REAL ESTATE

Less Mediterranean: There is a move away from the ubiquitous Mediterranean Revival architectural style that unifies--some say stultifies--the housing scene in many of Orange County’s newer communities.

Dana Point, for instance, requires a wood-clad Cape Cod style. And some builders are experimenting with updated California bungalow and Monterey ranchero looks.

But 68% of the 250 new home and condo projects in the county still define their architectural style as Mediterranean in project descriptions in the Competitive Housing Market Report published by Myers Group, a Newport Beach real estate consulting firm. And if you count the “traditional,” “contemporary,” “Spanish” and “Italian” styles as close cousins of Mediterranean, the total jumps to 90%.