Split Ranch

What exactly is a Split Ranch. How does it differ from a Ranch or a splanch.

Some of these houses confuse me

Re: Split Ranch

A split ranch is sort of a hybrid of a split level and a hi ranch. It's kind of rare in the areas where I work. I had a listing last year in N. Bellmore that was a split ranch, but I marketed it as a split level, because people generally don't know to search for a split ranch on MLS!

A ranch is generally where all of the above-grade living space is on one level (it may have a full basement though). The exception is a Levitt ranch (found in Levittown, of course!) where it's kind of like a cape with the stairs in the back instead of the front (it has 2 stories -- the upstairs is generally 2 bedrooms, sometimes with a bath or a laundry area in between).

A splanch is like a step up from a split level in terms of size and square footage, but like a split has multiple levels that are like 5 steps up (not a full flight of steps). It's usually 3 levels -- first level typically has a dining room, kitchen, den, second level is a formal living room, third level is the bedrooms (usually 4). The "floating living room" always defines a splanch to me.

The split ranch is like a hi ranch in that when you walk in, you have stairs going up and stairs going down (again, a small flight of like 4 or 5 steps, not a full flight). A hi ranch usually has 3 bedrooms up and one bedroom down. The split ranch I sold had the bedrooms on the upper level with the kitchen, living room, dining room, and then the lower level was a family room and other playroom/rec room area (no other bedroom).

Hope this helps!

Re: Split Ranch