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But I would say that it is rarer for new house in the luxury segments with single level, especially big city. Just look at wealthy North Dallas area. I used arbitrary cut off of 2.5 mil and up. There are only 3 one storied homes for sale out of 130. Some are due to small lots but there are a lot of houses on acreage with 2 storied as well.
Well, you're adding criteria now. You asked for it, I gave it to you! Sorry!
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I have lived in a 2 story house for over 20 years and will Never buy a 2 story again. You freeze half the year downstairs, the other half is OK. I rather just have one floor and be able to be able to heat and cool easier.
Like what you like, but If you say two story homes look grander, than you've not see the best of single-story homes. Also, since when does the master need to be next to the living room?
I suspect that you've never lived in a well-designed single story. If you had, you'd never live in a two-story home. There is a reason that two-story homes are harder to sell...e.g., nobody wants to climb stairs and they feel smaller.
Two stories aren't harder to sell at all, at least not in my neck of the woods. One stories are popular, yes, but two stories sell pretty well too. It all comes down to layout/floorplan. Our home is 3700 sq ft, two stories and doesn't feel small at all. It feels just right and I like the segregation between the floors. In the event that either of us can no longer use the stairs it would not matter because everything we need is downstairs anyway. I also don't want a house taking up a lot of the lot, which is what would happen if you have 3700 sq ft as a one story.
Lack of stairs for the most part, especially for older buyers.
That is probably the biggest reason. Steps get old even when you can still easily walk up and down them. My parents who are in their 70's just purchased another home a few years back and that was top priority for them. 1 step to get in and easily accommodated with a ramp if the need arises.
I have lived in a 2 story house for over 20 years and will Never buy a 2 story again. You freeze half the year downstairs, the other half is OK. I rather just have one floor and be able to be able to heat and cool easier.
We went from a single story house, to a house with a finished basement, therefore it has stairs.
I love our basement. We have two large bedrooms downstairs, a bathroom, and a huge family room. The kids have the downstairs bedrooms and they are quite happy having the basement pretty much to themselves.
I like when they have friends over that they can all just hang out in the basement and be noisy and/or boisterous and they are not bothering us at all upstairs. The kids do their own laundry so they are the ones stuck going up and down the stairs with clothes for the laundry room, not me.
Meanwhile on the main floor we have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, the laundry room, living room, and kitchen. We'll be just fine as we age having everything we need on the main floor, and the downstairs can be for the kids when they visit, or a caretaker if we need one later on in life.
I'm quite happy with our two story house.
Stage of life makes so much difference. With a baby, most want the master near the nursery. With teenagers, you want them to have their own space. As a senior, I have opted for a one-level (except for bonus room over the garage) split-bedroom plan where the master is not near the other bedrooms.
Great for guests. I would not have ever wanted this arrangement when I had a small child.
Stage of life makes so much difference. With a baby, most want the master near the nursery. With teenagers, you want them to have their own space. As a senior, I have opted for a one-level (except for bonus room over the garage) split-bedroom plan where the master is not near the other bedrooms.
Great for guests. I would not have ever wanted this arrangement when I had a small child.
I agree with this. When I was younger, all bedrooms upstairs or at least all on the same floor was what I WANTED because my kids were little. When they became older, either a split master or their bedrooms upstairs, and by then I knew I wanted the master downstairs, even if other bedrooms were upstairs.
I am 56 and my husband is 60. We are fine now with our two story house with the master and all the areas we use all the time downstairs (living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, office, master and master bath, and powder room) and just guest rooms and bathroom upstairs. But in our next house we prefer a one story. Still might go with a two story if only guest rooms and a bathroom were upstairs.
My dream home is all on one floor WITH a storage area dedicated to Christmas/holiday stuff, so I don't have to lug all that stuff up and down the stairs! But this house is an improvement because even though it's all stored upstairs, at least it's a walk in attic (I love it and it has totally spoiled me) rather than one I have to pull a ladder down to get into.
I agree with this. When I was younger, all bedrooms upstairs or at least all on the same floor was what I WANTED because my kids were little. When they became older, either a split master or their bedrooms upstairs, and by then I knew I wanted the master downstairs, even if other bedrooms were upstairs.
I am 56 and my husband is 60. We are fine now with our two story house with the master and all the areas we use all the time downstairs (living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, office, master and master bath, and powder room) and just guest rooms and bathroom upstairs. But in our next house we prefer a one story. Still might go with a two story if only guest rooms and a bathroom were upstairs.
My dream home is all on one floor WITH a storage area dedicated to Christmas/holiday stuff, so I don't have to lug all that stuff up and down the stairs! But this house is an improvement because even though it's all stored upstairs, at least it's a walk in attic (I love it and it has totally spoiled me) rather than one I have to pull a ladder down to get into.
How do you get in walk-in attic?
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