[Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

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squirm
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[Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by squirm »

As you might see, I also have another post here regarding house offer. Another issue is how many here live in a two story house but wish they didn't? I've always lived in a single story house, but the house we're looking at is two story. Does climbing stairs everyday become a real issue? We're relatively young, I don't know if that plays into things, but I would like other opinions on this one story vs two story.
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Toons
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Toons »

My wife and I lived in a 2 story house(with basement where washer and dryer were located) for 20 years.
Thoroughly enjoyed the living space,but around age 55 started to get aggravated with climbing the steps ,cleaning etc.
We retired ,sold home and downsized to one story home and couldn't be more pleased. I think if we had to do it over again we would have chosen a one-story ranch home as our first. :happy
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by investor1 »

Just pick the house you enjoy more and stay active.
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mhc
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by mhc »

I have lived in both. I currently live in a two story house. I really don't have a preference, but here are some tradeoffs/issues.

Two story:
better views (I can see the mountains and a lake from my second story windows)
better shade on east side of house on summer evenings
smaller footprint on lot
heat rises, the top floor gets hotter, I prefer cold for sleeping
painting and repairs are not for the faint of heart. My roof is really up there
noise from second floor can be heard on first floor, I have young children that love to run and jump
stairs are no big deal
wasted floor space due to stairs
takes longer to get trees tall enough to shade house
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TxAg
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by TxAg »

Two stories aren't bad, but if I had my choice it'd be a one story
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by fishnskiguy »

The perfect soution.

Master bedroom, office (bedroom with bath if we wanted), great room, two baths, and kitchen on the main floor. Two bedrooms two baths upstairs. Nobody goes upstairs unless we have guests.

Walkout basement is 100% man cave. Wood shop, fly tying bench, gardening stuff, extra freezer/ fridge.

Perfect for two without kids but who like to have guests.

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Rubiosa
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Rubiosa »

If there's a chance this will be the last house you live in, I'd say go with the single story. Negotiating stairs in old age can be a pain. Even doorsteps can be a pain for that matter.
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Watty
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Watty »

If you might have kids then having the stairs will make your hair turn grey early when you have very young kids.

I also know someone that has a special needs kid and people who were in car accidents and could not go upstairs for the better part of a year. The stairs are not an issue just for older people.

Having a full bath and at least one bedroom in the main floor is a must for me when I am looking at houses.

My preference is a one story ranch house with an unfinished basement.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by cheese_breath »

I've lived in both and have no preference. We've lived in our current two story for 33 years and the stairs are starting to bother my wife's legs, so the next one will probably be one story. I don't know if this is still true (I assume it is), but back when we built this house 33 years ago two stories cost less per square foor because there was less roof to cover and less basement to dig.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by momar »

I have a two story but kind of wish I had a one story after seeing a friend's wife pregnant with twins on bed rest for several months.

We don't have a full bath downstairs, so it would be problematic if that happened with us, or something different as Watty mentioned.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by HornedToad »

I live in a 3 story house, although the 1st floor is just garage/entry way and I actually prefer multi-story houses. You get more bang for your buck and the house feels more spacious with better separation of living room/kitchen vs. bedrooms/loft.

Before I lived here I preferred single story, but now prefer multi-story homes.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Paul78 »

For your final house (ie with old age kicking in) I would say one story BUT for anything before that I would say two story >> one story.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Peter Foley »

We went from two story (with fininshed family room in basement) to one story (with family room on first floor) two years ago. A basement family room or a family room on another story is great for giving growing kids space - not so great for empty nesters. I was 60 when we moved - we purposely moved to a two story for easier maintenance and for ease of living in general - we hope to be here for 20 years just as we were in the last one for a little over 20 years.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Honobob »

The problem is what your neighbor has. I have a single story in a subdivision that will not allow a second story, 5,000 sf lots. I also own a single story whit 8,000sf lots where a second story could be added but the neighbors have sprawled out not up. i would not like to walk out and have my neighbors looking at me in my back yard.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by orcycle »

We are remodeling our house (2 story with daylight basement) to have a master suite on the main floor and upstairs (and an office/bedroom in basement with full bath) to accommodate my parents (now in their 70's) and ourselves, both now and in the future. With three kids ages 9 to 11 to boot, we wanted a multifunctional space that could hold several different permutations of our 3 generations of family.

We also decided to remodel instead of buy a different house because houses that had the bed and bath -rooms on the right floors were generally humongous with lots of wasted space. Time will tell if we made the right choice, as I have read the threads here and elsewhere on remodeling risks.

