Real estate has always been a good investment that builds a person’s wealth, assets, and credit score. However, choosing the right property as your home is more than an investment. It needs to suit your family well and provide comfort and safety for years and years to come.
When you’re looking for a new home, should you buy a one-story house or choose a two-story property instead? Comparing the benefits and drawbacks between a one-story and two-story home is an excellent place to start before making your choice.
In this article, we’ll discuss key properties of the home you should consider when choosing between one- and two-story homes.
1. Security
If you live in a multiple-story house, you have a higher chance of keeping burglars out. Windows are more vulnerable to entry, especially if you have left a window open while the house is empty.
Although this could also happen in a two-story house, the most common windows left unlocked are usually in the upstairs bedrooms, where a neighbor would quickly notice if someone tried to break into a second-floor window. This discourages burglars from entering two-story homes, especially if no window or door can be breached from the ground floor.
2. Privacy
A second or third-story bedroom offers a degree of privacy that a one-story residence can’t provide, depending on the placement of your windows.
On the other hand, two-story homes give more privacy than single-story residences. These apartment-style dwellings naturally separate shared and private spaces, so you don’t have to worry about strangers peering through your bedroom windows.
3. Emergency Proofing
No one typically likes to think about disasters, but they happen, along with man-made ones like fires. Depending on your home, you may have to consider tornadoes in the Midwest, flooding in the Eastern seaboard, or earthquakes in California.
If a disaster strikes when you are at home, you’ll want to be able to evacuate quickly under the worst possible conditions. This can be easier in a one-story house than in a two-story home that risks collapsing before you can get out.
4. Safety
Many senior living complexes have only one level since aging knees, hips, and ankles make stair climbing problematic. This is why having a staircase in your two-story home may be a slight risk.
For example, carrying laundry up and downstairs is also unsafe and taxing. Also small, active children running up and down the stairs is also a significant safety issue.
Despite these risks, make sure you child-proof the house, especially the stairs, and situate your laundry area on the first floor.
5. Maintenance
People who live in a bungalow typically have an easier time keeping up with maintenance and other ongoing expenses over the years. This can be an issue not just for cleaning but also in managing overhead costs.
It’s also more cost-efficient to cool or heat just one floor. Additionally, a single-story home without a two-zone HVAC system is more difficult to heat and cool, and older homes may lack this function entirely. These ongoing utility bills can be a primary concern for those on a tight budget living in a multiple-story home.
Conclusion
Ultimately, your health, family situation, and budget will be huge factors in your decision. How close you are to retiring, or till when your kids are with you, must also be factored into your decision. Once you’re ready to choose the right living environment, it’s time to call for experts to help you execute your vision.
Whether for a one-story or two-story home, you will need the best home builder with reliable, quality service. For almost 30 years, Duke Homes have been a trusted custom home builder in Greenwood, Indiana, building one-of-a-kind places that our clients are happy to call home. When working on your dream home, your complete satisfaction is our top focus. Contact us today!
