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re: Average Sq Ft of homes by decade
Posted on 4/23/26 at 5:10 am to Auburn80
Posted on 4/23/26 at 5:10 am to Auburn80
Your source article is a decade old. LINK
I’d bet if there was an updated version of this, the 2020 decade is lower than the peak avg sq footage of the 2010s…
2014 — the housing market was still recovering from the crash of 2008. Interest rates were at 0, inflation was low, significantly less insurance cost, lower building costs, more housing supply… I could go on but that’s enough to either understand the point, or blow it off if you’ve already made up your mind on housing affordability.
Buying smaller is the only option for many today if they want to own a home without being house poor
I’d bet if there was an updated version of this, the 2020 decade is lower than the peak avg sq footage of the 2010s…
2014 — the housing market was still recovering from the crash of 2008. Interest rates were at 0, inflation was low, significantly less insurance cost, lower building costs, more housing supply… I could go on but that’s enough to either understand the point, or blow it off if you’ve already made up your mind on housing affordability.
Buying smaller is the only option for many today if they want to own a home without being house poor
2
Posted on 4/23/26 at 5:13 am to Auburn80
Now do BMI. Fat people need more space
Posted on 4/23/26 at 5:32 am to Btrtigerfan
Couldn’t imagine. My 4 and 5 year old girls share a bed now and bed time is absolute hell
Posted on 4/23/26 at 5:49 am to Auburn80
I live in a 1968 house with 1500 sq ft.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 5:54 am to Scruffy
quote:
So, why don’t people just build a home?
Because it is also expensive as frick and time consuming.
I am building a home right now....my first. You cannot build a home on a tight budget unless you put your faith is a DR Horton type builder, and with that garbage in = garbage out. You may as well buy an older home and renovate, but renovating is the same issue regarding tight budgets.
I lived in a 2000 SF home for 16 years. Great at first, but I was going nuts the final 7 years. When planning the build, what I wanted came to a minimum of 6000SF. I was freaked out as I have only been in a handful of those type of homes in my life. The fact is now we need more space fore necessities like home offices. Time is limited in modern times, so each kid needs a bathroom to get ready in a timely fashion. The primary bathroom needs to be huge with two showers and sinks to allow dual working parents to get ready. People get a home gym so they save time from traveling to a gym, among other needs.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:07 am to Tiger4life306
quote:Exactly.
Buying smaller is the only option for many today if they want to own a home without being house poor
And developers don’t build “smaller”.
And the cost to build something small yourself is also out of reach.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:12 am to Auburn80
I grew up in 2 houses age 6-18 yrs old, both were 5000+ sq ft.
As an adult I have never owned a home over 3000 sq ft. I have not needed that extra room at all.
design a home that is efficient, has good storage and I honestly don't see a need for anything above say 2500 sq ft.
plus, having a massive house as an empty nester one day seems kind of depressing.
As an adult I have never owned a home over 3000 sq ft. I have not needed that extra room at all.
design a home that is efficient, has good storage and I honestly don't see a need for anything above say 2500 sq ft.
plus, having a massive house as an empty nester one day seems kind of depressing.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:14 am to Scruffy
quote:
The cost problem is the cost of construction itself.
If anyone wanted to test this theory, just get quotes on home renovations. Even small stuff that used to be routine is going to run you multiples of 5-figures.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:17 am to Scruffy
quote:
Exactly.
And developers don’t build “smaller”.
And the cost to build something small yourself is also out of reach.
And most smaller houses are in legit terrible areas or BFE away from jobs.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:20 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:Home renovations that we have performed were 5 figures.
If anyone wanted to test this theory, just get quotes on home renovations. Even small stuff that used to be routine is going to run you multiples of 5-figures.
Now, we didn’t go for cheapest option. There likely was something cheaper out there, but it would have still been 5 figures.
Look at roof repair/replacement costs. That is now in 5 figures.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:23 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:Where I live is an up and coming family region of our city.
And most smaller houses are in legit terrible areas or BFE away from jobs.
Neighborhood like I remember as a kid.
Kids out riding bikes, actual Halloween block party, etc.
Every old “starter” home is being purchased by a massive developer firm, torn down, and a 2400+ sqft home is being built for sale.
It is madness.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:25 am to Auburn80
It’s similar to average calorie intake, the more prosperous we get the more glutinous we become in various forms.