Having lived mostly in multistory houses, I prefer them for the separation, but want main-floor living with guest space upstairs when stairs become difficult.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by S&L1940 »

TxAg wrote:Two stories aren't bad, but if I had my choice it'd be a one story
we lived in a town house where we entered through the garage on the lower level where there was the laundry room and a finished bedroom/den.
then you went up one flight to the kitchen and living room and another flight to the bedrooms and another flight to a loft area which I turned into an exercise and reading room.
fantastic living space; yet as we decided to move for a number of reasons and being in our 60's, we were quite fortunate to choose a single level home.
If you expect to live there for many years - or forever - be aware that in later life those steps are going to get steeper.
Given a choice between equal living space and amenities of a one story and a two story layout; and speaking as empty nesters, it would be the single story home.
Good luck, Rich
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by sport »

We bought a 2 story house for our first one. It was less expensive for the amount of space. We lived there for 35 years and raised our family there. It met our needs and served us well. When we were in our 60's, we moved to get onto one floor. Our new house is all on one floor, not even a basement. Now that we are older, we are very happy to be done with steps. As we age, we expect that steps will become more difficult, even though we could manage them now. In our new house, that is no longer a concern.

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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Mudpuppy »

I went with a one-story house even though I am relatively young because an old knee injury makes stairs an uncertain traversal. Most days I have no problems, but some days the knee just does not want to cooperate with stairs. This town is also prone to urban sprawl, so there are more one-story houses available than two-story houses (and basements are pretty rare around here too).

Unintended side effect to having no stairs inside or outside: I now have an elderly family member living here because she can no longer negotiate the stairs at her own home.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by nisiprius »

We have a two-story house, but we both grew up in one so it seems natural. There are pros and cons.

It's pure illusion, but psychologically I feel more private and more secure up on the second floor. Enough to weigh on the "pro" side, for me.

One would expect a two-story house to be more economical because of having a lower surface-to-volume ratio. Smaller roof, less ground needed by the house leaving more for the yard, probably easier to heat. (But there's the cost of the wasted space for the staircase).

The effort of walking up and down stairs does not feel like a nuisance to me in everyday life. If something's in another room fifteen feet away, you need to walk to it anyway, and whether the trip includes a change in elevation doesn't matter much. Psychologically, a trip is a trip.

If one is healthy and mobile, I believe stairs are actually a fitness factor. It's just that much more exercise that gets worked into your day without your even noticing it.

Even if one is healthy and mobile, stairs are a fall hazard. I think Bill Bryson said something about this in At Home. They are actually very dangerous. We're now old enough that we're starting to pay attention to fall safety. Last year I climbed the stairs at night with the lights out--you think you know your own home--miscounted, and knelt down hard on the top step. No big deal, not even a bruise, but the point is: a fall is a fall.

If you have dogs, in the last few years of life all of our dogs developed enough of a hip problem to make it difficult or impossible for them to negotiate the stairs. We'd use the towel-sling-assist trick, but that only worked for a while and our dogs have been too big to carry. It's hard to explain to a dog that they can't sleep in your bedroom any more when they've always done it.

We've brooded about the age issue. You just can't tell what's going to happen, and our best judgement is that if there comes a time when we could stay in the house were it not for the stairs, a stairlift could be installed and wouldn't cost a prohibitive amount. Our judgement was that in our sixties, in perfect health, and not the slightest problem climbing stairs, moving simply because of the stairs would be premature.

It's possible that as the boomer population ages, single-story houses will become more in demand and two-story houses will become less in demand; it might not be crazy to factor that in, but it's not predictable enough to put much weight on.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by hicabob »

If you have plenty of land and $$$ a single story wins IMO - nicer space , better seperation, much quieter, no stairs ... however a multistory uses much less roof and has a smaller foundation and the shape tends towards being more energy efficient .
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Bacchus01 »

2-story houses are cheaper to build.

2-story houses are more expensive to maintain.

Stairs are GOOD exercise...don't avoid them when young.

2-story houses allow you to seperate space better.

2-story houses allow for larger yards.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by HardKnocker »

Definitely rather have a one-story home.

Climbing on the roof is easy.
Cleaning gutters is easy.
Painting is easy.
Putting up Xmas lights is easy.
Powerwashing is easy.
Caulking windows is easy.
Upstairs gets too hot in summer.
No stairs to climb so you can remain in the house longer as you age.

