When deciding on the kind of home to buy or build, most people turn to multi-story homes automatically assuming they offer more living space. This is not necessarily the case. Although multi-story homes are indeed a popular choice, they’re not for everyone.
With multi-story homes, you may end up paying more money to have the house built. It also takes more time to finish. And when it comes to safety, many home builders in Utah agree that it’s not the best choice, especially if you’re living with kids or elderly people.
6 Benefits of Living in a Single-story Home
In this post, we’re putting the spotlight on single-story or ranch-style homes and sharing the key benefits of living in a single-story home. By the time you finish reading, you’ll have a better idea of the advantages and whether they’re right for you.
1. Safer Than Multi-Story Homes
Take away the staircase and you take away the tripping and falling accidents that typically happen to small kids, persons with disabilities, and the elderly when using the stairs. This is one of the main benefits of owning a single-story home, especially for families. It’s easier and safer for everyone to evacuate a single-story home during emergency situations such as fires or earthquakes. It also eliminates the need to carry someone down when a family member can’t walk and needs emergency medical care.
2. Wider Floor Plans and Higher Ceilings
You can own a one-story house with a much wider floor plan compared to multiple-story ones. Single-story homes offer more breathing space as well as better airflow and more natural light, especially if you opt for a higher ceiling. Houses like this are very high in demand on the market, which is one thing to consider if you plan on selling the property in the future.
3. Easier to Clean
Another benefit of living in a single-story home, you can easily do the cleaning by starting from one side and ending on the other. Multi-story homes aren’t so simple. For one thing, you have to carry a vacuum cleaner or steam mop up and down the stairs while taking care not to trip on the cable. It also takes a lot of time and energy moving multiple items from one floor to another, which typically happens during spring cleaning when you want to reorganize your house.
4. More Energy-Efficient
Because air doesn’t need to be distributed across multiple floors, single-story homes are easier and faster to heat and cool. This allows you to save more on monthly utility bills compared to multi-story homes. Aside from low monthly bills, you tend to save more money on repairs too since single-story homes generally have fewer problems with the heating or cooling system.
5. Less Traveling Sound
In multi-story homes, noise can be a problem. Sound travels between adjacent floors, making it difficult to get some peace and quiet on one floor when the other floor is noisy. A benefit of living in a single-story home is that you’re not going to hear people running around upstairs.
6. Better Resale Value
Although you may end up spending more when building a one-story house, the property you built also tends to sell for more. Ranch-style homes are usually in demand, regardless of where it is or when you’re selling. Even if you’re not planning on selling your home, it’s always good to think about resale value. Your financial situation may not stay the same or you may decide to relocate. When that happens, you’ll be able to list your home for a higher price than the two-story homes in the neighborhood.
Single-story homes are a more appealing choice for families with kids or members that have trouble moving around. Aside from the practical points, however, they also offer more charm and breathing space, which is why many people prefer them to multiple-story homes.
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