May 25, 2021

Floor Plan Trends in the Portland Housing Market

best places to live, Portland homebuying, Seasons™ Collection, Urban Collection™

Kitchen with white cabinets and a center island

Searching for a new home in Greater Portland? We have noticed some floor plan trends in and around The City of Roses in recent months. See how your new home wish list compares to that of other area buyers—and learn about some exciting home features that may appeal to you!

Choosing ranch-style floor plans

Front of a ranch-style home with a covered entry

Single-story living continues to be a popular choice among Portland-area homebuyers. After all, owning a ranch-style home has its advantages. For example:

Ranch homes may allow for greater ceiling height
You won’t have to sacrifice square footage to accommodate staircases
Single-story plans provide peace of mind for those with small children who have yet to master stairs
Ranch-style homes are typically easier to navigate for seniors and those with limited mobility

If a single-story home sounds like a great fit, check out the Alexandrite and Amethyst plans, our most popular Seasons™ Collection homes in Vancouver, Washington. We also just added the inspired Daniel and Melody plans to our lineup at Magnolia Heights in Washougal, Washington (and 3- and 4-car garages are available)!

Still deciding whether or not a ranch plan will work for you? This blog outlines the various benefits of ranch and two-story homes.

Picking paired homes

Front of paired homes with covered porches

Another growing trend among homebuyers in this region? Paired homes (a.k.a. duplexes)! This isn’t a surprising choice considering paired homes often offer the space and bedroom count of single-family homes but tend to be more affordable and require less maintenance.

Think a duplex might be the way to go? Tour our contemporary Boston and Chicago model homes (part of our popular Urban Collection™ ) at Reed’s Crossing in Hillsboro, Oregon. Or, check out the Ironwood, Rosewood, Sandalwood and Marblewood floor plans at Seasons at Kemper Grove in Ridgefield, Washington. And last, but certainly not least, make your way to the sought-after Frog Pond masterplan in Wilsonville, Oregon, to learn all about the paired Norris and Norah plans.

Going for gourmet kitchens

Gourmet kitchen with dark wood cabinets, an island and a dining nook

The kitchen is said to be the heart of the home, and Greater Portland homebuyers are apparently all heart! Gourmet kitchens, with desirable features such as center islands, walk-in pantries and double wall ovens, are a must for many who choose to plant roots in the region.

Those who choose to build a brand-new Richmond American home from the ground up will meet with a professional design consultant at our Home Gallery™ to choose flooring, finishes and fixtures for their new living spaces. So, if you’re considering buying a new home at one of our exceptional area communities, start thinking about how you want your dream kitchen to look and function, from the flooring, cabinets, countertops and backsplash to the appliances and lighting!

Learn more about designing a new home with Richmond American.

Focused on flex space

House hunters across the country are seeking greater flexibility in their living spaces, and Greater Portland-area homebuyers are no exception. Fortunately, many of our floor plans feature desirable flex rooms—versatile spaces that can accommodate a variety of needs. Our homeowners report using their flex rooms in myriad ways, including:

At-home classroom
Craft room
Home gym
Main or secondary home office
Movie room
Yoga studio
And more!

Coveting covered patios

The recent pandemic underscored the importance of outdoor entertaining areas, such as covered patios. Whether they’re relaxing with the latest bestseller, watching the kids play in the backyard, enjoying an intimate al fresco dinner or gathering around the grill with family and friends, Portland-Metro homebuyers are doing it in the style and shade provided by their serene covered patios.

Because we make it our mission to offer the features that appeal to today’s homebuyers (like year-round outdoor living spaces!), covered patios are available on many of our inspired floor plans across Portland and the country. See even more suggestions for enjoying this space here.

Opting for 3-car garages

When it comes to garages, three bays are better than two. At least that’s the mindset of many in Greater Portland who recently closed on homes with 3-car garages. You don’t need to have multiple vehicles to appreciate this fabulous home feature. A third bay means extra space, which can be used for storage, as a shop, as a weight room and more!