Ranch Bungalows
Ranch Bungalows are sometimes called American ranch, California ranch, rambler or rancher and is an architectural style originating in the United States in the 1920’s. It was extremely popular among the post-war middle class of the 1940’s and 1970’s. The ranch bungalow style is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and minimal use of exterior and interior decoration. The houses fuse modernist styles and ideas with notions of the American Western period working ranches to create a very informal and casual living style.
In North America, a bungalow whether a ranch bungalow or just a bungalow is a residential house, normally detached, which is a single story. Usually the houses are relatively small especially from recent decades, though early examples may be large depending on the various neighbourhoods in Toronto. Preservationist movements have begun in some ranch bungalow neighbourhoods as well as renewed interest in the style from a younger generation who did not grow up in a ranch style bungalow. This renewed interest in the ranch bungalow house style has been compared to that which other house styles such as the bungalow and Queen Anne experienced in the 20th century, initial dominance of the market, replacement as the desired housing style, decay and disinterest coupled with many teardowns, then renewed interest and gentrification of the surviving homes.
Beginning in the late 1990’s, a revival of interest in the ranch style bungalow occurred in the United States and Canada. The renewed interest in the design is mainly focused on existing homes and neighbourhoods, not new construction. Younger house buyers find that ranch bungalows are affordable entry level homes in many markets, and the single story living of the house attracts older buyers looking for a house they can navigate easily as they age as opposed to moving into a condominium. Many neighbourhoods featuring ranch-style bungalows are now well-established, with large trees and often with owner modifications that give these homes character. As these homes were mainly built in the time frame of 1945 to 1970, they are modern in their infrastructure; their heating/cooling systems, wiring, plumbing, windows, doors, and other systems can all be easily repaired and upgraded.
More specifically, in Toronto, bungalows were popular from the 1950’s to 1970. Early bungalows were single-level brick structures. The later structures often came with an open canopy garage at the side, or what is commonly known as a carport, attached to the side of the house. In fact, Susan Macarz, Broker, with Re/Max Ultimate Realty Inc, Brokerage, lives in a sprawling ranch bungalow that was built in the late l950’s, in a lovely neighbourhood in the St. Andrews Neighbourhood in Toronto. She loves the one level design, while having large entertaining rooms and a lovely landscaped yard. There are still many ranch bungalows, and smaller bungalows throughout the Toronto neighbourhoods, however, many are being torn down to be replaced by “monster” large luxury new built homes. The neighbourhoods are changing.
One can find bungalows, in different sizes, in various Neighbourhoods such a York Mills-Bridle Path, Park Lane Circle, Denlow, Windfields, St. Andrews, Hogg’s Hollow, Bathurst Manor, Lawrence Park, Banbury- Don Mills, and in the North York Neighbourhoods boundaried by Highway 401 to the south between Bathurst St. and Bayview Avenue, north to Steeles Ave., East York, Scarborough, and York.
If you would like more information about any Toronto Neighbourhood and presently available properties for sale/lease, click here or call me at 416-219-7583 (client line) or 416-487-5131 (office) or send me an email to susan@susanmacarz.com. Please specify the Neighbourhood you are interested in the subject heading and include specifically what you are looking for (Type & style, # of bedrooms,# of baths, parking, sale or lease, price range, time frame, etc.), this will allow me to provide you with the proper information that you are seeking.
