One-Story vs a Two-Story Home: Which Is Better to Buy?

Comparing a One-Story Home to a Two-Story Home

You will find people who say single-level homes are more visually appealing than a multi-level home, but that’s a matter of personal taste and architectural style. Here are 3 more factors to consider:

1. The yard of a one-story home might be smaller.If all the homes on a city block are conforming, say, for example, with lot sizes of 40-feet wide by 80-feet deep, that equals square footage of only 3,200 square feet per lot. Some city codes might allocate a small percentage of that .07 acre lot size to a structure. If city code says a building cannot occupy more than 40% of a lot, the footprint of your home in that instance could not exceed 1,280 square feet.

   That means if some homes are two-story homes and others are one-story, the single level homes will have a maximum square footage of 1,280, while a two-story home could be twice that size or 2,560 square feet or more. A one-story home is often priced more per square foot than a two-story.

   But more often the configuration you will find is a one-story home might take up more of a lot than a multiple-level home. Builders might make the foundation, say, 900 square feet for a 3-story home, which would increase the usable space in a 3,200 square-foot yard. A foundation of 900 square feet would utilize about 28% of the lot versus 40%. Therefore, people with families who want bigger yards would tend to gravitate toward the 3-story homes and larger square footage of 2,700 square feet.

1. Sound might travel between floors.If a bedroom, for example, is located directly over a family room, the sound from a television might travel to the second floor at night. This would make it difficult for a person who is trying to sleep in that bedroom while another person watches TV in the downstairs’ family room. If you are a first-time home buyer who has rented for years, you might be tired of listening to sounds traveling through the walls.

1. Stairs can be dangerous, cumbersome or inconvenientThere is a reason why many homes in an active adult community are single levels. As people age, it becomes more difficult to climb stairs. Knee problems or aches and pains make it almost impossible for some older people to easily go up and down stairs.

   People with young children are not big fans of stairs, either. It’s too easy for a child to slip and fall down the stairs. Many parents install gates at the top and at the bottom of stairs to prevent their children from using the stairs at all. But that doesn’t always stop curious children.

   Depending on the layout of the house, the staircase, the treads, risers, and landing can take up valuable space inside a home. If the stairs face the front door, it’s considered bad feng shui. It can also be a lot of work to run up and down stairs all day. If you are upstairs and want a drink of water, you might need to go all the way downstairs to reach the kitchen instead of walking a short distance down a hall. Carrying laundry up and down the stairs is a hassle, too. Note where the laundry is located in a two-story home versus the bedrooms before you buy it.