The Most Profitable Home Styles Around the U.S.

From bohemian bungalows to modern farmhouses, each city has its own diverse mix of architectural styles––and some come with a heftier price tag than others. The Five Star Painting team posed the question: how does the architectural style of a home impact its value, and how quickly it sells? And how does this differ, city by city? We turned to Zillow data to find out. Using Zillow listings, we scraped the average home price and the average number of days on Zillow across the most popular architectural styles in America's 50 largest cities –– all to uncover the most valuable and fastest-selling home styles around the country.

We analyzed a wide range of home styles, including colonials, ranches, farmhouses, bungalows, contemporary homes, and Spanish-style homes, among several others. Read on to find out which architectural style is the most and least expensive in your city!

The Most & Least Expensive Home Styles in Each City

Home prices can vary quite a bit depending on where you live, and many factors contribute to these differences –– local real estate market conditions, job opportunities, taxes, housing inventory, and cost of living are just a few.

A region’s popular architectural style can be another factor that influences pricing. For example, in Birmingham, Alabama, the most expensive home style is colonial, while the priciest homes in San Francisco, California, are ranches. It's worth noting that even the most costly home style in Birmingham (colonial) is still 58% cheaper than ranch homes in San Francisco. This is because ranches can come in several shapes and sizes, and in California, they can be luxury properties.

The Most & Least Expensive Home Styles, Overall

Mediterranean-style homes are the most valuable on our list, with an average price of $884,745. Mediterranean homes take inspiration from the traditional houses in countries such as Spain, Italy, and Greece. Mediterranean-style homes typically feature stucco exteriors, red tile roofs, and large windows. Perhaps the most notable feature is their often expansive outdoor spaces, such as courtyards or terraces, known for their grandeur and luxury.

Spanish-style homes come in second place, averaging $761,261. Spanish-style homes are similar to Mediterranean homes in that they feature stucco exteriors and red tile roofs, but they often have a more rustic feel. Spanish-style homes typically feature arched doorways, exposed wooden beams, and wrought iron accents alongside beautiful outdoor spaces, such as patios or balconies.

On the lower end of the spectrum are bungalows with an average price of $443,749. Bungalows are often cozy homes with smaller square footage that feature a wide front porch. Popular in the early 20th century, this style is known for its simplicity and practicality. Bungalows typically have exposed rafters, sloped roofs, and open floor plans.

Cape Cod homes are the least expensive on this list, with an average price of $409,946, a whopping 54% less than the average cost of Mediterranean-style homes. Cape Cod homes draw inspiration from the traditional houses found across New England and are known for their charming, cottage-like feel. They typically feature a steep, pitched roof, shingle siding, and central chimneys.

The Fastest-Selling Home Style in Each City

When it comes to selling a home, the style of the house can make a big difference in how quickly it sells. Our data shows that the fastest-selling home style can vary greatly depending on the city. In Dallas, Texas, for instance, mid-century modern homes are the hot ticket, with an average time on the market of 31.19 days. Meanwhile, in Seattle, WA, it's the charming cottages that move quickly, averaging only 15.80 days on the market.

However, if you're curious about the fastest-selling home style in the entire country, look no further than Portland, Oregon. Here, home buyers quickly snatch up bungalows, as they typically only last 11.83 days on the market after being listed. Clearly, this style is a hit in the Pacific Northwest.

The Fastest-Selling Home Styles, Overall

According to our data, the top two fastest-selling home styles in the U.S. are bungalows and Cape Cod homes, which makes sense given these are the two home styles that are the most budget-friendly around the country. These homes tend to stay on the market for less than 50 days before being sold, meaning they’re highly sought after by buyers.

Bungalows last an average of 47.81 days on the market and are known for their practical design and affordability. Their relatively low price point, vintage features, and low-maintenance design make bungalows a popular choice for new homebuyers.

Similarly, Cape Cod homes typically stay on the market for an average of 48 days. Like bungalows, Cape Cods are typically more affordable, but they also have a timeless style that appeals to a wide range of house hunters. What’s more, you’ll often find them in good locations, with many situated in established neighborhoods.

On the other hand, Tudor-style homes, with an average of 63.15 days on the market, are one of the slowest-selling home styles in the U.S. Tudor-style homes draw from medieval English architecture and typically feature steeply pitched gable roofs, decorative half-timbering, and brick exteriors. This style tends to be more expensive and may have a more niche appeal, which could contribute to the longer time they spend on the market.

Mediterranean and Spanish-style homes are also among the slowest-selling home styles, with average times on the market of 63 and 73 days, respectively. These homes are often associated with luxury and tend to be more expensive than other styles. The higher price point and specific design features may limit the pool of potential buyers, forcing them to stay on the market longer than other home styles on our list.

The Best Paint Colors for Different Home Styles

As our data shows, the architectural style of a house can play a critical role in how a home is priced and how quickly it moves off the market. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to sell your property or a prospective buyer in the market for a new home, keep these trends in mind when considering the style of the property.

If you own an older home with a classic architectural style like Georgian, Colonial, or Victorian, remember that a fresh coat of exterior home paint can work wonders in enhancing its curb appeal and increasing its value.

For colonial homes, we recommend a coat of classic white or off-white to compliment black, navy, or burgundy shutters that are often found in this style of home. If you’re looking to revamp your ranch, go with warm earth tones like ecru, taupe, or light brown. Finally, if you want to move that craftsman-style home off the market, you can’t go wrong with rich colors like forest green, deep teal, or burgundy.

If you need help finding the perfect paint color for your property, your friends at Five Star Painting are experts in exterior painting and can help select the ideal paint colors to match your home’s architectural style. Contact Five Star Painting today!

Methodology

To find the most valuable and fastest-selling home styles in the U.S., we used Zillow listings, scraping the average home price and the number of days on the market across the most popular architectural styles in 50 of America's largest cities. We collected our data by applying Zillow listing filters that included a home price cap of $1.5 million and single-family homes for sale. We filtered the architectural style of the homes to determine which were the most valuable and fastest-selling.

We determined the most valuable and fastest-selling home styles based on averages across the 50 most populous U.S. cities analyzed in the study. Only home styles with at least 10 listings in each city were included. We eliminated 10% of the listings with the highest and lowest prices in each city to remove any outliers.