Custom builder Pickell praised European homes of 200 or 300 years ago. They had an eye for balance. Even the Romans had it. He noted that curb appeal is less important as you go down the line in price. Architecture is not very significant in less expensive homes, but in the custom market the exterior is critical.
People buy before they even go inside.
Everybody likes bay windows and front porches. Today's open floor plans are another throwback to the past. The openness is like the cabins of 300 years ago. In the back of their mind they have an image of a house they loved as a child. It is what a house should look like.