Who started the master-down craze?... (sale, renting, home builder)

[luckylala]

As I can see, there are very legit-sounding reasons for the master down.
However I think the real reason is we are all lazy!! In a culture of delivery anything, drive-through anywhere, and remote controls available for every device imaginable...who the heck would want to climb STAIRS more times than necessary?? I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

[Funtastic44]

Both masters have their pros and cons. Every family should pick what's more functional for them. DFW conformists may consider master down, brick exterior, back alley, huge media room, granite counters as the only way but now DFW demographics are diverse and eventually builders will receive this memo.

[tyanger]

I wonder how much peoples' preference has to do with what type of house layout you grew up in.

I spent most of my years before age 18 in ranch style houses - obviously with masters on the ground floor - with about 5 years in the middle where we had a two story home with all bedrooms upstairs.

For whatever reason, I prefer having the master on the ground floor. I can't really pin down exactly why, but maybe it's because that is what I am used to.

[Funtastic44]

A friend was talked into buying master down with no other bed downstairs. Soon they started their family, cursed going up and down all night, two years later toddler opened the safety door and had a fracture after a fall. Whenever his parents or in laws visited, they had to give up their room as oldies didn't want to climb stairs. They really hated their realtor with passion. As most people do, they sold their first house to get an upgraded one and never reeked the so called benefits of a master down. Master up or ranch is a functional choice for young families.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by tyanger

I wonder how much peoples' preference has to do with what type of house layout you grew up in.

I spent most of my years before age 18 in ranch style houses - obviously with masters on the ground floor - with about 5 years in the middle where we had a two story home with all bedrooms upstairs.

For whatever reason, I prefer having the master on the ground floor. I can't really pin down exactly why, but maybe it's because that is what I am used to.

Good point, and I think for some people it matters a lot.

I grew up in a pier and beam traditional one-story ranch house, and that is exactly what I own now.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by Made_it_To_the_Metroplex

OMG - that thing looks like it was made from Jabba the Hutt's skin! YUCK!

Good ol Dallas pretentiousness! Bless your heart!

[thatdood]

Originally Posted by DaveG99

If you have a 1000sf media room and three air conditioners you probably dont have many money problems and saving the relatively small amount of air conditioner running cost shouldnt be a big deal.

LOL

Believe me I don't have enough money to just waste if I can help it! The 1,000 sq ft includes a game room and a media room (separate rooms next to each other sharing the same AC unit). I couldn't imagine a 1,000 sq ft media room .

The savings is quite significant. I have a friend who has a similar size home from the same builder in the neighborhood with bedrooms upstairs. Family is home most of the day so they run the upstairs AC all the time. His bills in the Summer can approach $500+. My most expensive electricity bill was $290 in the summer. Over a few months that adds up. The main difference is I don't run my upstairs AC unless we go up there and in the Texas summer that saves a lot. I also don't have any vaulted ceilings so the upstairs acts as an insulation barrier buffer to downstairs which keeps things a bit cooler.

[Sushi cake]

That doesn't support master down argument, most people have secondary bedrooms on upper level for kids so you have to use air conditioning on both levels. Yours sound like 1.5 story.

[DaveG99]

Originally Posted by Sushi cake

That doesn't support master down argument, most people have secondary bedrooms on upper level for kids so you have to use air conditioning on both levels. Yours sound like 1.5 story.

Yeah my house has an option for a game room/media room and half bathroom upstairs. It only adds 400 square ft though. I didnt get it though because it was too much money that I didnt want to spend and I like having a one story home.

[thatdood]

Originally Posted by Sushi cake

That doesn't support master down argument, most people have secondary bedrooms on upper level for kids so you have to use air conditioning on both levels. Yours sound like 1.5 story.

It's closer to a 1.5 story than a 2 but I do have a full bathroom and bedroom up there as well. I think it adds another couple hundred sq ft. The difference is it's for guest so it's not for everyday use which provides flexibility to not always having to cool it.