A decade ago if you wanted a new house, the question was do you want big or bigger? But the biggest trend in new homes these days is smaller homes on smaller lots. It's in response to the housing affordability crisis and fewer large lots available in many high-demand communities. High-end living in a smaller package Ben Fry is a homebuilder with Fry Homes .
His new community, Orchard Trail, is a prime example of building beautiful homes on much smaller lots. "Lots are becoming harder and harder for builders and developers to find," he said. His workers recently put the finishing touches on a new house that looks much different from typical subdivision homes "In the bedroom," he said, "you are finding enough space for your bed and dressers.
You're not seeing the sitting rooms or huge garden tubs anymore." On the main level, the kitchen seamlessly goes into the family room, home office area and first-floor master suite. There is no longer a formal living room.
"People are getting smarter with the square footage, putting more footage in the livable space," Fry said. Home size peaked in 2021 The National Association of Home Builders says the average home size increased in 2021 when the pandemic sparked demand for more space, with so many couples working from home. Since then, however, floor plans started to shrink.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows square footage of new housing units declined from about 2,500 square feet in 2021, to 2,400 in 2022 and 2023.
In the first quart.
