Cape Cod: Though most popular in the Northeastern United States and and Atlantic Canada, there are some examples of these homes in Ottawa- It is characterized by a small footprint, symmetrical layout, and dormer windows. A cape-style house also commonly has a master bedroom on the first floor, although it usually has two floors. They are generally smaller houses, about 1300-2000 square feet in size.

Colonial house: a traditional style house, often seen in the more upscale areas of Ottawa. The style drew much of its influence from the Italian Renaissance style

Cottage: In modern usage, a cottage is a dwelling, typically in a non-urban location (although there are cottage-style dwellings in cities). In most settings, the term 'cottage' denotes a small, often cozy dwelling, and small size is integral to the description, but in some places, such as Ottawa, the term exists with no connotation of size at all.

Detached (free-standing): Any house that is completely separated from its neighbours.

Duplex: A duplex has two units, one above the other, and is detached from neighbouring homes.

Two or Three story homes: The style of these homes is quite varied in the Ottawa area. From the unique brick and victorian influenced homes of the Glebe, to the more modern suburban styled homes found in Kanata, and everything in between.

Bungalow: Is a single story house (not including optional basement), and can be quite large or small in structure. Bungalows are very convenient for the homeowner in that all living areas are on a single story and there are no stairs between living areas. Bungalows can be more easily converted to a wheelchair-accessible home. Neighbourhoods of only bungalows offer more privacy than similar neighbourhoods with two story houses. With bungalows, strategically planted trees and shrubs are usually sufficient to block the view of neighbours.

Ranch Bungalow: A ranch bungalow is a bungalow organized so that bedrooms are on one side and "public" areas (kitchen, living/dining/family rooms) are on the other side. If there is an attached garage, the garage is on the public side of the house so that a direct entrance to the house is possible (where allowed by legislation). On narrower lots, public areas are at the front of the house and such an organization is typically not called a "ranch" bungalow. Such houses are often smaller and only have 2 bedrooms in the back.

Split Level: There are variations of the split level home: Backsplit - Multilevel house that appears as a bungalow from the front elevation. Frontsplit: Multilevel house that appears as a two story house in front and a bungalow in the back. It is the opposite of a backsplit and is a rare configuration. Sidesplit - Multilevel house where the different levels are visible from the front elevation.

Semi-Detached: Semi-detached designs offer two single family homes attached by a common wall.

Ranch: Single story house, usually with garage and basement.

Mansion: Very large/expensive house

Townhouse: 3 or more houses in a row sharing a "party" wall with its adjacent neighbour. In New York, "Brownstones" are rowhouses. Rowhouses are typically multiple stories, and often look exactly alike. There are many townhomes in the Ottawa area.