Auburn Homes for Sale: One-Story or Two-Story Home?
Auburn homes for sale come in many different floor plans, but here’s a question buyers sometimes don’t think enough about until they start touring houses:
Would you rather live in a one-story or two-story home?
There isn’t one right answer.
A one-story home may make everyday living easier and can be worth considering if you’re thinking about how the house might work for you as the years go by.
A two-story home may provide more separation between living areas and bedrooms and can offer substantial interior space without requiring the same footprint on the lot.
The better choice depends on how you live now—and how you expect to live in the future.
Table of Contents
• One Story or Two Stories?
• Advantages of a One-Story Home
• Advantages of a Two-Story Home
• Think About the Stairs
• Privacy and Separation Matter
• Consider Heating and Cooling
• Think About Guests and Household Needs
• Don’t Forget Your Future Plans
• Quick Q&A
• Searching for Auburn Homes for Sale?
Auburn Homes for Sale: One Story or Two Stories?
When buyers first begin searching for a home, they usually have a list.
Price.
Bedrooms.
Bathrooms.
Location.
Garage.
Yard.
Maybe a particular kitchen layout.
But number of stories deserves a place on that list too.
Sometimes buyers have a very strong preference.
Other times they haven’t thought about it at all.
If you’re moving to Auburn, Alabama, or comparing Auburn and Opelika homes, it is worth considering how each type of floor plan would fit your everyday routine.
What Are the Advantages of a One-Story Home?
The obvious difference is simple:
No daily stairs between the main living areas and bedrooms.
For some buyers, that’s a major advantage.
You aren’t carrying laundry baskets upstairs.
You aren’t going up and down to retrieve something you forgot.
And if mobility becomes more difficult later, having the primary living spaces on one level may become particularly valuable.
A one-story floor plan may appeal to buyers who:
• Prefer everything on one level
• Want to minimize daily stair use
• Are thinking about long-term mobility
• Prefer bedrooms closer to the main living areas
• Want easier movement throughout the home
• Plan to remain in the property for many years
That doesn’t mean every one-story home will work well for every buyer.
Floor plan still matters.
A poorly designed one-story house doesn’t suddenly become perfect simply because it doesn’t have stairs.
What Are the Advantages of a Two-Story Home?
Two-story homes have their own advantages.
One of the biggest can be separation.
Depending on the floor plan, bedrooms may be upstairs while the kitchen, family room, and entertaining areas remain downstairs.
That can provide more distinction between private and shared spaces.
For example, someone can be watching television downstairs while another person is upstairs in a bedroom.
Guests may be visiting in the main living area without being right beside every bedroom.
And in some designs, a second floor allows a home to offer more interior living space without requiring as large a building footprint on the lot.
A two-story home may appeal to buyers who:
• Like separation between bedrooms and living areas
• Want distinct upstairs and downstairs spaces
• Need multiple bedrooms
• Like having guest or household spaces away from the main living area
• Prefer the layout offered by a particular two-story design
Again, the individual floor plan matters more than the label.
Think About the Stairs
This sounds obvious, but buyers should actually use the stairs during a showing.
Don’t just look upstairs.
Walk up and down.
How do they feel?
Are they steep?
Is the staircase narrow?
Where is it located?
Now imagine doing it several times a day.
Then imagine carrying:
Laundry.
Luggage.
Boxes.
A vacuum cleaner.
Whatever else regularly needs to move between floors.
Stairs may not bother you at all today.
And they may never become a problem.
But if you’re hoping to own the house for many years, it is reasonable to think about whether a multi-level layout fits your longer-term plans.
Privacy and Separation Can Matter
One-story and two-story homes can feel very different when several people are home at the same time.
Imagine guests are visiting.
Someone is watching television.
Another person wants quiet.
Someone else is working from home.
A floor plan that provides separation can be useful.
However, you don’t necessarily need two stories to achieve that.
A well-designed one-story home may have the primary suite on one side of the house and secondary bedrooms on another.
That’s why I encourage buyers to think beyond:
“I want one story.”
or:
“I want two stories.”
Instead ask:
“How does this particular floor plan work for my life?”
What About Heating and Cooling?
Heating and cooling should also be part of your evaluation.
Two-story homes can sometimes feel different upstairs and downstairs depending on the home’s design, insulation, HVAC configuration, sun exposure, thermostat placement, and other factors.
A one-story home has its own variables.
Instead of assuming one design will automatically be more comfortable or less expensive to operate, look at the specific property and its systems.
Ask questions about the HVAC equipment.
Review available utility information when appropriate.
And use the appropriate professionals when you need expert information about the condition or performance of a home’s systems.
Think About Children, Guests and Household Needs
Different households use space differently.
