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By the way, walking up stairs many times a day (even a few stairs) has great health benefits -- helps keep weight off and improves cardiovascular fitness.
Tri-level homes typically sell for less than two story homes around here. One story homes are few and far between.
We live in one and I love it. We have solar tubes (skylights) in the kitchen/dining room side because it's on the one story side. I can't tell you how many times we've tried to turn off the lights because it is so bright. The layout has four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and two living areas which works great for us. If it was one story, we would have a smaller yard. if it was two stories, we'd likely have one fewer bedroom and either a basement rec room or only one living area.
The downside is that it is not conducive to the open concept that so many love these days, and the lower level is classified as basement even if it is walkout to the back yard.
The good news is that you get more sq. footage for the money.
As to why the house has been on and off the market, that's worth asking about.
Are you buying as an investment or as a place to live?
As a place to live- what does a single-level house in the same price range look like?
Often tri-levels are infill housing. Does this house offer a short commute, convenient access to shopping and entertainment?
Typically single level homes are infill in many of the areas you are mentioning in Chicagoland. I live in an area now (and work in a different area) with lots of split level homes and typically the options are either split level, two story, and possibly raised ranch, with only a handful of single story homes here or there. The ones that come on the market need a ton of renovation or are bad flips. I had a coworker who bought one buy the office and she essentially lived in the basement for months while they redid the main level. I am looking to buy soon and would love a single level, but I am not in the mood to do major renovations. The split levels that have had recent renovations seem to sell pretty quickly, while the ones that haven’t been updated stay on the market forever. If I find a decent split level, I would consider it.
I agree with the other poster that within a price point, you can typically find split levels and single levels, but two-story homes tend to be more expensive with less living space.
People hate on them but I don’t get it. They seem to be a good use of space; sectored enough that you don’t feel like you’re living in an arena like some open concepts yet open enough you don’t feel like you’re in a Victorian. As to the stairs, they seem to have a lot of half flights so I’ve never felt like I was hiking up and down a lot.
People hate on them but I don’t get it. They seem to be a good use of space; sectored enough that you don’t feel like you’re living in an arena like some open concepts yet open enough you don’t feel like you’re in a Victorian. As to the stairs, they seem to have a lot of half flights so I’ve never felt like I was hiking up and down a lot.
The open concept is the fashion these days.
My grandmother is 83 with increasing mobility issues in a tri-level home. The basement is walkout to the backyard. The second level is living/dining. The third level is bedrooms/bathrooms.
At ~1250 finished sq. ft with 3 BR/2 BA, the rooms feel small and choppy. The kitchen is much smaller than people want these days. The dining area can only comfortably fit a table for four, with two more people sititng at the kitchen island. The master bath is absolutely tiny - if I sit on the toilet, one shoulder hits the vanity, the other hits the wall, and I'm not a huge guy. I don't think even the master bedroom could accommodate a king-sized bed.
Especially for the elderly, this layout is not practical at all. The laundry is in the basement, so it has to go up two sets of stairs to the bedroom. There's no restroom on the main level, so she has to go up the stairs a lot. It's gotten to the point that she basically stays upstairs and only comes down to eat.
The home itself looks great, fully updated in a great neighborhood. However, the home has been on and off the. market since July. I have read buyers like traditional layouts and less stairs. We love the home but for future selling and appreciation, should buy a traditional home instead?
For future resale a single level is best then a traditional two level. Trilevel is least desirable. If you can afford one or the other, then you should buy that instead, as it will have more buyers when it comes time to sell. However, if you can only afford to get into a certain school system or neighborhood in one of the cheaper homes in the neighborhood then by all means buy a trilevel in a nicer area.
1) Location - good neighborhood, close to amenities etc.
2) Cheapest home in the neighborhood.
Both beat out the disadvantage of trilevel. But all things being equal in the same neighborhood or location a single level or traditional 2 story is an easier resell.
My grandmother is 83 with increasing mobility issues in a tri-level home. The basement is walkout to the backyard. The second level is living/dining. The third level is bedrooms/bathrooms.
At ~1250 finished sq. ft with 3 BR/2 BA, the rooms feel small and choppy. The kitchen is much smaller than people want these days. The dining area can only comfortably fit a table for four, with two more people sititng at the kitchen island. The master bath is absolutely tiny - if I sit on the toilet, one shoulder hits the vanity, the other hits the wall, and I'm not a huge guy. I don't think even the master bedroom could accommodate a king-sized bed.
Especially for the elderly, this layout is not practical at all. The laundry is in the basement, so it has to go up two sets of stairs to the bedroom. There's no restroom on the main level, so she has to go up the stairs a lot. It's gotten to the point that she basically stays upstairs and only comes down to eat.
Well, no, but neither is any arrangement that lacks laundry and a master bedroom on the first floor. Houses of any arrangement have design flaws or compromises. I haven't seen tons associated specifically with a split-level. My own ranch home was originally built with a hallway running along the separated kitchen and dining room that separated the living room and the entryway. So think of a 3 bed home at 1300 sf that had a separate dining room, separate entryway, and a hallway joining them all together. It was small and cramped. But that's not a function of Ranch homes, just how they built THIS ranch home in 1964. The last owner took out the entryway and made it part of the living room and removed the hallway/dining room wall to open the kitchen up. Personally I think it's design was a throw back to pre-air conditioning days when you wanted to contain the heat from the kitchen, especially in the southeast.
I would not want a tri level home. I think those are usually poorly designed for efficient living.
I don’t like bi-levels or split levels either. I do think they are old fashioned and present problems with heating and cooling.
But this is personal preference.
Because of a dated floor plan, and probable age of the house, I imagine a tri level would not appreciate as much over time as a well designed one level or standard two level home.
People hate on them but I don’t get it. They seem to be a good use of space; sectored enough that you don’t feel like you’re living in an arena like some open concepts yet open enough you don’t feel like you’re in a Victorian. As to the stairs, they seem to have a lot of half flights so I’ve never felt like I was hiking up and down a lot.
I don't get it either. It obviously wouldn't work for someone who struggled with stairs. However, then most one level homes in this area are too small for our family.
If you have a couple kids, need an office, like having a separate living room and family room, appreciate a decent size kitchen and dining area, ... hard to get that all in on one level.
Could do it in a two story home with a basement, and we've done that. It works. But don't know why that would be preferable to a trip-level.
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