The American Dream is smaller than it used to be. The National Association of Home Builders of the United States (NAHB) reports that new homes built in 2023 are, on average, smaller than homes built 15 years ago. In fact, in their 2024 study , "What Home Owners Really Want," new home buyers are looking for even less space.
New homes were 2,411 square feet in 2023, the smallest average size in 13 years — but buyers only want homes around 2,070 square feet. Modern-day America is witness to the death of cookie-cutter homes and the traditional idea of the suburban neighborhood. Americans don't want to share a house layout with their neighbors or have to look twice to see which house is theirs.
They want something that's uniquely theirs. In a world where everyone carries around the same phone in their pocket and spends all their time using the same few apps, people look to differentiate themselves in other ways. They showcase what makes them unique through the clothes they wear, the items they purchase, and the causes they support.
Bell bottom jeans were the rage in the '70s, and denim or Members Only jackets ruled the 80s. But no more. Gone are the days of a whole generation being known for an item or style of clothing.
You're just as likely to see someone walking outside today in a head-to-toe anime print as you are in a three-piece suit. The rise of the tiny house movement, the van life movement, and digital nomads increases the importance of product choices made when space i.
