With housing starts on the rise, new homes are popping up all over the country. But many homebuyers prefer older homes that are often considered a piece of local history. 

Trulia [stock TRLA][/stock] gathered information from the past two years and discovered the unique characteristics of homes built in each decade. 

The oldest homes on the market were built before 1900 and are heavily concentrated in New England and upstate New York. These old homes are far more likely to mention exposed brick, pocket doors, carriage houses and grand staircases than homes built more recently. 

A large portion of homes built in the 1900s can be found in San Francisco, while homes from the 1920s are easiest to find in New York, Los Angeles and several Ohio markets. Homes from the 1900s typically include tin ceilings, fir floors and chimneys, while homes built in the 1910s often reveal features such as built-in buffets, claw-foot tubs and china cabinets. 

In 1920s’ homes, French doors, French windows and Spanish styles were popular. Homes built in the 1930s are more likely to mention slate roof, glass door knobs, coved ceilings and arched doorways. 

Detroit, Los Angeles and Cleveland hold the highest number of homes built in the 1940s today. Nearly one-fifth of the homes of Long Island were built in the 1950s, while the 1960s and 1970s were periods of rapid growth in the suburbs of southern California and Hawaii. Homes from the 1970s also account for much of the for-sale inventory in Florida metros. 

Post-war home listings typically feature materials and design features, but also draw attention to modern conveniences. For example, listings of 1940s homes mention central heating and air-conditioning. Homes built in the 1950s are more likely to emphasize parking, such as side drive, double-wide driveway and enclosed carport. 1960s’ home listings mention design features like terrazzo floors and dual-paned windows, while ‘70s’ homes often feature multiple levels, described as bi-level, split entry and large split-level home.

Fast forward to the 1980s and on, and you will find 80% of homes listed for sale in Austin, Raleigh, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Houston and Dallas. In fact, one-third of homes listed in Austin, Raleigh, Houston and Dallas were built after 2010.

Skylights, sunken living rooms and mirrored closets were very popular in the 1980s, while the 1990s was known for palladium/palladian windows, island cooktops and pot shelves.

The 2000s brought infinity edge pools, snail showers and pre-wired surround sound. Finally, the 2010s were notorious for hand-textured walls, hand-scraped hardwood floors and natural light exposure.

So buyers can pick and choose which features they desire most in a home, then find a decade that fits those features!