The phrase “single-level living” or “main-level living” has become familiar to most Americans. The trend of having all of your home’s important spaces on the main floor has become increasingly popular as people look for greater simplicity, comfort, and convenience in their lives.

At Sonders Fort Collins, all of the homes are designed for single-level living. The research shows the need. Because as you age, which we are tending to do for longer than ever, you want to continue feeling comfortable and safe in your own home.

Here are the primary benefits of single-level living home designs…

Single-level living allows for aging in place.

People don’t want to be ushered out of their homes and communities when their needs change for mobility and access. A 2021 study by AARP showed that more than 75 percent of adults ages 50 and over wanted to stay in their homes or communities as they age (often called “aging in place”).

It’s never too early to start planning for aging in place, and the evidence shows that it will be desirable for us later in life even if we aren’t considering it right now. A single-level, ranch-style new home is endlessly customizable to allow you to remain in your home for as long as you desire, regardless of how your physical abilities change.

Stairs are a major barrier to aging in place, especially when they separate crucial living spaces (i.e., bedrooms on the second floor and the kitchen on the main level).

Single-level living in a ranch-style home design means that all of the most important components of your home are accessible without using stairs, which lowers your fall risk and makes your day-to-day life more convenient and comfortable.

“We prioritized main-floor living because it’s the natural fit for the community and for future homeowners that are looking for fewer stairs and a lower maintenance lifestyle,” says Shadia Lemus, marketing and communications director for Thrive Home Builders. “Sonders is a community designed from the ground up to foster an environment for active, healthy aging.”

It can be very difficult to retro-fit a two-story home to make it comfortable for aging in place. New home designs that are geared towards single-level living are much more suitable to this life plan.

Single-level living also provides peace of mind knowing that your space will age with you rather than becoming a burden or risk as you get older. A responsive, safe home with everything on one level is a comfort for many homeowners.

Ranch-style new homes often require less maintenance.

While some ranch-style homes are sprawling places with plenty of square footage, these new home designs are often more compact and simple, which makes maintenance easier.

Even if you don’t give up any square footage with a ranch-style new home design, cleaning is an easier task because you don’t have to lug your vacuum or mop up and down the stairs.

The flowing, single-level layout makes cleaning and maintenance a breeze, so you can spend your time doing more important things.

“Bridgewater’s ranch-style homes are designed to offer functional and efficient main-level living,” says Leslie Bell, one of the owners of Bridgewater Homes. “Interior features include gourmet kitchens, open entertaining areas, generous ceiling heights and abundant natural light, with additional architectural options for buyers to personalize the floorplan to meet their own unique needs. Main-level living is no longer specific to any generation. People of all ages see the value of a ranch style home; including ease of living and energy efficiency.”

Single-level, ranch-style homes usually boast smart, modern design features.

The new single-level living home designs are modern and smart for the savvy homebuyer.

These layouts are more functional, prioritizing what homeowners really want and need out of their space. Most new home designs are open-concept, so living spaces flow easily into kitchen and dining areas for comfortable entertaining and family time.

These new home designs also feature well-designed outdoor spaces like large patios and covered porches that make it easy to increase your time spent outside, which benefits your physical and mental wellness, and invites a casual, neighborly greeting every so often.

Because single-level home designs are focused on convenience and aging in place, they also have simple-but-important design features like low thresholds that make the home safer and more comfortable.

New, ranch-style home designs almost always have the option for a finished basement.

Most new, ranch-style home designs–including every plan offered by Bridgewater Homes and Thrive Home Builders at Sonders Fort Collins–offer the option for a finished basement.

This is a major benefit of single-level living because these home designs offer you the chance to build out the below space to your needs. Finishing out your basement allows for excellent added space for guests without moving any of the high-traffic areas of the home off the main level.

It’s unlocking the benefits of main-level living without sacrificing space.

A full basement build-out by Thrive Home Builders or Bridgewater Homes can provide as many as two additional bedrooms and a recreation room. In most models, this increases your square footage by more than 1,000 feet.

The option for a finished basement is just that–an option, which puts the power in the hands of the home buyer and allows you to design a home that’s truly yours. This flexibility in additional space is especially well-suited to growing families!

Experience All The Single-Level Living Benefits at Sonders Fort Collins

As you can see, single-level living is popular for a number of reasons, but the main reason people are flocking to this new home design is easy to summarize: it works.

While stairs might not be a physical impossibility for you right now, they are certainly a hassle. Who among us hasn’t had that moment at the top or bottom of the stairwell when you realize that you need something from the other level? It’s disheartening (and exhausting).

With single-level living, you can avoid that experience entirely, and also reap the benefits of increased safety, better functionality, reduced maintenance and smarter design.

See some of the available single-level new home designs at Sonders Fort Collins.