When my husband and I were buying our first home, we knew more about what we didn't want in a home, than what we did. We were living in a one-bedroom, 4th story walk-up apartment in downtown DC with two cats. The litter boxes were in the only bathroom, which we shared with our guests. Finding parking for our 2 cars was usually challenging, but we were close to a metro stop, so we had access to the whole DC Metro Area.
Searching by Process of Elimination
So what I figured we wanted was a detached home in DC, MD or Northern VA that was easily walkable to and from a Metro Station and had a separate powder room for guests. So I carefully searched for main level powder rooms.
What I didn't know was that there were some DC Metro Area House Styles that would meet my criteria of having a separate bathroom on a different floor than the bedrooms, but would not come up on my search because they don't show anything on the main level. Not knowing which styles we liked and how they would appear in the MLS kept us from looking at potentially great homes.
For example, a split foyer style of home would not show any bathrooms on the main level because the main level is the level on which you enter through the front door. Split foyers have a main level that is simply a platform on which visitors enter and then go up or down to full levels where bathrooms would be located.
Knowledge is Power
Understanding the MLS database and how it works is a very important skill for REALTORS® to master and to explain to their buyers. Understanding DC Metro Area House Styles is something buyers need to understand as well.
I've made a resource that helps DC Metro Area home buyers learn about the most common local house styles so I can help them focus their search without missing the opportunity to see great homes. I also believe the more educated all buyers are, the better the real estate market will be. So, check it out at http://www.hollish.com/dc-metro-area-house-styles/
Then, let me know which house style is your favorite.
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