hard to say because everyone is difference in what they value in a home. Which one do you want to sit down in? We looked at 30 homes before we purchased 10 years ago. My husband walked in and sat on the kitchen counter- that was the one, even if others had better assets.

Double oven and butler‘s pantry are good if you’re into cooking/hosting. Soft close are good for kids. We have a sitting room with TV that was great for a toddler play area but is a waste of space now. I personally love lofts- Could be for kids, an office, a “man room.” I’m in coastal CA so west is sunsets to us, and highly desirable. Other things mentioned are a matter of personal style.

Those bay windows facing west will also heat up the kitchen/breakfast area a lot too. Also is the cooktop electric or induction? Induction has some health restrictions that you might want to consider based on you or guests with heart pacemaker.

Me my wife and our 8 month baby are looking at single family homes and our search has brought us to these two homes which we are really confused about which one to choose.

Are these brand new builds or resales? If new builds, is it the same builder?

Let's name them Home1 and Home2 for the discussion. They are in same community, have almost similar square footage, similar flooring, garage configuration, No. of bedrooms and Bathrooms, price point. Here are the differences that we are torn between and would love to hear from you what makes more sense for a family our size.

And truly the most important thing is location. The second most important thing is location. And yes, the third most important thing is location.

The important things in a home is not the stuff you see, but the stuff you don't see. The framing, the plumbing, the windows, the roof, the HVAC.

And how the house is laid out! Are there windows on at least 2 walls in the public spaces and in the bedrooms? Is there enough closets, storage, etc?

You're basically asking about bling, but not how the house will live. Bling can be added. Functionality, flow and location can't.

-Home1 faces East vs Home2 faces west

I would never buy a house facing east or west. Only north/south and preferably with south facing the rear of the house. Read up on Passive Solar Heating and Cooling to understand why.
-Home1 has dark kitchen cabinets with soft close drawers vs Home2 has White kitchen cabinets with no soft close

This is just the icing on the cake so to speak. The layout of the appliances and whether or not there are any drawers on the lower cabinets are more important.

Soft close is important but not a deal breaker.
-Home1 Kitchen has walk-in Pantry vs Home2 has Butler's Pantry
I'd rather have an actual pantry.

-Home1 has Gas cooktop with single range oven vs Home2 has Electric cooktop and double ovens

I'd rather have an electric cooktop and switch it out to an Induction cooktop. Much better than gas or electric.
-Home1 has no Bay windows vs Home2 has Bay windows on the breakfast area sliding door

I hate bay windows. A pain to figure out how to dress them.
-Home1 has a 7'X8' loft upstairs vs no loft in Home2

What will you do with a loft? Is it making a difference in price?
-Home1 Master bedroom has no sitting area and single door entry vs Home2 master bedroom has a 6'X8' sitting area and double door entry

Double doors are a pain since you have to close one door to find the light switches. Additionally they tend not to be as "airtight" as a single door.

And how much time do you actually sit in your bedroom whiling away the time that you need a sitting room? In all my houses, I've never needed or wanted a sitting room.
-Home1 has brick elevation vs Home2 has full Hardie Board elevation

What is the condition of each? This is more a matter of personal choice.

What is the age of the houses? How is the roof? What about the HVAC system? Are the windows in good condition? How is the insulation? Septic or sewers? City water or well? How much power at electrical panel? Flood plain or no flood plain? I'm in Fl, so evac or no evac zone?I wouldn't worry about the difference between a bay window and 2 bay windows until you answer these other questions about the construction and maintenance of the houses. If they are all the same, then it boils down to whether or not any of those differences you listed were on your must have list. If not, get the house that's the best deal since none of those items described were that important to start with.

Also is the cooktop electric or induction? Induction has some health restrictions that you might want to consider based on you or guests with heart pacemaker

No Leslie they don't. My DH has a pacemaker and we checked it out six ways to Sunday. If the pacemaker is one of the old ones they don't use anymore, then yes it could be a problem IF the person who has that kind is standing over the stove cooking.

With all the newer pacemakers (And my DH has had his for 30+ years now) the rule is there pacemaker can't be within 6" of the cooktop when it's on. Meaning they'd have to be bending over so their shoulder is 6" away from the cooktop.

Are they located on similar streets in terms of traffic? Location matters more to me than bay windows or soft close cabinet doors. The house orientation matters as well. Our living room faces west and gets incredibly warm in the summer. (Effective window treatments aren't cheap.)

Unsure bay windows add much value to daily life.

Pretty sure kitchen cabinets can be retrofitted for soft-closing.

A loft is appealing for its versatility. How long are you planning on living there? Think of the space you'll need in 10 years.

Having moved from a house with very little natural light during the day in the areas we spend the most time in (kitchen and family room) to one with an abundance of natural light, the difference is huge! I much prefer the natural light throughout the day and not needing to turn on lights at noon. However, we also have window coverings for the couple of hours during a summer day when it becomes warm in the house.

The options that would sway me are gas vs electric, and kitchen cabinet color (wondering if a soft close can be added If you prefer white). There are advantages to east vs west and it really depends on the climate. Big consideration - consider access to backyard All of the other choices you can easily live with either way and I’m sure be happy.

In your hearts have you fallen for one and then go with your gut, or make a check list and see which one gets more pros than cons. Good luck.

