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One thing that is a big 'must' for us is having a basement. Having all that extra space for storage is essential and I miss it terribly now that I'm living in areas where basements are practically unheard-of.
Basements may be a whole seperate topic.
Although since they add an extra level to the house.....?
As I mentioned earlier, I'm West Coat born and bred. When I moved the Midwest basements, quite frankly, freaked me out. I'm a bit claustrophobic to boot.
I'd judge each house I looked at by what I dubbed the "Silence of the Lambs" factor.
Nearly a decade in, I love my basement. But only for laundry, storage and exercise. I'm still perplexed by the "finished basement" syndrome, so prevalent here. I would never ever ever want to watch a movie down there, nor ask a guest or family member to sleep sub-terra.
A walk-out basement (one entire wall of windows and doors) would be a different story (haha pun intended).
Also, what kind of house did you live in when you were a child?
I think that's part of it too. I'd be curious to see if people stay with what they know, or if the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.
For me, mid 40s, West Coast born and bred, Two Story Brick houses---Tudors, Colonials etc--- are da' bomb. I am charmed by their classic house-ness. I used to draw these houses in my pre-K scribbles.
It's the polar opposite of the modern ranches of So Cal , where I was raised.
How odd is that?
I grew up in a 2 story-1st house 3 level-split level. At my age and no kids at home I would never move to a 2 story again.
One story for getting older. But have lived in 2 stories and enjoyed
sleeping upstairs. It was quieter
But we have large ranch one story now and its pretty good noise wise! Plus its just the hubs and myself
When I lived in a two story home the bedrooms were upstairs and everything else was down so there really wasn't a lot of going up and down.
I do like ranchs and happen to live in one but they are really bad when it comes to conserving space. So that means you either have no yard or you have an oversized lot. The former partially negates the benefit of living in a single family home and the latter contributes even more to the sprawl and auto-dependent car culture we are all "enjoying" in our sunbelt cities.
I've been in my tri-level for 16 years now, and I still love it. Entry, kitchen, foyer and dining room on first level; living room, 2 guest rooms (one turned into a craft/project room for me) and bath on 2nd level; divine huge master suite (sleeping, bath, huge closets, office, and workout areas) on the 3rd level.
I live in Texas but the layout is reminiscent of a friend's multimillion dollar 3-level townhouse in Manhattan. BUT I have the advantage of a free-standing home with a wall of windows facing gorgeous woods and creeks. Friends have dubbed it "the treehouse". Plus it has location, location, location.
It's a personal thing, to each his/her own... this is my dream home, in every way. And the mortgage is paid off. Pinch me, I've come a long way baby from welfare and a 3-room shotgun house in rural small-town Oklahoma. Mr miokie and I worked hard-and-smart for many years to get here, and we're also grateful for the opportunties that came our way. We worked during those decades that hard work and loyalty were rewarded. How said that's no longer true.
I've been in my tri-level for 16 years now, and I still love it.
I would kill for a quad level; for some reason I just love those homes. There's one across the street from my mom, and I've been coveting it for more than 40 years! When I was a teen I babysat for the family that lived in that house, and I'd walk through it, up and down the stairs, and redecorate it in my head.
The only downer is that it's across the street from my mom, and next door to her best friend! Even now the very idea scares the heck outta me! LOL
I would kill for a quad level; for some reason I just love those homes.
I hear ya. Mr. miokie and I have always been suckers for narrow, multi-level homes. Townhouses and rowhouses just ring our bells. When we visit friends in NYC and in DC, we go ga-ga over their 3 and 4 story walk-ups.
They're rare here in the North Texas suburbs but we managed to find a neighborhood where they work.
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I'm a bit claustrophobic to boot. 
Even now the very idea scares the heck outta me! LOL
