upper level or main floor?

My husband and I are considering buying a co-op. All the ones we are looking at are basically 2 family houses...so there is the upstairs and the ground level.
We both have different opinion on which to purchase (assuming everything else is comparable)...so i am wondering if there are any pros/cons that we are missing...and which you would pick.

pros for upper level:
no one above you
attic storage space

cons for upper level:
need to walk upstairs with groceries/laundry etc
may need to limit kids activity in the house


pros for lower level:
no one below you so kids running around wont be a problem

con for lower level:
have noise from the people upstairs

what else? wwyd?

Re: upper level or main floor?

Does lower level have any kind of yard access that the upper level doesn't? That would make my decision.

Re: upper level or main floor?

no - we wouldnt have any outdoor access if we were on the main level

Re: upper level or main floor?

It depends on the particular complex and the demographics, but I think first floor units usually have more value if it's a walk up building.

Most co-op buyers are either first time buyers or downsizers. Downsizers usually prefer units without stairs, as they are usually older and planning to stay in the unit long-term. Even first time buyers sometimes have children or plan to have children, and don't want to be navigating stairs with babies, strollers, etc. So if you are at all thinking of resale, I usually find that first floor units are more desirable to co-op buyers and therefore sell more quickly (and for a bit more $).

But if a second floor unit in a particular complex has some major advantage that a first floor unit doesn't (such as an attic, esp. if it can be converted to living space, or a terrace [and there's not comparable outdoor space on the first floor]), then that would have to be factored in, of course!

And a lot comes down to personal preference. I recently had a customer who only wanted a second floor unit because he couldn't bear the thought of anyone living/wakling around above him. So to each their own!

Re: upper level or main floor?

Hot air rises so the uppee level will be hotter during the warmer months.

Re: upper level or main floor?

In our coop we have a huge finished attic as big as our apartment so for me that is a HUGE pro, does the upper have an attic?

I prefer upper also bc you don't hear people walking around. I will say with a baby it is a PITA taking him up, the stroller, groceries BUT on the upside I swear my arms have never looked better

Re: upper level or main floor?

I have lived below people and now live above (with a baby). Here's my opinion:

Upper unit:
Warmer (consider this when storing items in the attic - I had a bunch of candles melt because I never thought about the heat up there)
No one above us means less noise
Stairs can be a PITA, but I keep our strollers in the vehicles and DH carries the groceries
Attic can mean animals - We thought we might have had a squirrel in the attic at one point, but it ended up being a bird in the wall.
People below us say they rarely hear the baby

Lower unit:
Constant noise from above
No stairs
Any storage?? If not, that attic is a HUGE plus!

Re: upper level or main floor?

Upper.. Upper.. Upper...

hands down.. no question.. i wouldnt even ever consider a lower unless i couldnt walk up stairs.

We leave our windows open 24/7.. blinds are always up so we get lots of light..

no one walking on your ceiling.. (in a lower unit this can be dampened by insulating your ceiling which is what the unit below us did. we cant even hear their baby screaming)

TONS of storage (if you have an attic)

99.99% of time (at least in our coop) they are always more valuable.

Re: upper level or main floor?

In your case, the attic would probably sell me, but there is the animal issue someone else mentioned.

I chose the 1st floor, but in my case that came with a private patio & private entrance.

The drawbacks in our unit are:
1- the peope above us are loud, but it actually doesn't bother me too much, b/c it doesn't wake me up

2-we don't feel comfortable leving the windows open at night (note sure if we would on the 2nd floor)

3- DH is paranoid about people seeing in, so the blinds are always closed

4-our particular unit is ground level (above a crawl space) in a shady area, so it gets very damp.

Re: upper level or main floor?

i didnt mind having people above me. so if you dont mind that, then stick with lower level.

i loved the convenience of living on the first floor.