.