You know that owning your own home gives you some freedom. You’re able to decorate the way you want, have pets, and do all the other things your apartment lease forbids. You also get to build up some equity every time you make a monthly payment. These are all great reasons to think about buying your first home.

Fortunately, Sterling offers a variety of styles of homes designed for people like you! These home styles may be slightly smaller in square footage than the typical family home, but are designed to feel just as roomy. Buying a home like this will give you a lower price tag without sacrificing any style or functionality. Check out Sterling’s popular starter home styles for first-time buyers.

Townhomes

Townhomes are built in rows, with each home attached to one or two other homes. Our townhomes all have a floor designed for living and a floor designed for sleeping. Most also have an attached garage and you may even be able to develop the basement. You can find two- or three-bedroom floor plans, and all homes have an open concept plan with the kitchen, dining nook, and living room. It’s everything you could want. The two homes at the end of each row of home are usually larger.

Townhome residents enjoy the feel of single-family living at a lower cost and with much less responsibility for maintenance than a single-family home. Additionally, did you know that townhome owners also tend to pay lower utility bills because the townhome shared walls help prevent heat loss?

It’s often easier to find brand-new move-in ready townhomes, so you won’t have to wait for your home to be built. That makes townhomes a great choice for those who are ready to get started.

Duplexes

Duplexes are similar to townhomes in that they are attached to another home. However, in the case of a duplex home, there are only two homes attached together, not three or more. This allows the home to have the look of a traditional house from the front, which a lot of people prefer. Duplexes tend to be a bit larger than townhomes as well.

We believe that building a duplex are great for first-time homeowners, particularly when it comes to maximizing the potential investment of your land, as they can produce strong value growth and for a lower price than a detached house.

Laned Homes

If you’re still leaning towards something that has the feel of a more traditional detached home, you’re probably going to like the idea of a laned home. This style has a detached garage spot behind the home. While laned homes tend to be smaller than front-attached homes, they definitely have the look and feel of a private family home. In fact, there’s a decent segment of the population that prefers laned homes because they have a “prettier” look without the garage.

Sure, having the garage separate from the home can be a bit inconvenient, but the more affordable price can definitely make a big difference. Even better, many people are putting income suites over the detached garage to get some help with the mortgage payments. While you can also put an income suite in the basement of your home, renters definitely appreciate the privacy they get from living over the detached garage. This can make it easier for you to find people to rent the home. After all, you want to have a steady stream of income from the property.

Which Starter Home Style is Right for You?

As you’ve seen, each of our starter home styles has distinct advantages and disadvantages. It’s up to you to decide which things are trade-offs that you’re willing to make. For instance, if price is your biggest concern, you’ll probably want to look at townhome models. Some floor plans even make it easy for you to get a roommate to reduce your portion of the mortgage payment while building up equity.

If you’ve already started a family, though, you might appreciate the extra space, privacy, and aesthetics of a laned home. It likely has everything that you’re looking for in a home with an affordable price tag. You can always upgrade later, but you might find that you don’t really need to.

Duplexes can offer the best of both worlds — more privacy than a townhome and a lower price than a laned home.

The actual cost of a brand-new home depends largely on the choices you make. Check out some of our show homes, then talk with an Area Manager about building the home you need at a price you can afford.