You get the idea.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by bottlecap »

All things considered, a one story is better in the sense that you don't have the stairs, which are a pain for older people and dangerous for children. Being able to get on the roof yourself is a plus.

That said, two stories are popular, likely because of the cost to build and lot sizes nowadays. We own a two-story with the master and living room downstairs. We wanted the space and extra bedrooms and there weren't a lot of 1 stories to choose from.

Good luck,

JT
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by scouter »

One story.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by montanagirl »

I miss our old one-story house. We now have a raised ranch (daylight basement) and yeah, it's always much warmer upstairs, and cold downstairs. I find myself wanting to combine trips to save going up and down...painting would have been hard if my husband hadn't gotten a loan of some scaffolding.

The roofline is so high off the ground, we can't put Christmas lights up there and I miss that. Also, I miss having the garden right outside our windows. Now it's kinda way out there past the decks.

We've both got knee issues but navigate the stairs just fine, for now. But when my back started acting up and sciatica flared up, suddenly I saw how going down stairs could be scary even with a crutch.

I really think all the 2-story houses they built during the bubble are going to be a real white elephant, and single-floor units will go for a premium.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Gnirk »

I've spent the past 40 years living in two-story homes with all of the bedrooms upstairs. It was great when I was younger, but after breaking a foot last year, and suffering a stroke the year before, I really wish we had a main floor master bedroom, at least. Stairs had been no problem until I couldn't use them at all. In order to take a shower and go to bed, I had to sit on the steps, bear all my weight on my arms, and scoot up and down the stairs on my butt. Literally.

My recommendation is this: If you plan on living in the house "forever', and you like two-story homes, at least buy one that has the master suite on the main floor.

BTW, I would LOVE to have a one-story house at this point in my life--- I'm 68, DH is 73. Much easier if you have even a short-term disability, plus you can wash the windows easily, put up Christmas lights without using a ladder, clean the gutters, etc.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by ndchamp »

Me and my knees don't do stairs well.
Another disadvantage to the two story (around here in NC, anyways) is you need two heat pump units to heat/cool the two zones. And unless you have a central vac system, carrying a vacuum up and down stairs is a real PITA.
Of course, in a single story, you can't get a FROG.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by fire5soon »

I have owned a single story house and a multi-story townhouse. After owning the townhouse one of my demands of the next house was to have a single story. Maintenance is much easier and my knees appreciate it. I'm sure the are advantages of multi-stories, but for me I prefer a single story home.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by TxAg »

One thing to consider that I just now thought of.... As a teenager, I got away with a lot more in a two story house than I would have in a one story house :sharebeer
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Userdc »

It's all personal preference.

I've lived in multiple story houses or buildings my whole life and I find the idea of a single story house depressing for some reason.

Mainly I wouldn't want to live in a neighborhood with single story houses - density is good.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by trudy »

I lived in a one story open plan for several decades. Now I live in a two story (inherited it) and wish it were one story. As I'm older, I can get up the stairs but tend not to do so, so that part of the house is pretty much wasted. People can talk about staying fit, but after awhile age catches up with you physically.

I have former neighbors who have a very attractive elevator which has a door that looks like a regular door to another room. I'd be a bit worried about getting stuck.

If I were to build my dream house, it would be one story open plan, lots of glass to the outdoors like California houses. Taking energy efficiency into account. Then again I'd live in a Victorian in an instant.

If you go with one story, do try also for a genuine attic.
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by trudy »

Honobob wrote:The problem is what your neighbor has. I have a single story in a subdivision that will not allow a second story, 5,000 sf lots. I also own a single story whit 8,000sf lots where a second story could be added but the neighbors have sprawled out not up. i would not like to walk out and have my neighbors looking at me in my back yard.
Just as a note, I lived in a one story and the neighbors on each side demolished their older houses and built two stories. One carefully worked to situate their windows so they didn't look directly down into my windows. The other didn't.

