Single-Family Homes: How Many Bedrooms Do You Need?

Posted on: 19 July 2021

When looking at single-family homes for sale, you need to consider more than the square footage of these homes; you have to think about how many bedrooms you need as well. Simply counting the family members you have right now isn't enough to help you get the right house, you need to consider other factors as well. Here are things to think about when looking at single-family homes so you know how many bedrooms you need.

Your budget

The more bedrooms and square footage a home has, the more you'll usually pay for the property. If you are working with a smaller budget, consider buying a home with fewer bedrooms and less square footage so you can add on later as your budget allows and your family needs change.

If you need more bedrooms and want to buy a smaller, cheaper house to save money, consider that the average room costs between $80 to over $200 per square foot to complete, depending on whether a roof needs to be put over the space or other needs go into the building process. It might be more cost-effective to buy a home with the extra rooms you need and invest in the higher mortgage than trying to find ways to budget adding more rooms onto single-family homes that don't currently have the space you need.

Your future needs

Do you plan on having more children? Do you want to have a grandparent or other aging family member move in with you someday? Are you planning on renting out any of your rooms in the future after children move out? Do your children plan on moving in with you as you age?

Consider your future needs when looking at single-family homes so you pick the property with the right number of rooms. If you have younger children, you'll at least want to look at single-family homes with as many bedrooms as children you have, for example.

Your immediate needs

Finally, think about what you must have in a house right now regarding bedroom space, including whether you need a guest room or not. As you're thinking of bedrooms, consider how easy it might be to convert a larger room into two smaller rooms in the future if you're not ready to expand your bedroom needs right now. Your real estate agent will help you find a house that has the number of rooms you need immediately with room to grow if possible. Or, they can help you find a house that is close enough and can be modified with the number of rooms you need later.

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