A couple things to consider...white cabinets show everything. As your child starts pulling up and walking and putting their hands on everything, you'll start seeing lots of dirt on white cabinets. That may or may not bother you, but something to keep in mind.

Personally I would NOT want a loft with kids. Now I have 6 kids, and 5 of them are climbers, so lofts scream "accident waiting to happen!" to me. But I know many families have homes with lofts, and apparently they're fine, so maybe it depends on the kids. If you buy the house with the loft, at least have a plan in mind for how you could raise the wall/railing at the edge of the loft if needed to keep your kid(s) safe.

The sitting area in the one master bedroom could make a nice nursery area if your LO still sleeps in your room, or for future LOs. Probably not enough of a consideration to purchase one house over the other though if you'll live in the house long-term.

Personally I much prefer a gas stove. I've had both single and double ovens and don't have a preference for one over the other. It's nice having two ovens, but I mostly only use one at a time, and I don't like how low I have to bend to access the lower one vs. a single oven. I wouldn't choose a house based on the stove/oven though...they're not that expensive to replace unless you're getting a high end one.

How much of a difference is there in the yards? Size and things like privacy fencing start to matter a lot as kids get old enough to play in the back yard. Having a flat driveway long enough to ride bikes on or put up a basketball hoop would also be a nice perk if you'll live there for several years or more.

How similar are these houses in terms of age and neighborhood? If they are both in the same subdivision, build quality would be expected to be about the same. If they are of similar age built by competing builders, which builder is considered to do better quality work?

Are both houses assigned to the same elementary school? Schools make a huge difference to families and until your kids get into school, it can be difficult to hear the scuttlebutt about the various schools. Be wary of a house which is considered to be in a lower reputation district as the reputation will effect the desirability, regardless of the actual quality.

West vs east depends on the area. Our first house faced east and had an extremely shaded backyard. I really enjoyed working in my front garden in the evenings and chatting with my neighbors and getting to know the local dogs. This house faces west so evening gardening in the late afternoon heat isn't as much fun. Your local climate and tree cover is a big factor here whether you need shade to be able to enjoy your outside activities.

East vs West is the only thing I would care about. People have already laid out the pros and cons above.

I agree that east v. west would be the biggest deciding factor to me, and I'd absolutely go with the one with the backyard facing east. I grew up in a house that faced west to take advantage of the sunset views, and in the summer when we most wanted to be outside it was unpleasantly hot from about 2:00 until sundown. My parents now have a house that faces east and it's lovely in the afternoon and evening, and still entirely useable in the morning, as it's sunnier but the temperature is much cooler, so we appreciate the sun.

Read cpartist's post again - she knows what she's talking about!

As others have pointed out, the comparisons you made are things that are pretty far down the list in terms of how a house lives. Think about the flow: imagine carrying in a load of groceries and putting them away. Imagine gathering dirty clothes from the bedrooms and doing laundry. If you like to grill, is there convenient access form the kitchen? Imagine parking in the garage and entering the house with the baby (or baby and a toddler). Imagine watching TV while Baby is asleep, or stumbling to her room in the middle of the night. Imagine when Baby is 6, or 12, and has 4 friends over to play. Do you and your spouse retreat to the bedroom sitting area while they take over the living room, or is there a separate living space? Is the garage big enough for 2 vehicles, a lawn mower, snowblower, bicycles, sporting and gardening equipment?

-Home1 faces East vs Home2 faces west

I value a backyard that does *not* face west (because in most tract home developments, backyards are key outdoor spaces), so on this consideration alone, I would pick the house with the entry to the west. I also live in Central Texas, so it gets pretty darn hot in the summer (although, not as hot as my previous home in Phoenix), and I despise hosing down the back patio so the kids can play outside from March to October.

That said, it's important to have main living spaces facing south for natural light, but if I had to choose an east or a west orientation for Living/Dining/Kitchen, I'd choose east.

Really, though, there's too much to consider without seeing the house plan and the lot. Please post them both!!! :-D

Induction is not for everyone for sure.But it is something you can think about after you decide on a house. I think we need to get some more answers from the OP before we can really help anymore. I ahe a lovely space in my master with 2 chsirs and a great reading lamp and in 12 yrs I hve never used the space . IMO it is the way you live that helps decide a home. All the other add ons can be changed over time. BTW kids do not make white cabinets any more dirty than dark brown ones they just tell you sooner. As for how the space faces there are solar shades to help with both heat and UV control and you get to keep the view. I am ane arly riser and love the sun in my kitchen first thing in the morning but that would not be adeal breaker if all the rest of the house I loved. Can you maye post floor plans from each house some realtors supply those . Or make a nother tour and takr some pictures . I always think it is a good idea to take a video with your phone so you can sit down and go through them both later.

In a nutshell home 1 feels like a starter home for a couple..home 2 sounds more like a family home...

In reading the info from these posts I'd keep looking.

Thank you All for the wonderful insights and comments. As of now, both of these homes got sold and we are back to square one in our buying journey. These are really valuable bits of tips which will be helpful in our buying journey. Thanks all and Stay Healthy and Stay Safe!

Good luck with your search. One of the best things about our last home is that kids could walk to school and we could walk to the train station. When we recently downsized, "walk to the train station (one mile or less) was just about the number 1 criteria. I am very happy with only having to take my car out a couple of times/week instead of being super dependent on it. PLus, in our town, parking at the train station is very expensive.