The backyard was less of a problem since there were large trees. If it bothered the second set of neighbors to see me out there in my bathrobe in the morning wandering in my garden, so be it.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by likegarden »

We once lived in a single-story house with full basement. Then I thought that would be the right house for retirement. After that we had to move and live now in a town which mostly has two-story houses. Now we have a 2500 sqft two-story house plus full basement on a 15,000 sqft lot. All 4 bedrooms are upstairs and with 73 years age I have no problems climbing up, it is good exercise. I also grew up on the fourth floor of an apartment building which had no elevator, there I had 20 years of stair climbing experience. Our grandson (no mother) grew up in our present home, so we had to carry him upstairs up to a weight of 40 lbs, that was good weight lifting. With son and grandson living with us, we are stuck here, but for retirement I would select a single-floor house with full basement (for utilities, storage, hobbies and tools).
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by SnapShots »

I've lived in both. One story wins if you have a large enough lot. You can separate the master suite from the other bedrooms by building them on opposite ends. High ceilings in a one story, on almost any size home, will appear and feel roomier than a two story. Of course, if you're talking about a 4 or 5 thousand sq ft home, it will look a little weird built as a one story. wink:
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Re: Woud you rather buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Petunia »

ndchamp wrote:Me and my knees don't do stairs well.
Another disadvantage to the two story (around here in NC, anyways) is you need two heat pump units to heat/cool the two zones. And unless you have a central vac system, carrying a vacuum up and down stairs is a real PITA.Of course, in a single story, you can't get a FROG.
Yes, it can. I solved this problem by owning two vacuum cleaners.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by jayars35 »

I bought my current house about nine years ago and told my wife to make sure she really liked it as I would never move again. We bought a one story because we knew as we got older, we did not want to be climbing stairs. I'm 48 now and stairs don't bother me, but in 20 years I expect they will. I have relatives that ended up basically abandoning their second story as they got up in years and I want nothing to do with that.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by gkaplan »

I can't believe all the people in this thread who feel climbing one flight of stairs is overwhelmingly daunting.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Mudpuppy »

gkaplan wrote:I can't believe all the people in this thread who feel climbing one flight of stairs is overwhelmingly daunting.
That just means you haven't had the misfortune to have a knee, ankle, hip or leg injury, either temporary or long-term.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Mr Grumpy »

Ditto, Mudpuppy. In a perfect world I would live in a two story house - my own preference, but when it was time to down-size at 56, my wife and I started to look for a one-story house for our future needs. I now have an implant in an ankle, so stairs are not the problem they once were, but, for me. a lot of houses we looked at were on a concrete pad (not good for the ankle). That problem was solved by 30 gauge carpet padding. One observation - I was really surprised that there was not a good supply in my area of North Carolina of relatively new, one story structures, but that has changed in the past ten years (need driving construction?)

It's all subjective, but a two-story house provides more privacy and is a tad easier on the heating/cooling bill, however, if you're you are a diy person, one story houses are easier to work on. So it all depends - length of time in the house, pets (good point Mudpuppy) are considerations - but too a degree, I've always found a house purchase is less analytical and more emotional.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by cowboyinasia »

I'm surprised so many people prefer 1 story. I've lived in 2 or 3 story houses, a house with a basement, and plenty of 1 floor apartments. You can be happy in any of them. For a house, unless you are old or infirm, I'd suggest go with 2 story. Yes, there are some little practical drawbacks, but it's your home - your castle - for goodness sake. Live proud, not timid! :happy
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by TomatoTomahto »

Mudpuppy wrote:
gkaplan wrote:I can't believe all the people in this thread who feel climbing one flight of stairs is overwhelmingly daunting.
That just means you haven't had the misfortune to have a knee, ankle, hip or leg injury, either temporary or long-term.
My wife, who usually runs a marathon every year, finds going downstairs tough on her knees. It's obviously not daunting for her in an aerobic sense, nor in a muscle tone sense, but there's something about the angle of the stairs that bothers her. She still goes up and down the stairs a dozen or more times a day, but I can see that she's unsteady when going down the stairs.

That said, we prefer the esthetics of 2-story homes.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (choosing a home).
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Rodc »

I prefer a 2-story. I like leaving the bustle of the kitchen, TV room, etc to go up to the peace and quite of the bedroom.

I have lived most of my life in a 2-story (plus a basement).

I am a long way from a spring chicken, but I don't notice the stairs one way or the other as far as difficulty.

Outside of specific physical ailments, I personally would not worry about stairs. Might even give you a minor exercise benefit.

I do think when you get to thinking about a house to live in during your advanced years there is a benefit to 1-story (or an elevator or stair lift) as you never know what conditions and frailties will arise.
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Re: [Should we] buy a two story house or a one story?

Post by Jerilynn »

My advice to those that I teach and mentor....

NEVER EVER EVER EVER buy any house with *any* stairs, period. YMMV
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