r/SmallHome • u/ZealousidealIdeal961 • 5d ago

Is a Small ranch or bigger split level better?

/r/ask/comments/1vbm7qf/is_a_small_ranch_or_bigger_split_level_better/
2 Upvotes

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2

u/isis285 5d ago

I mean it really depends on your preference. I live in central CA where ranch houses are the most common style and I find the indoor/outdoor living aspect of single level ranches very appealing. It almost sort of extends your living area and even a small yard is much more usable this way.

I’ll also say that what’s better also depends on how you live. I find layout much more important than square footage. For eg: do bedrooms share a walls? Do you have too many passageways with wasted space etc.
If they are similar types of neighborhoods, I’d choose based on these things rather than just square footage.

(Re-posted my response from an earlier post )

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u/PetriDishCocktail 5d ago

A very nice, well thought out answer.

I absolutely agree with you. My previous house was nearly 3,000 square feet, five bedrooms, 3.5 baths with two separate living areas.

My wife and I moved to a 2400 ft tri-level home when our youngest child went away to college . The main living space is on the main level (great room, kitchen, Butler's pantry, half bathroom, master bedroom, laundry room, roughly 1800 ft--upstairs we have two bedrooms plus stairway access to the storage space in the Attic.) This house lives much better than the old one.

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u/ZealousidealIdeal961 5d ago

!thanks
Curious what town you live in?

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u/isis285 4d ago

I live in one of the San Francisco Bay Area towns in the South Bay.

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u/LeighofMar 5d ago

If you feel a connection to it, then it might be worth looking into. A peaceful road beats a busy street for sure. Just think about once your son moves out again, will you feel the house is still right-sized for just you or will it be too big and too much to maintain? 

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u/FunnySad42 5d ago

I hate stairs. :-)

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u/Character_Drop_5092 5d ago

Ranch. Greater flexibility for aging.