A split-level home (also called a bi-level home or tri-level home) is a style of house in which the floor levels are staggered. There are typically two short sets of stairs, one running upward to a bedroom level, and one going downward toward a basement area.

What makes a house a split-level?

As a recap, split-level homes have three levels that are separated by short flights of stairs. ... This style of home is also known as a raised ranch, and the top floor more or less lies directly on top of the bottom floor. Typically, the lower level is half underground but has windows.

What is the advantage of a split level house?

In short, it gives you the square footage of a two-story home while keeping all of the rooms that you use most often close together. This also helps to maximize yard space, as a 2,000-square-foot ranch house will take up significantly more of your lot when compared to a 2,000-square-foot split-level house.