Do I Need a One-Level Home?

You may not need a one-level home today, but plan for the next ten years, not the next one. What matters most is having a bedroom, a full bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry on the floor you walk in on, with few steps from the car to the door.

I am Delia Bayna, a REALTOR with eXp Realty in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). Stairs come up in almost every downsizing conversation, so here is how I would think about them.

When people say they want a one-level home, they usually mean they never want to climb stairs to get through an ordinary day. That is a smart goal, and more homes can meet it than you might think.

The test is simple. Can you sleep, shower, cook, eat, and do the laundry without going up or down a flight of stairs? If you can, the home gives you what people call main-floor living, even if there is a basement or an upstairs.

In Utah, a single-story home is often called a rambler, and many ramblers have a full basement below. That can work well if the basement holds the guest room and the storage. It works less well if the washer and dryer are down there, because laundry is a trip you make every week.

Other homes can pass the test too. A two-story home with the main bedroom on the ground floor can work. So can a condo on one level in a building with an elevator, which I cover in whether a condo is a good fit when you downsize.

A home can be on one level inside and still have a long climb to the front door. Count the steps from where you park to where you set down the groceries. That includes the porch steps, the step up from the garage into the house, and any slope in the driveway.

In Salt Lake City, picture those steps in January. A few steps that feel like nothing in the fall can feel very different covered in ice after dark. Look for railings on both sides, good lighting at the door, and a covered spot where you can get in out of the snow.

Some older Salt Lake City neighborhoods sit on hills, such as the Avenues, and homes there often have steps up from the street. That does not rule them out. It means you count those steps on purpose before you fall for the house.

• How do my knees, hips, and balance feel on stairs today, and how might they feel in ten years?
• If I had a surgery or a fall, could I live on the main floor for a few months?
• Who carries the laundry, the groceries, and the holiday boxes, and up how many steps?
• Do I still want stairs for the exercise? Some people do, and that is a fine reason to keep them.
• Where would visiting family sleep? A basement guest room can be a good use of stairs you rarely climb.

One of the first questions in my free downsizing guide asks what your next place looks like, and a single story is one of the choices. Sit with these questions before you answer it.

A one-level home is not the only good answer. You may find a home in the neighborhood you love that has stairs, and decide the location is worth it. That is a real trade, and it can be the right one.

If you go that way, make the stairs as easy as you can. Railings on both sides, bright lighting with switches at the top and the bottom, and a clear place to set things down all help. Some people add a stair lift later. If you think you might, ask a contractor to look at the stairs during your Due Diligence period, before you are committed.

Single-level homes can also be harder to find in some parts of town, which may mean trading a neighborhood for a floor plan. Drive the area, see what is out there, and then decide which matters more to you.

If you are moving once and want it to be your last move for a long time, I would put main-floor living near the top of your list. It does not have to be a rambler. It has to let you live your days without the stairs.

I taught for eighteen years. A good teacher plans for the student in May, not only the one who shows up in September. I would plan your next home the same way, for you in ten years as well as you today.

Then tour a few kinds of homes side by side, as I suggest in how to choose where to live next. If you need time to find the right floor plan, read whether to rent for a while after you sell. My downsizing page shows how I plan the sale and the next home as one move.

What is a rambler?

In Utah, a rambler is a single-story home. Many have a full basement below the main floor.

What does main-floor living mean?

It means the bedroom, a full bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry are all on the floor you walk in on, so you can get through a normal day without stairs.

Can a two-story home work when I downsize?

Yes, if the main bedroom, a full bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry are on the ground floor and the upstairs is for guests or storage.

How many steps outside are too many?

There is no single number. Think about carrying groceries up them on an icy night, and whether you could manage them after a surgery.