Architectural Styles: Listing Data & Market Trends

Published on: October 16, 2024

We’ve taken a look in the NWMLS database (which contains hundreds of thousands of listings, dating back to the 1990s) to see which architectural styles were the most popular in the Pacific Northwest over the last 10 years.

The Craftsman was the clear winner, with 112,472 homes sold over the last 10 years. Characterized by low, gabled roofs and wide porches framed by tapered columns and deeply overhanging eaves, the interior usually includes ornate woodwork such as crown molding and built-in shelving.

Traditional homes were the second most popular style with a total of 68,558 sold over the last 10 years. This style is characterized by a combination of timeless and elegant architectural features such as covered porches, brick exteriors, and steep roof pitches.

Northwest Contemporary came in at third place with 66,266 homes sold in the last 10 years. These homes are usually simple in design with natural exteriors made of unfinished or lightly finished wood and/or stone and often have large windows, skylights, and high, wood beamed ceilings to bring in natural light.

The best of the rest! Here’s how the other architectural styles stacked up over the last 10 years from most to least popular:

Contemporary – 62,617
Contemporary homes often have natural and/or sustainable elements, an open floor plan and may be irregular in shape.

Modern – 21,556
Modern homes usually have open living spaces and clean geometric lines. These homes are often constructed using new materials such as iron, concrete, steel, and glass.

Cape Cod – 7,541
Cape Cod homes are characterized by a one and a half story design with a steep, gabled roof. The upper floor is usually a finished “attic” with full-height ceilings only in the middle of the floor and sloping ceiling walls to the sides of the rooms. These homes often have a large central chimney, dormer windows and little external ornamentation.

Cabin – 7,200
Cabins are usually simple in design and constructed with round logs or natural, hand-worked wood rather than cut boards. Cabins are often located in wooded or secluded areas.

Tudor – 3,923
Tudors have decorative half-timbering on bay windows and upper floors, and steep cross gables. They often have tall, narrow windows with small window panes. Large chimneys with decorative chimney pots are also common.

Colonial – 2,244
Colonial homes have a symmetrical, two-story design. These homes often have decorative crown molding, shutters and pillars.

Victorian – 1,909
Victorian style architecture includes decorative details such as patterned shingles, curved towers, and spindled porches.

A-Frame/Dome – 1,555
A-Frame and Dome designs carry a common thread of being outside traditional architectural. A-Frame homes have steep pitched roofs while domes are sphere-like and usually comprised of a complex network of triangles.

Spanish/SW – 783
Spanish or Southwest style homes are inspired by the architecture of Spain and Latin America, emphasizing their rich stylistic details. These homes often have a low-pitched roof, little or no eave overhang, a red tiled roof, a prominent arch over the front door, window, or porch, stucco wall surfaces and asymmetrical façades.

Data for all reported MLS residential sales from 2013 – 2023 in Washington state.