Someone who frequently has overnight guests may love having guest bedrooms upstairs and their own bedroom downstairs.
Another buyer may want every bedroom on the same floor.
Someone working remotely may prefer an upstairs office separated from the main living area.
Another remote worker may hate the thought of climbing stairs every time they want another cup of coffee. 😂
The point is not that one design is better.
The point is to match the floor plan to your actual routine.
Don’t Forget Your Future Plans
This may be especially important if you’re buying what you hope will be a long-term home.
Ask yourself:
How long do I expect to own this house?
Nobody can predict exactly what life will look like years from now.
But you probably have some idea of your plans.
If you’re hoping to remain in the property for many years, think about how the floor plan might work through different stages of life.
Would having the primary bedroom on the main floor matter to you?
Would you prefer all bedrooms together?
Would you like an office that could potentially serve another purpose later?
Would stairs still fit the lifestyle you envision?
You don’t have to solve every possible future problem.
But it’s worth thinking beyond move-in day.
Moving to Auburn? Look at the Whole House
When buyers are relocating, it’s easy to become focused on location.
How close is the house to Auburn University (https://www.auburn.edu/)?
How long is the commute?
How far is it from shopping?
What will traffic be like?
Those things matter.
But once we narrow down the location, we still need to find a house that works.
Buyers can explore different areas through my Auburn subdivisions page (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/auburn-al-subdivisons/).
For local school information, buyers should go directly to Auburn City Schools (https://www.auburnschools.org/).
Auburn Mall (https://www.shopauburnalabama.com/) is another established shopping destination, and Jordan-Hare Stadium (https://auburntigers.com/jordan-hare-stadium) is obviously an important landmark when considering proximity to Auburn University and game-day activity.
You can find additional Auburn–Opelika relocation and real estate information at AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com.
Don’t Rule Out Opelika
If you’re searching Auburn homes for sale, it may also make sense to compare Opelika homes depending on your needs.
Auburn and Opelika are adjacent communities, and expanding the search can give some buyers additional choices in floor plans, property styles, locations, and price points.
Maybe the one-story home that fits your needs is in Auburn.
Maybe it’s in Opelika.
The city name matters.
But ultimately, the home also has to work for your life.
A Realistic Buyer Example
Imagine a buyer who says:
“I definitely want a two-story house.”
Why?
They love the appearance.
They like having bedrooms upstairs.
They want separation between entertaining areas and sleeping areas.
Great.
Then we start touring.
After several houses, they realize something.
The primary bedrooms in the homes they’re considering are upstairs too.
They begin thinking about carrying laundry up and down.
They start considering how long they hope to own the house.
Suddenly, a different floor plan—with the primary suite downstairs and secondary bedrooms upstairs—starts looking much more appealing.
Their priorities didn’t necessarily change.
They simply became more specific.
That’s one of the benefits of actually touring homes.
Sometimes you don’t know exactly what you want until you experience the alternatives.
Quick Q&A About One-Story and Two-Story Homes
Are one-story homes better for long-term living?
They can be attractive to buyers who want to minimize stairs, particularly when thinking about future mobility. However, the individual floor plan and the buyer’s needs matter more than a universal rule.
Do two-story homes offer more privacy?
They can provide more separation between living and sleeping areas, depending on the design. Some one-story homes also provide excellent separation through split-bedroom or other floor plans.
Should I avoid stairs if I’m planning to stay in the home for years?
Not necessarily. But if you’re planning long-term ownership, it’s reasonable to consider whether stairs fit both your current lifestyle and your future plans.
Can a two-story home provide more space on a smaller footprint?
A second story can provide additional interior living area without expanding the building footprint to the same degree as a similarly sized one-story design, although individual homes and lots vary.
Should I consider both Auburn and Opelika?
Depending on your budget, commute, location preferences, and housing needs, comparing homes in both Auburn and Opelika may give you additional options.
Which would you choose—one story or two?
That’s the fun question.
Would you rather have everything on one level?
Or do you like the separation a second story can provide?
There isn’t one right answer.
I’d choose the floor plan that makes the most sense for how you actually plan to live in the house.
Searching Auburn Homes for Sale?
When you’re looking at Auburn homes for sale, don’t stop at bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, and price.
Think about how you’ll move through the house every day.
Think about privacy.
Think about guests.
Think about stairs.
Think about working from home.
And if you’re hoping to stay for many years, think about whether the floor plan makes sense for your future plans too.
The best floor plan is one that works for your life now and for the years you hope to spend in the home.
Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate, the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.
If you’re searching for Auburn homes for sale, moving to Auburn, moving to Opelika, or comparing Auburn and Opelika real estate, I’d love to help.
Laura Sellers, Associate Broker
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate
Call or text: 334-332-7263
AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com
Homes, y’all!
