Once widely confined to Texas, so-called “barndominiums” are having their moment outside of the Lone Star State.
The “bardominium” is, according to Texas real estate terminology, a building that doubles as one’s home and a barn or other utility building. As first reported by Realtor.com, this type of building is usually made out of steel, constructed to be extremely durable and built on a large piece of land.
“The appeal is that this is a very sturdy, low-maintenance, energy-efficient home, and relatively inexpensive when compared to the same size stick-built home,” Erin Wilhite, a Century 21 Beal real estate agent from Texas, told Inman.
The term “barndominium” was coined by TV star remodeling and renovation duo Chip and Joanna Gaines, co-hosts of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” .
Popularity for this type of residence grew after the husband-and-wife duo transformed a barn into a house and called it a “barndominium.”
But while this type of structure has been particularly popular in Texas over the past decade, they’re only now picking up steam in the rest of the country.
Barndominium in Nine Mile Falls, Washington:
Courtesy of realtor.com
Lori Vogel, a William Raveis Real Estate agent who has sold barndominiums in Connecticut, said that this type of home is particularly useful among people who own horses or other outdoor animals due to the ability to have structures such as stables and different courses on the same plot of land. Building all these individual structures is not particularly cost-efficient.
“Connecticut has seen a large amount of horse owners move to southern states, however we see an increasing number with the desire to return to the Northeast for the summer months,” she said. “For Equestrian home buyers that are looking for a smaller more affordable place to come back to, a ‘barndominium’ would be an ideal solution.”
Barndominium in Smithville, Missouri
Courtesy of realtor.com
In general, a barndominium is viewed as a less expensive alternative to various farm facilities on a large plot of land. While barndominiums can come with a steep listing price all on their own, this type of ranch home is an increasingly popular option for those who live in more isolated areas.
“When pricing a ranch to buy or sell, we begin with the appraisal district value,” Wilhite told Inman. “From there, we have always looked at the land, the separate structures, and the homestead. We are usually seeing that the ‘home’ on the appraisal district is the actual square footage of the owner’s quarters, separate from the square footage of the barn — even though they are nested/attached.”
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