One Story Living Vs. Two Story Living

One Story Vs Two Story Homes

Are you considering a single-story home, or maybe a two-story is the best option for you? Confused? Not sure what to do. Let's compare one story and two-story living, right now.

Hi. I'm Sherri Foster, your Northern Virginia Rightsize agent. Are you trying to decide between a multi-level home and a single-story home? I'm here today to provide information on one story versus two-story living.

One Floor Living

Accessibility is the most significant benefit to one-level living. With everything on one floor, the struggle of up and down the stairs is eliminated. Multi-levels can present a challenge for a variety of people; whether you have a toddler living in the house, elderly in-laws staying with you, or you're planning to age in place, one level is easier and safer to navigate.

Did you know that stairway falls are second only to motor vehicle accidents, as the leading cause of injury, according to the national safety council? Choosing a home with main floor living can reduce the risk of falls, making the home a lot safer. It can be a lot of work running up and down the stairs all day.

You might have to go downstairs to reach the kitchen, instead of just walking a short distance down the hall, just to get a drink from the fridge. Carrying laundry up and down the stairs is a hassle too. So, take note of where the laundry room is when touring a home. It becomes more difficult for people to climb stairs as they age. Knee problems, hip problems, even simple aches and pains can make it almost impossible for some people to easily negotiate stairs. So, it's not surprising, single level homes are so popular with many baby boomers, that are downsizing from multi-level houses and are seeking homes without those stairs.

A single story home makes the best use of square footage, as there is no space wasted on the stairs. The staircase treads, risers, and landings can take up valuable space inside your home. It is estimated that a single stairway in your home can rob you of a hundred square feet of living space! Quite often a single-story home, with less square footage, will feel larger than a two-story home that actually has more space.

Open floor plans continue to be the most sought-after design in homes. An open flow between the most used areas of the home: the kitchen, dining area and living room creates a feeling of connection with everything on one level an open floor plan comes naturally.

With multi-level homes, the gathering space could be the basement family room, or a loft on the second level. In addition, if the time comes when you'd like to add to your home, maybe a building a sunroom or in-law suite, it's far simpler to add square footage to a single floor home, as long as the space is there.

A single-story home usually has a floor plan that air naturally flows through. The HVAC system required for a one-level residence is more sustainable and generally less expensive than what is needed to heat and cool multiple levels properly. There is also significantly less heat loss in a single-story home.

Both the interior and exterior of single level houses are easier to keep clean and maintained. Your cleaning supplies, vacuum, and laundry room are all on the same floor, which means you do not have to carry items up down the stairs while you're cleaning.

The exterior also is easier to maintain, whether you're power washing the siding, cleaning the windows, or clearing out the gutters. Because of the ease of maintenance, repairs will cost less.

Single level homes also, provide quieter living. You will not hear footsteps, or noises, coming from upstairs. With more people aging in place, and staying in their homes throughout retirement, one level living is becoming more sought after. On the other side of the spectrum, while a single-story home makes the best use of square footage, a two-story home can fit a much larger home on a smaller footprint.

A single story home has a larger footprint and requires a considerably larger lot, for the same square footage, which can lead to higher property taxes. If having a big yard is one of your priorities, a multi-level home would be much more ideal because it takes up considerably less of the lot than a one-story home. When the time comes, as it eventually will. for roof replacement, a multi-story home will be much less expensive to replace than a single story with the same square footage.

Two Story Living

You get more square footage with less roof with a multi-level home. Another reason you may want a multi-story home is privacy. Two-story homes provide a good opportunity to separate your bedrooms; having the owner's retreat on the first level, and the rest of the bedrooms on the second level or having the owner's bedroom on the second floor removes your living quarters from the common areas of the home.

In addition, depending on where your windows are located, forgetting to draw the blinds, or drop your curtains, in a single story dwelling can mean that your entire neighborhood is privy to what's going on in that room. If you like to sleep with your windows open, to get some fresh air, two-story homes offer less risk of burglary during the night. It's highly unlikely for someone to climb up to the second story window, without being noticed, not to mention climbing down with your big screen tv.

Many people prefer two-story homes because they enjoy the view from their balconies. There is absolutely no right answer when it comes to choosing a single story or two-story home. It's just about taking inventory of the features that you and your family are looking for, and balancing that against the pros and the cons of each option.

If you are thinking of right sizing, check out this video for tips on decluttering. If you like this video, give it a thumbs up and leave a comment. If you want more tips, tricks, and information on right sizing your home, subscribe below. I post new videos every Monday. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next week.

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