22 Different Types of Houses and Commercial Buildings

Real estate terminology differs across the globe which can sometimes cause confusion. To help you understand the differences, we scoured several websites and found commonly used descriptions for several types of houses and commercial buildings. This should serve as a useful guide in your search for a new home.

What are the different types of properties in Real Estate?

  1. Residential houses
  2. Commercial buildings
  3. Unusual houses

What are the different types of houses worldwide?

The residential property market is comprised of many different types of houses and in this blog, we’ve narrowed the list down to the most popular:

Apartment (or flat)

The terms flat and apartment are often used interchangeably. Apartment is used more often in the US, whereas flat is a British term. An apartment (or flat) is specifically a single, residential housing unit among many within an apartment building or block of flats.

apartment building

Bungalow

A bungalow is typically a low, one-storey home with an open-floor plan, multiple windows, and a large front porch. Interestingly, the structure has its origins in India, adapted from the single-storey huts that were commonplace there in the 19th century.

bungalow

Cabin

Usually a rural dwelling, a cabin is more rustic than a cottage. It is traditionally built from logs and is minimalistic by design.

cabin

Co-op

Unlike a condominium where you own a single unit within a building, in a co-op everyone owns the building together.

Condominium

Condo for short, a condominium is a single unit (home) among many in one building or community. Prevalent in the US and Canada, similar concepts do exist in other countries like New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. A duplex condo is one whereby two units are renovated to become a larger single unit (or built this way from the start). A triplex condo is the same as a duplex but with 3 levels.

condominium

Cottage

This term originates from the UK. Considered more of a vacation home today, cottages were once used as a primary place of residence. They are characterised by thick walls, high thatched roof, and a single room. Cottages have undergone transformation in recent years, with luxury cottages oftentimes resembling large mansions.

cottage

Manufactured home

A manufactured home is typically a house assembled in a factory and then taken to the site where it will be lived in.

Mobile home

A mobile home is either singlewide or doublewide and placed in one location for permanent living. It is usually built in a factory and transported to a site by trailer or by being towed.

mobile homes

Modular home

Like a prefab home, it is a home that is constructed off-site and then transported in pieces with a truck to its end destination. It is placed on a permanent foundation.

modular homes

Prefabricated home

Manufactured in pieces in a factory, a prefab home is then shipped and assembled on-site elsewhere. The property may or may not be placed on a permanent foundation.

prefabricated home

Single family home

Usually a standalone house built for one family on a single lot. This means it isn’t attached to any other home, i.e. there is no shared wall. Single family homes often come with an attached or detached garage.

single family home

Townhouse

A townhouse (or townhome) is an attached home, often with multiple floors, with one or two shared walls. Townhouses can be arranged in a line or even in clusters.

townhouses

What are the most popular types of commercial buildings?

Here, we bring you three commercial real estate definitions (split by category) that the commercial property market is typically renowned for.

Industrial buildings

Usually found outside of heavily populated city centres, industrial buildings are typically used for activities like manufacturing, data centres, cold storage, distribution, research, and development.

In recent years, the industrial sector has grown substantially as the demand from industries such as e-commerce, international business, and digital technologies has prompted its expansion. Spacious commercial properties are also cheaper to operate than other types of commercial buildings, allowing businesses to carry a relatively low overhead cost.

Commercial building type: industrial building

Office buildings

One of the most common types of commercial real estate, office buildings can range anywhere from  one or two floors up to skyscrapers that reach hundreds of floors high. Office space differs from building to building, the design of which is usually contingent on the type of business being conducted within that space. Read this article to gain further insights on some of the more popular types of offices.

For a business, learning the basics of office leasing is one of the first strategic moves that can be made. Leasing a dedicated space for employees to strategically plan, connect, and collaborate is key to the success of a business. Additionally, leasing an office space gives a business a more professional image and a place for customers and clients to visit.

Commercial building type: office building

Retail buildings

Retail properties are incredibly varied and come in many forms. This includes malls, shopping centres, retail shops, restaurants, factory outlets, lifestyle centres, speciality stores, chemists, dry cleaners, etc.

Commercial building type: retail building

What types of unusual houses are popular?

Container home

Relatively new to the market, a container home is constructed using one or multiple containers, depending on the size of the home required. They are offered in several configurations, with some incredible designs like these that are simply out of this world.

Unusual type of house: container home

Houseboat

A home on water, a houseboat is ideal for someone looking for an inexpensive, smaller living space, but with close proximity to a city. Houseboats typically offer a more flexible, nomadic lifestyle due to their obvious mobility. They can be driven like a boat.

Unusual type of house: houseboat

Floating home

Unlike a houseboat, a floating home cannot be moved, it is permanently anchored in one location. They are usually built on top of a buoyant base, for e.g. logs, Styrofoam, etc. Floating homes are often a more affordable option and are said to offer a greater sense of community.

Unusual type of house: floating home

Motorhome (or RV)

This home on wheels can be easily moved, making it popular among people looking for a way to go from place to place at their own convenience.

Unusual type of house: RV (motor home)

Tiny home

A tiny home is a small home that can be mobile or stationary. Layout and design are optimised so that all space is functional (has a purpose). Tiny homes have become more popular in recent years because of people looking to downsize and/or reduce mortgage costs.

Unusual type of house: tiny home

Treehouse

Although not usually utilised as a home, shows like Treehouse Masters have highlighted the merits of constructing a treehouse. It is usually built around or among the branches of a tree, and used for recreation, as a workspace or sometimes even to live in.

Unusual type of house: tree house

Yurt

A yurt is a round structure with a wall and roof made from fabric that’s waterproof. Once used primarily by Mongols in Mongolia as a primary housing structure, today yurts have become more popular in North America too. Some people live in them all year-round whereas others use them as holiday homes. Usually rustic, yurts can be customised to offer modern day amenities as well.

Unusual type of house - yurt

Managing property types in your Real Estate CRM

If you are a real estate professional, you want a software solution that will help you manage all your property listings easily and efficiently. No matter what types of properties your sell, the software needs to give you the ability to manage your real estate in a way that meets your needs. Qobrix software has been built for the real estate industry. With it, you can choose any property type in the CRM when adding a new property.  As your collection of property types expand, these can be added to the CRM accordingly.

Qobrix software can also help you optimise your business, processes and procedures to boost client acquisition and sales. It offers a robust, multi-tiered CRM system, advanced client and agent portals, a unique bulk website builder and enhanced web presence. It provides advanced tools to assist you capture and monitor leads, nurture client and partner relationships, and automate critical sales and marketing activities. Experience the power of Qobrix through a 15 day free trial.

Blog sources:
Home Stratosphere 
Redfin 
Design Everest 
Zillow 
NuWire Investor
Aquila Commercial