Buying home:1 story or 2 stories in houston?

My husband and I are thinking about buying a house in Houston and not yet sure whether 1 story or 2-story house is better for us. We have a 15- month old baby and probably my parents would come to stay with us for some time.





At first I think 1 story is good because I don't have to worry about my baby and parents falling down the stairs. But the humidity and insects of Houston area bother me: would it be too damp in the summer to live on the first floor? Is there any other thing we need to look out-- such as adequate natural light, energy saving, mosquitos or even flood? What is the typical price difference between the two?





Anyone has his/her experience to share? We are new to the area and it's our first time to buy a house.Any input would be greatly appreciated!Buying home:1 story or 2 stories in houston?
Add up the square feet of living space. Generally, two floors are cheaper than a sprawling ranch. AC issues are mostly related to how good ceiling/attic insulation is, as well as how tight the windows are.Buying home:1 story or 2 stories in houston?
As someone who has lived in 2,3 and single level homes, I can honestly say that I prefer the single level dwelling. Keep in mind that heat rises, so upstairs bedrooms can be miserable during the hotter months, even with A/C. Convenience is also an issue-if the laundry room is on the first floor or in the basement-and the bedrooms are on the 2nd floor-think of how many trips up and down those stairs it will take just to deal with your laundry. And think about your pattern of everyday living. Imagine that you go upstairs to put the baby down for a nap,then it's back downstairs to the kitchen to grab the bottle you forgot. Back upstairs you go, only to have the doorbell ring. Down the stairs again. Forgot to turn the baby monitor on? Back upstairs -you get the picture. Also consider how long you plan on living in the home. You may be in good health now, but what happens years down the road if you or a family member develop health issues? My sister and her husband built their 2 story dream home 15 years ago. My brother- in- law now has a bad hip and has increasing difficulty getting upstairs to the bedroom. As for cost, it is always cheaper to build up instead of out, but for me the convenience of single level living is well worth the cost. Also, as first time buyers, be sure to make any offer on a home contingent on a home inspection. Do some research and find a reputable home inspection company. The money will be well spent, and it can save you thousands in unexpected home repairs. Good luck on finding your new home!
My opinion is that everyone should have their own Bathroom:


Wife: Full Bath


Husband: Bathroom with shower.


Baby: Smelly Bathroom


Guests: Full Bathroom.


The rest doesn't matter.


I guess the Pets can share the Guest Bathroom.
We lived up the road in Austin for a year and a half. We had a two story place. Aside from almost bankrupting us to cool it in the summer it was OK, not really great but OK.





Winters were fairly mild, we had some cold snaps but not bad. We were able to stay warm and comfortable.





My family has lived in one, two and three story homes. If I have a choice, I will stay with the single story units. One of the things I really don't like about the stairs is when it comes time to move something. And I don't mean the whole family into a new house, just moving a dresser from an upstairs bedroom to a downstairs room is just a pain.





Other than that I don't have much more to say. You already commented on falls. We had children from 2 yrs. to 13 or 14 yrs. We also had visits from my parents with no problems about the stairs. I do admit to being apprehensive about leasing the place because of the kids.





That's about all I can think of. Good luck, I hope mine and the rest of the answers help in some small way. Buying a house can be nerve wracking without trying to decide on how many floors there are. I about went crazy over neighborhoods and I had lived in the town most of my life.
it depends on the price of the two-story, and the one-story. i would go for the second-story house. although it will be hot in the summer on the second-story, you'll have a lot of room to put your junk (if you have any, and if you call it junk)!!!!!
choose your builder well - most now have childer building the home with nothing upstairs except '; igotta be on schedule';


choose well your area, don't listen to a realtor, or get between a realtor %26amp; a dollar


do not buy a new house in Houston - witout coolply, a/c seer of 13 or better ( trane is best short term, something with copper coils long term )


6'; walls 1 story would be great, all others will be r-11 /- r-15 is an up grade - r-19 in a 6'; ( 51/2'; ) wall





two story is fun, but soon becomes a pain chasing kid %26amp; picking up your bloody parents at the base of stairs - go 1 story





live as close to work as you can stand - Houston is bigger than any major metropolitian city 700 sq miles, mass transportation is a joke, get a fuel effiecient car, get %26amp; carry a hand gun... everyone else does, if you can afford to, live inside the loop ( 610 ) this will make all commute easy ( ie - against traffic )





i've build / repaired / worked on over 2000 houses all areound Houston - the idead 1 story is big enough to have 2 a/c units ( 3000 to 4000 sq ft ), public area on west side ( sun set ), private/bedroom east-sunrise r-30 insulation, my personal homes have had about 14 whirlibirds %26amp; open soffits to ventilate attic - heat is your enemy here





there is no zoning so beware of an unbelievable deal, research well.... i used to live by meyerland/belaire, moved to sienna plantation, %26amp; now near needville ( 30 miles out ) - houston native





good luck


call if you need to - i'm the only one fort bend county -