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Real Estate Tips

Top 5 Benefits of Buying a Ranch Home

Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2018
Ranch homes have many delightful variations.

Are you considering buying a ranch home? Before you go to your new home on the range, consider whether the benefits of this home style are right for your family. From its indoor-outdoor orientation to its flat interior, the ranch home has several positive features: is it the right choice for your family?

What Is a Ranch Home?

A ranch home is wide rather than tall, and it's reminiscent of the style of Western houses. This home style is also known as the rambler for its broad, rambling appearance. It's a form that began in America: according to HGTV,, "the art form was pioneered by California architect Cliff May, whose houses were often a single room deep so each room could open to the outside and benefit from sunshine and warm breezes."

1. Ranch Homes Offer Single Level Living

For those with mobility challenges, those who are aging, or those with small children, the ranch home offers life with no stairs or ramps. It's simple to get around inside the home, as it's all on a single level. This provides a measure of safety and simplicity that many other homes don't have.

Ranch or rambler homes have an indoor/outdoor feel.

2. Ranch Homes Embrace The Outdoors

When you see ranch homes for sale, you'll notice that they have a lot of indoor-outdoor access. They were initially designed to embrace the outdoors. Ranch homes are often an L-shape, which gives them an enclosed feel in the outdoor space, like an outdoor room. There are usually sliding glass doors that open onto a patio. If you love looking at the outdoors, holding parties that have an indoor-outdoor feel, or want the ease of walking right into your garden, a ranch home could be the best choice for you.

3. It's the Original Tiny House

If you're looking for a step up from the tiny house but don't want a home that's over two or three thousand square feet, then you could consider ranch home living. According to Houzz, ranch homes "tend to be smaller than newer homes, although their original single-pane windows can place a greater demand on heating and cooling in certain climates." With a door and window upgrade, your smaller home will be more eco-friendly as well.

4. Mix and Match Planning

Ranch homes have a relatively open plan, which means that it's easy to add onto the home. Instead of adding an entirely new level, you can simply add another part to the existing home. If you need a suite for your mother-in-law or for a child who's in university, the ranch house can stretch to accommodate.

5. Let the Light Come In

While the traditional ranch houses are often darker in the exterior, the homes easily adapt to the addition of skylights in the roof. You can easily paint the interior a lighter color as well. Finally, the orientation toward the outdoors allows light to come in from the garden, giving your home a lot of natural light.

At Open for Homes, we want you to learn about all of your housing options. Are you considering ranch homes for sale? Visit the blog at Open For Homes, where you'll learn more about this and other styles of homes.