Why not make the lower level bedroom the master . Really I have no idea wht the sizes of the spaces are or how many people share the bathroom . I need a to scale floor plan of the whole level where you are planning this .Removing a bathroom usually is abad idea so I need a lot of info.

The advice you are hearing are based on statistics. Statistically, on average, adding a 1/2 bath to your home adds 10% to the value of the home. Just remember, this is an average and there are a ton of variables that can impact this.

My thoughts are that those people who really demand an master bath also demand a large walk in closet and most really want the ability to shower and dress in the morning vs just using the toilet. A half bath the public area of your home that allows guests to use the powder room is a different animal. That is limiting your guest access to a private space. A 1/2 bath off the master is not going to reap near the same value add as the one in a public space. Adding a 1/2 bath when the home only has one other bathroom is a massive value add. Everyone wants 2 toilets in their home. This is not your situation.

From what you are showing us, your home cannot accommodate a full master bath without removing all storage/closet space. Lack of storage is a huge issue with many smaller homes. With little information and not a full tour of your home and intimate knowledge of the the flow my assumption would be that adding storage would attract more buyers than the 1/2 bath.

If removing the 1/2 bath also allows for a more functional, usable space on the lower level you will be tipping the scales even further in favor of removing the 1/2 bath.

Now the question becomes - how do you maximize the functionality of the space that is left when you remove the 1/2 bath? I am a bit concerned with the dimensions and layout.

Can you post a floor plan of the bedroom, bathroom and closet with measurements?

BTW - Red Ryder is correct that you have to balance length of stay with renovation investment and return on investment. You don't want to do a lot of renovation and spend a lot of money on a space that you will be selling. You won't recoup the investment and won't have time to enjoy it enough to warrant the expense.

so you'd have a 4x11 closet and be able to remove a door giving you room for more cabinets on the wall?

seems like a good trade off. my MIL has a setup like that with a powder room off the master and it's pretty much completely useless. I'd definitely get rid of it for more closet space, a new built in, and a better layout downstairs. absolutely.

Here is the floorplan of the house with the proposed master bedroom to the left of the existing. As you can see, the existing master is a tight squeeze and doesn't even have enough room for a dresser. We would remove the en-suite and closet so we could put the bed on that back wall, and even add windows eventually that overlook the backyard. We would also be able to eliminate building a bulkhead for the plumbing in the lower level living room.

okay - so you'd reconfigure and instead of making the WIC bigger, you'd make the room itself bigger and add a reach in closet? or is that built in cabinetry? it should definitely have some sort of permanent closet storage.

Yes we would do built-in cabinetry, similar to this:

A Couple Fix Up Their Dream Family Home in a Chicago Suburb · More Info

love it. do it!

I like your idea too, it seems like you're making the most of your space. It makes sense to have the nursery close to the Master now, later you'll have flexibility to designate adult levels and kids' levels.