House without front porch? (Suwanee, Cumming: new home, neighborhood, purchasing)

[kelingdun]

We were in Suwanee and Cumming looking at new homes. There is a plan in
Riverbrooke development that we like. The layout of the house is OK, price is
right. The only thing is there is no front porch! We also noticed a few other
models in that area that has no front porch. I am from california and all the home do have a porch, big or little. My question is, is it unusal for Georgia homes to be without front porch? Is this simply builders way of cutting cost?

[JPD]

It's just a different architectural style. Ranch and colonial style houses usually don't have them. Bungalows/craftsman style houses almost always do.

[ready2move]

I loved everything about our house except that it didn't have a front porch. Sometimes you just can't get everything in a house.

[irvm]

Originally Posted by kelingdun

. My question is, is it unusal for Georgia homes to be without front porch? Is this simply builders way of cutting cost?

Old homes always had a front porch - or one all the way around.
That was before air conditioning.

Little need for one now.

[sangit]

You may want to read about homelife communities...Might be helpful to you.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...mmunities.html

[kelingdun]

Thanks for the replies.

I have also read the homelife link. Interesting. Can homelife really be that bad? They are real big so I though they should have the quality standard up to par?

[atlantamoi]

My beautiful home is only 5 years old and it has no front porch. It's the only thing I regret about purchasing this house. I look across the street at the home with a porch and notice they never use it. What a shame.

[Southlander]

We used to own a 100-year-old home that had a wonderful wide porch, which we used almost every day. We now live in a "new" neighborhood (30 years old) with very few porches (which nobody uses), no sidewalks, and garages with electric doors. People roll into their garages and shut the doors...you hardly ever see anybody. I think the biggest single factor is the lack of sidewalks. People do walk, but you're out in the street and don't dare stop walking because you might get run over. We terribly miss our old front porch, and with the kids gone are again looking for an older home with a front porch. Hold out for the porch!

[Twinkletoes]

You can always have a front porch added, if you find a house that's great otherwise.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Its a style and cost consideration. As was pointed out before, porches were a form of a/c- they shaded the windows of the living areas, along with providing protection from the elimates. If that house doen't have a porch- and you gotta have it- Make sure the house isn't sitting on the front building line- or theres no porch in your future unless you can get a building variance- $$$- and approval from the HOA!
Good Luck