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What is the telltale sign of a Tudor? Outside, look for a steeply pitched roof, which gives a triangular aspect to the face of the house. Sometimes a double peak is employed, above a curved entryway. A decorative technique known as “false half-timbering” harks back to medieval building methods and is responsible for the distinctive vertical brown stripes on the exterior. Inside a Tudor, you’ll find coved ceilings and mahogany trim, with tall, narrow windows—often made with leaded glass. The name comes from the Tudor dynasty of the 1500s, but in the U.S. (and Seattle), the architectural style gained its greatest popularity in the 1920s and 1930s. Local real estate broker Kevin Doran (kevindoran.info) says cozy interiors draw buyers to this style, and adds, “Tudor homes look like a vision from a storybook, which I think is part of the allure for Seattleites—they stand out in a neighborhood as both enchanting and intriguing.” 

^Madison Park (see photo above)
LIST PRICE: $1,095,000
Square footage: 2,830; 3 bedrooms/1.5 bathrooms
Property size: 5,000 square feet
Property taxes: $9,248
Year built: 1930
Bonus: Lake Washington views, leaded-glass windows, curved entryways
Date listed: September 2011

 

Mount Baker
LIST PRICE: $1,595,000
Square footage: 3,830; 4 bedrooms/3.5 bathrooms
Property size: 7,800 square feet
Property taxes: $11,407
Year built: 1924
Bonus: Wine cellar and sweeping views of Lake Washington
Date listed: October 2011

 

Queen Anne
LIST PRICE: $865,000
Square footage: 3,420; 3 bedrooms/2.25 bathrooms
Property size: 4,791 square feet
Property taxes: $8,897
Year built: 1925
Bonus: Mint condition with period mahogany details and tiled fireplace
Date listed: September 2011

Some or all of these homes may have sold since publication. Listings and data courtesy of Zillow.