Two story homes vs. One Story homes.

This is a quick post. I had to convince one of my buyers a one story of the same size is actually better then a two story. Comparing two homes, all other factors being the same except one is two story and the other is one. Here are some reasons I like one story over two:

Personal Reasons: no stairs!

1. Ease of movement
2. break a leg? no going up/down stairs
4. laundry care is easier - all on one level
5. just home with a new baby? no stairs to climb.
6. In laws visiting? No stairs to climb
7. Don't have to lug cleaning supplies up and down stairs
8. No possibility of falling down stairs
9. two story is not quieter - You have people living above you

MARKET DATA: Single story homes sell for more

Lets see what the numbers say. Lets compare homes that have sold in the last six months that are 2000 sq.ft-2200 sqft and built over year 2000. I want to look at a tight criteria so we can compare same size and age homes.

Single story sold in last six months= 10
Average selling price= $260,400
two story homes: = 14
average selling price= $244,957

So with this limited range it looks like a +6% difference for the same sized home if single story.
I think if we looked at a larger group of homes the range would be more like 10-15%.

BUILDING COST FACTORS: it costs more to build one story homes.

(quote taken from a custom home building blog)link to City data Forum

It costs more to build a one story of the same size as a two story:
Below was found on the Internet from a home builders blog:

I once had a general rule of thumb but that is always a bad idea but after looking at costs it went something like this.

$200 a sq foot for 1st floor space
$100 a sq foot for 2nd floor space
$50 a sq foot for basement space (finished)

Now any rule of thumb is never applicable to all situations but when I was planning on our level of trim in our area, that is about what it came to.

So 3000 sq foot ranch - $600k
3000 sq foot 2 story - $450k
3000 sq foot 3 story - $350k (you can't exactly do this but you get the idea)

So by that math, it costs 33% more to build a single story.

Just consider that a single story is twice the roof and twice the foundation of a two story.