It’s why investors believe despite efficient means of production and population flattening , we’ll continue to have increasing demand for food and energy
It’s why investors believe despite efficient means of production and population flattening , we’ll continue to have increasing demand for food and energy
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:27 am to Scruffy
Everything I keep seeing is that the market in many/most areas across the country is terrible. Homes just sitting an sitting and people won't budget on prices, still hoping for huge rate decreases. The post-2009 manipulation by government was bad but the Covid-era stuff sent this all into hyperspace.
So many people bought houses that were incredibly overvalued, likely paid over listing, and have low mortgage rates/payments, who are facing reality now that they're trying to sell it and (1) the market has not only adjusted to equilibrium but is in a decline and (2) rates are high so the purchase price is 1.5-2x the monthly payment due to interest rates.
And they still refuse to lower their prices
Here you also have a lot of houses that were severely impacted by the storms in 2020 that were bought by flippers who did full renovations just sitting, too.
So many people bought houses that were incredibly overvalued, likely paid over listing, and have low mortgage rates/payments, who are facing reality now that they're trying to sell it and (1) the market has not only adjusted to equilibrium but is in a decline and (2) rates are high so the purchase price is 1.5-2x the monthly payment due to interest rates.
And they still refuse to lower their prices
Here you also have a lot of houses that were severely impacted by the storms in 2020 that were bought by flippers who did full renovations just sitting, too.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:33 am to SlowFlowPro
Our neighborhood isn’t there yet.
Pretty desirable area due to walkability to parks and restaurants and the family nature.
Our neighbors just listed their home for the same price we bought ours 3 years ago and it is 600 sqft smaller.
Already “pending”.
Pretty desirable area due to walkability to parks and restaurants and the family nature.
Our neighbors just listed their home for the same price we bought ours 3 years ago and it is 600 sqft smaller.
Already “pending”.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:35 am to Auburn80
There is extensive literature on this… buying smaller is often not an option. There is a significant mismatch between the building patterns of the major construction companies and the demands of the population. Basically, they stopped building anything less than 1400 square feet… and those are increasingly rare.
In some areas, zoning regulations force them too. In other areas, they know there’s no competition, so if they just build bigger, people have to buy bigger, and they make more money on bigger.
So no, buying smaller is often not an option.
Digging Out of the Housing Affordability Crisis
In some areas, zoning regulations force them too. In other areas, they know there’s no competition, so if they just build bigger, people have to buy bigger, and they make more money on bigger.
So no, buying smaller is often not an option.
Digging Out of the Housing Affordability Crisis
This post was edited on 4/23/26 at 6:36 am
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:48 am to Auburn80
I grew up in a house that was 1200-1300 square feet that was built in the 50’s. A room was added sometime in the early 70’s. It was more than enough for a family of four. When I built seven years ago, I kept it at 1350. This is my last home and once all of the kids are gone I didn’t see a reason why I should be saddled with a big McMansion that I’d have to maintain in my old age.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 6:52 am to Scruffy
quote:
Our neighborhood isn’t there yet.
No if your hood is in the "destroy and build new" phase you're not in the state most of the country is in right now.
The areas people flooded post covid like TX and Florida seem to be in a bind. That era of mass migration into both seems to be over and many people are moving back to their areas of origin.
Migration to Florida plummets
quote:
Migration to Florida has plummeted by 93 percent in the past three years, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, as the state’s popularity among Americans moving across the country for new opportunities slips in favor of other destinations.
Last year, the Sunshine State gained just 22,517 new residents from net domestic migration, which calculates the difference between people moving into the state and people moving out of it. The 2025 figure was down from 58,411 in 2024, 183,646 in 2023, and 310,892 in 2022.
You just want to either stay there forever or be sure to sell before this trend hits your area
Posted on 4/23/26 at 7:04 am to Auburn80
I'm currently building a 3400sqft home and I was this morning looking at it thinking, damn, I built a little too big.
Posted on 4/23/26 at 7:05 am to biglego
quote:
My house is 4750 sq ft. Just letting y’all know that.
That's it? My garage is bigger
Posted on 4/23/26 at 7:11 am to SlowFlowPro
quote:
And they still refuse to lower their prices
Why lower the price when mortgage is so low that profit can be made from renting?
There is still a housing shortage. If they ain't buying, they are renting.
This post was edited on 4/23/26 at 7:12 am
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