Uniform Appraisal Dataset-Design/Style?

[The Argus]

What I find most interesting is that Fannies states that "rambler" is an acceptable term and 2 story is not an acceptable term. I know some folks back east refer to 1 story style houses as ramblers, and I have never heard anyone out here in Colorado use the term rambler. Also, in Highlands Ranch, an area to the south of Denver, I have rarely heard anyone refer to a 2-story house as anything other than a 2-story style house. That Fannies goes out of their way to point out that this is not an accepatble term gets my hackles up.

 

[Rich Heyn]

There are 2 styles, Traditional and Contemporary. There are over 200 types. Get a book called Houses by Henry Harrison.

I think what you mean, Don, is that styles fall into two categories. Traditional styles are those that are based on traditional designs while contemporary styles derive their character from the nature of their structure and materials. Complicating the issue is the fact that the word "contemporary" is also used to describe a specific type of modern housing (built since 1935+/-) and the word "modern" is often also erroneously applied to the "modernistic" style.

 

[hastalavista]

What I find most interesting is that Fannies states that "rambler" is an acceptable term and 2 story is not an acceptable term. I know some folks back east refer to 1 story style houses as ramblers, and I have never heard anyone out here in Colorado use the term rambler. Also, in Highlands Ranch, an area to the south of Denver, I have rarely heard anyone refer to a 2-story house as anything other than a 2-story style house. That Fannies goes out of their way to point out that this is not an accepatble term gets my hackles up.

Fannie has an East Coast bias in most of its terminology and practices.

 

[Rich Heyn]

I was reading over the Uniform Dataset requirements last night and saw something I was a little unsure about. I have always thought that these newer construction homes (see below examples) in my area which I appraise about 90% of the time are "conventional" style however, the dataset specificly states that conventional is not a design/style. Many of these newer tracts in my area don't really have a defined style in my opinion, at least the lower price ranges, as opposed to most of the newer homes in Newport Coast and/or some of the other coastal communities which have more defined stles (tuscan, mediterranean, traditional, etc.) which I don't really see with something like the homes below. Wondering what your opinions are on what style these homes are?

Thanks for helping with a momentary loss of brain function! It's been a long week.

Brian

The overwhelming majority of houses built since World War II have little style. Style comes from a number of elements such as massing, proportion, scale, symmetry and balance, rather than a few embellishments. A builder or designer tacking on some ornamentation that evokes mental imagery of an actual style results in the vernacular derivatives that we most commonly see today.

The upper image would be most commonly referred to as a "ranch" although ranch is more of a building type than an actual style. The term supposedly evolved from the Spanish Ranchero, a one-story design with a low-pitched roof, but some cynics claim the name is the result of a marketing ploy by builders who fitted its predecessor, the so-called Minimal Traditional, with a less expensive, lower pitched roof. The lower image is a two-story house with a tile roof and (looks like) three tiles stuck in the gable end to act as or look like a tile vent. But between the stucco, tile roof and arched window, it projects a Spanish or Mission influence.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

I second using Harrison's 3rd edition of Houses, an Illustrated Guide to construction, design, & systems.

Looking at the pictures posted, I would call one a ranch or rancher and the other a 2 story. Have found going beyond that usually leads to calls from the underwriter.

 

[tmon43]

Unless the subject is in fact a custom designed home, which is rare in this are, I always just refer to the houses as Split Levels, 1 story, 1.5 story or 2 story homes with very few 2.5 or 3 story homes in the area. I have found that if you get too involved with the architectural styling that you are asking for problems. Stating that a dwelling is a 4 square and then using colonials as comparables only opens the door for unneccessary stips. As someone else said at the basest level the dwelling is some variant of the number of floors it has. A 7/4/2 four square is equal in utility to a 7/4/2 colonial. The simple fact of the matter. at least in my coverage area is that there are simply too few sales of any architectural style to even begin to determine any market reaction for the differences in architectural styling.

 

[Rich Heyn]

I second using Harrison's 3rd edition of Houses, an Illustrated Guide to construction, design, & systems.

Looking at the pictures posted, I would call one a ranch or rancher and the other a 2 story. Have found going beyond that usually leads to calls from the underwriter.

Then get ready for calls from the underwriter, Mike, because "2 story" is not considered a "style" and won't be acceptable in the brave new world of the Uniform Appraisal Dataset.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Doesn't suprise me at all...I can call it what ever they want...right or wrongly. LOL

 

[George Ellerman]

1) Short House

2) Tall House

 

[VegasWayne]

1 story stucco box
2 story stucco box

The public records in Clark County Nevada have a "Type Style" field. It usually says 1 story or 2 story, so this is basically what they are described as locally. We could use neo-eclectic for most as it means they take a variety of style elements and attach them to a stucco box.