Which Home Style is Best Between Raised Ranch Vs Split Level

Sophia Davis

By Sophia Davis

23 Jan. 2025

8 min read

Raised Ranch vs Split Level
Photo: @spencerconstructions

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    If you are planning to buy a house in the future or are already searching for one, knowing about the architectural details of the home will help you explain the requirements to the real estate agents in a better way. Any confusion about the home style will lead to a waste of time.

    There is always a bit of confusion between raised ranch and split-level homes because both styles look similar from the outside but differ from the inside. Once such difference is variation in the levels. Raised ranches have fewer floors than split-level homes. We discuss the difference between both styles in this article for a better understanding of the prospective buyers.

    Understanding the Raised Ranch and Split Level

    Raised Ranch

    This is the most preferred home style that dates back to the 1950s when demand for living spaces grew owing to growing family members. The raised ranch has two levels inside the house. The main front door opens to a small landing area from where the stairs take you to different levels; half stairs take to the upper floor to the living room and bedroom, the other half of the stairs to the area below the living room consisting of a basement in the form of a garage or laundry room as per the requirement.

    There are two types of raised ranches: California ranches with L L-shaped floor plans with a patio, without a basement, built on slab foundations, and the other is suburban ranches with similar floor plans like California ranches, with spacious interiors and compact exteriors.

    Pros of Raised Ranch

    • Staying on the same floor gives a feeling of coziness of being around family members.
    • The energy bill is reduced as heating and cooling on the same floor is easy and efficient.
    • It is a better option for elderly members and those with mobility issues.
    • The open floor plan gives more breathing space.
    • Cleaning gets easier as you don’t have to go up and down multiple times.
    • It looks spacious due to the floor plan.

    Cons of Raised Ranch

    • Each member won’t have privacy as all rooms are on the same floor. Opting for this style means compromising privacy.
    • More land is required to build a raised ranch.

    Split Level

    Split Level House
    Photo: @risehouseraising

    Split-level or multilevel house is split horizontally into different zones. Unlike ranch style, it is not layered on one another vertically. The front door opens on the ground floor, from where the stairs split for different areas. The stairs from the ground floor take you to the living room(1st level), then upstairs to the bedroom(2nd level), and then to the basement (3rd level). An interesting feature of this style is the stair railing gives a view of different floors from a single point, somewhere mid-way.

    There are three types of level houses: standard split in which the entrance is on the ground level where half of the stairs take you to the living room and basement and the other half to the bedrooms and bathrooms; side split level has a garage underneath the bedroom and the stacked split has more than three stacked levels.

    Pros of Split-Level

    • It is affordable because it is not in demand as much as raised ranch, which makes it the best buy for first-time buyers.
    • The multilevel space provides more privacy to all the members belonging to different generations.

    Cons of Split-Level

    • It could be difficult to resell the property as it is not much in demand.
    • It could be difficult for old people in the family or anyone with mobility issues to use the stairs.
    • Cleaning the house is a hassle, as going up and coming down several times is painful.

    Raised Ranch vs Split Level

    Raise Ranch Vs Split Level
    Photo: @risehouseraising&@spencerconstructions
    Difference Raised Ranch Split Level
    Popularity It is more popular than split due to the simple  It is less popular than the raised Ranch due to its complex design.
    Levels It has only two levels It has three or more levels
    Entrance Entry is directly in the living area with bedroom, kitchen and bathroom located downstairs to the basement  Entry is to a landing area that has two or more stairs to take you upstairs to the living room and then to the bedroom room. The stairs from the landing area goes down to the basement
    Real estate value Raised ranch has higher value than split. The reason can be attributed to less square footage below the ground. Square footage below the ground has less value than the floor area in rest of the house Split level has less real estate value because of higher square footage below the ground.
    Demand It has greater demand among the prospective home buyers It is less in demand
    Cost to build or remodel It is more expensive to build or remodel due to more square footage on one floor The cost to build or remodel is less expensive compared to raised ranch due to less floor footage on one level
    Look It has a modern look It look more like a traditional home
    Ease to remodel It is easier to remodel raised ranch as all the rooms are on the same floor The layout of split level makes it tedious to remodel adding more cost
    History It is a modern layout home preferred by homeowners of the modern era Split level homes gained popularity in the post-war period in the 1960s. It had a traditional outlook

    ConclusionHistory

    I hope after reading this article, you can add to your existing idea regarding raised ranch and split-level homes. Now, it would be easier to put across your expectations to the real estate agents as to what you are precisely looking for in the market.

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