This is one of the most common conversations I have with buyers.
Single story or two story?
And for most buyers the answer comes down to price. Two story homes generally offer more square footage for less money. Single story homes cost more per square foot but keep everything on one level.
That is the simple version.
But there is a more important conversation underneath that one — and most buyers are not having it clearly enough before they sign.
The Case For Two Story
More square footage for your money. That is the primary argument and it is a real one.
A two story home allows a builder to stack living space vertically on a smaller footprint — which means more bedrooms, more bathrooms, more total square footage at a lower price per square foot than a single story equivalent.
For a young family that needs the bedroom count and is not thinking about stairs as a daily consideration — two story makes a lot of sense. Kids upstairs. Primary bedroom upstairs or downstairs depending on the floor plan. Main living on the ground floor. Clean separation between sleeping and living spaces.
Two story also tends to offer more privacy separation between bedrooms — which matters when you have kids or guests in the home regularly.
The Case For Single Story
Everything on one level.
No stairs to navigate in the morning. No stairs to worry about at 2am. No stairs to think about when you are carrying laundry or groceries or anything else. No stairs to reconsider as you age.
Single story homes also tend to flow more naturally for entertaining — everything is accessible without sending guests up or down a level.
And for the buyer who is thinking about how this home works not just today but in ten and twenty years — single story eliminates a variable that becomes increasingly significant over time.
The 55 Plus Conversation
Here is where this decision gets really important and really personal.
If you are in your fifties or beyond — the staircase conversation is not abstract. It is concrete and it is worth having honestly before you commit to a two story floor plan.
Think about what your daily life looks like in ten years. In fifteen years. Are stairs going to be a problem? For some buyers the answer is genuinely no — they are active, healthy and comfortable with stairs indefinitely. For others the honest answer is — probably yes, eventually.
I am not here to make that decision for you. I am here to make sure you are making it consciously rather than defaulting to two story because it offers more square footage at a lower price per square foot.
The wrong floor plan at this stage of life is a mistake that is very hard to undo.
For the 55 plus buyer who is making what may be their last significant home purchase — single story deserves serious consideration even if it means less square footage or a higher price per square foot. The floor plan needs to work for you now and over time.
The Hidden Costs of Two Story
A few things buyers do not always factor in when comparing single story and two story.
Utility costs. Two story homes can be more challenging to heat and cool efficiently — especially when ceiling heights vary significantly between floors.
Maintenance. Exterior maintenance on a two story home — gutters, windows, exterior painting — is more complex and more expensive than on a single story.
Furniture and logistics. Moving furniture into and out of a two story home is more difficult. A large sofa that fits perfectly in the main level living room has to get there somehow.
These are not dealbreakers. They are considerations worth factoring into the full picture.
What To Ask Before You Decide
Walk the staircase. Actually walk it multiple times. Think about how many times a day you are going up and down. Think about what it feels like carrying things. Think about what it feels like at the end of a long day.
Ask yourself honestly — where do I want to be in ten years? In fifteen years? Does a two story floor plan serve that version of my life?
And look at the single story options available in your price range and location. In many Summerlin West communities right now there are genuinely compelling single story floor plans at accessible price points — Esplanade by Taylor Morrison, Cactus Bloom by Richmond American, select floor plans at KB and Pulte. The single story option is more available right now than it has been in years.
The Vegas Confidential Take
There is no universal right answer between single story and two story.
But there is a right answer for your specific life, your specific body and your specific timeline.
Do not let price per square foot be the only variable in that decision. Let how the floor plan actually lives — today and over time — be the primary consideration.
Rate it before you buy it.
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I’m Jennifer Graff with The New Home Experts Las Vegas. Twenty years in this market. Here to help you make the right move — not just any move.
And this… is your Vegas Confidential.
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