Buying a new home is one of the major life decisions, especially for first-time home buyers. Ironically, it is the dream of almost everybody due to the many inconveniences that come with renting a home. Another significant advantage of buying a home is that it is a form of investment, whether it is for commercial or personal use. The resell value of a house always increases, so far as it is in very good condition. In addition, you can use it for a reserve mortgage package during retirement to take care of other important responsibilities.
Reasons you may need a new house
Aside from being a first-time buyer, you may need a new house due to increasing family size, the need for a change of environment, work transfer, relocation to a new state, or you can’t afford the old home anymore.
Considerations to make before buying a new home
Several critical considerations must be made before hitting the real estate market for a new house. This, among others, includes how big the house should be (how many rooms and bathrooms the house should contain). For example, it may look weird for a single person to purchase a six-bedroom house unless he/she has purposes for the other rooms. The same goes for a family of six buying a two-bedroom house; surely, there will be a deficit. Here are some important things to consider.
- Family Size
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need
- Budget
- Mode of purchase (mortgage or cash down)
- Location
How Many Bedrooms and Bathrooms Do You Need in Your New Home
The Bedroom: Bathroom Ratio
Experts are divided on this issue because different people have different needs. That notwithstanding, there is an ideal number, which is three bedrooms to one bathroom. Another school of thought believes that every two bedrooms should have one bathroom. Let’s now delve into both situations. Should it be three bedrooms to one bathroom or two bedrooms to one bathroom? As already mentioned, individual differences come to play when deciding on these matters.
Should it be 2:1 or 3:1?
Two bedrooms to one bathroom or three bedrooms to one bathroom all come with both pros and cons. So, your choice solely depends on what you can afford. Know that any additional bathroom comes at a cost. With that being said, the 2:1 scenario provides comfort, convenience, and more privacy. Since every two rooms have access to a bath, it makes it more convenient.
Two bedrooms to one bathroom
The 2:1 situation is sometimes more like 3:1. For example, you can have a four-bedroom house with two bathrooms, but it wouldn’t necessarily be 2:1. This is a situation when you have a master bedroom in the house. The master bedroom comes with an ensuite bathroom. With this, the remaining three bedrooms would have to share only one bathroom. So, though the house is four bedrooms to 2 bathrooms, practically, that is not the case. What works in such a situation is 4:3 bathrooms. When the master bedroom has a bathroom ensuite, the three other bedrooms will have two bathrooms.
But if you find yourself in the former scenario, you may have to embark on a home modification project to add an additional bathroom.
Three bedrooms to one bathroom
Just as the name suggests, 3:1 means three bedrooms sharing one bathroom. Such a scenario may come with inconveniences and privacy issues. Imagine you are running late for work but cannot have access to the bathroom because another person is in there. Or what is it going to be like when a family of five lives in a three-bedroom to a one-bathroom house? This will surely create lots of inconvenience.
What to consider when choosing
We have an ideal situation, but a lot depends on you as you need to consider many other factors. What gives your comfort, and how convenient would you want your home environment? Consider the following points when deciding.
Family size
Your family size is the first thing to consider when deciding on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms you need in your new house. Going by the ideal two-bedroom to a one-bathroom scenario, would it be convenient for your large family size of eight? If you decide to purchase a four-bedroom house with two bathrooms, it means four persons to a bathroom. Another issue is that each bedroom will have at least two occupants. The inconveniences in such a scenario will be terrible. Therefore, consider your family size before making the decision.
Personal Comfort, Privacy, and Convenience
Comfort and privacy must be prioritized as you hit the real estate market for a new house. But comfort and privacy may be relative depending on the people involved. What is your description of comfort and convenience, and what level of privacy do you want? In making this decision, you should also consider the rest of the family.
Factor in Your Guest
No one is an island, and occasionally you may receive a visitor who would want to sleep over or spend a few days. It is, therefore, important to factor in your guests when buying a new home, especially if you are the type who receives visitors frequently. Some family and friends would want to pass some few days when they visit. For their privacy’s sake, you should have a visitor’s bathroom.
Take-home
Settling on the number of bathrooms you need in your house depends on several factors, as stated above. The decision is also yours to make since it may come with some financial considerations/implications. You may need to spend more to get what suits your situation. Do what works for you and according to your budget.
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