Size Doesn't Matter Any More! In 2009, home buyers chose smaller homes, which drove down the average size of a house built in the United States for the first time in 27 years. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found the average size of a new home that was completed in 2009 fell to 2,480 square feet from 2,520 square feet in 2008. The last time the average completed-home size fell by a statistically significant amount was 1982.
Better Homes and Gardens magazine produced a survey which said downsizing was becoming a bigger priority: 36% said in November 2009 that they expected their next home to be "somewhat smaller" or "much smaller" than their current home versus 32% who said that in 2008. "Not surprisingly, we see a ‘cents and sensibility' approach when it comes to buying or improving a home, with practicality and price being the top priorities," said Eliot Nusbaum, the magazine's executive editor of home design.
"Although actual square footage of homes didn't fall until 2009, the percent of homes with four or more bedrooms in them has been falling since 2007, NAHB data show. And in 2009, the number of homes with three or more bathrooms fell for the first time since 1992.
Two primary reasons that size doesn't matter any more is the prominence of first-time buyers and 55 and older buyers. While demand for larger homes is decreasing, the following amenities continue to be in demand:
-Walk-in closets in the master bedroom
-Laundry rooms
-Insulated front doors
-Great rooms
-Energy-efficient windows
-Linen closets
-Programmable thermostats
-Energy-efficient appliances and lighting
-Separate shower and tub in master bathrooms
-Nine-foot ceilings on the first floor
Among the things that builders said they were least likely to add to houses in 2010:
-Outdoor kitchens
-Outdoor fireplaces
-Sunrooms
-Butler's pantries
-Media rooms
-Desks in kitchens
-Two-story foyers
-Eight foot ceilings on the first floor
-Multiple shower heads in the master bath
-Smaller kitchens
