Would you be shocked to find out that ranch-style houses are the most popular homes in America? According to a 2019 report by Google’s, The Keyword, Ranch homes are the most popular homes in America and it is by a wide margin. However, in Metro Atlanta. Ranch homes tend to be more popular in areas closer to the cities and tend to be older.
Table of Contents
What is a Ranch home?
Traditional ranch-style houses are single-story houses. They are usually built with an open design. Most ranch-style homes are rectangular in design with long hallways separating one side of the home from the other. They can also be L-shaped, or U-shaped in design. They have Long, low-pitch rooflines, an attached garage, and overhanging heaves.
Typically, they have sliding doors at the rear that open to a porch and a huge backyard. The garages are usually attached. It is most common for the shared spaces to be on one end of ranch homes and the sleeping quarters for the entire family on the other hand. Some modern designs have added a bit of twist to the layout of ranch-style homes. Most ranch homes in Atlanta have three bedrooms.
Why is a ranch house called a ranch?
Ranch-style homes get their name from the fact that they were built on actual cattle ranches. In those areas, they were exposed to the elements of wind and heat from the sun. The buildings are designed to connect the indoors to the outdoors. Since they are usually rectangular in design, they are easy to cool naturally by crosswinds. The overhanging eaves help to keep the sun off the walls and windows
What are the advantages of ranch-style homes in Atlanta?
- No stairs to climb
This author was recently reminded why he regrets selling his ranch home when I went flying down a flight of stairs, hitting my tailbone and head in the process. You do not have to climb any stairs. You are literally less likely to fall in a ranch home.
- They are much easier to clean and maintain
Since they are only one story, they are easy to upkeep. If you need to get on a ladder, a simple eight-foot ladder may be able to get you on the roof or to clean the gutters.
- Energy Efficient
Ranch homes are among the most energy-efficient homes on the market, especially in Metro Atlanta and the South where it can get quite balmy. Since there is only one story, most of the heat will end up in the attic during the hot summers. Some of the ranch homes have whole-house fans that can pull warm air out of a house in minutes and immediately cool an entire house by pulling cooler air from the outdoors.
In closing, many older ranch homes in Atlanta are beautifully remodeled. Even though imposing multistory story homes are more popular in Atlanta, ranch homes have etched out a special place in the landscape of Atlanta.
Leave a Reply