Without reading the article, but just what you posted. I don’t think it’s the developer and builders pushing size. It’s demand.

We started our family in just under 900 sqft, then I built a 1500 ft (ac space) home. While I could use a few feet here and there. The home is more than enough for us. I do not think that the family unit has gotten stronger with larger homes. When you get into a disagreement and can just go to separate ends of the house instead of dealing with it. Moms can sit in a couch in their room drink wine and watch tv while dads in the living room and the kids are in each their own bedroom. Where is the family time? Does the size of the house dictate that? Absolutely not but it sure makes it easier.

The American dream can deadly. But it’s taught at a young age. Do good in school you get to go to college. For what? To be successful. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say if you’re not in a specialty major, accounting, engineering, medicine, law etc. you don’t need a degree. A salesman can sell. Then you’ve gotten that degree and now you go buy a 3k foot home because that is what you’re supposed to do.

I could go on and on but in the end it’s to each their own. There is and always will be options.

Builders make more money on bigger homes.

During the recession during 2009 to 2011 time frame the homes in my area were around 2200 sq ft once the economy opened back up average size home is about 4500 in my area.

I don't see anything under 4000 sq ft being built around me if it's a single family home

I`ve noticed more and more manufactured homes on 1-2 acre tracts the past few years due to high home prices and interest % rates. Granbury is about 30 miles from where I live and there are quite a few builders that are selling 1200-1500 sq. ft. spec homes with minimal finishes and no brick. Haven`t seen those in many moons. We built in 2017, and our builder had a dozen standard plans with the smallest starting at 2500 sq. ft. All were 4-bedroom / 3 bath. We removed a bedroom and bath and got down to 2250 sq. ft.

My Grandfather was career Air Force and when he moved to San Antonio in 1969, he bought a 1196sq.ft house to raise 3 kids in. 3bdrm/2bath.

Fast forward 3 decades, and growing up I lived in 3 homes; 2 being around 2k sq. And the other was 2600sq. Then, a 3000sq. Home was considered big.

My wife is in the residential real estate world, so I keep an eye on new homes probably more than the average person does. I live in an area where both new home prices and size are all over the board. We have several neighborhoods going in right now that are featuring homes from 1650sq. In size to around 2450 sq.

Large part of this is due to “affordability” although in our area this is still gonna be a $425-$550k purchase.

I think we have hit a ceiling in terms of size for a lot of tract home builders that will trend smaller to make them more affordable for buyers.

But, one trend currently is small lots and big houses. My neighbors behind me have pretty big houses (3500-3800sq.) homes on real small lots, less than a 1/4 acre.

The example the article gives is flawed, as a $480k house is going to be much more affordable than a $640k house to the consumer, regardless of how much it costs the builder to construct. Until they start giving away that square footage for free, they are going to continue to build smaller homes.

At 22 years old I bought a 1000 sq/ft house, on 2 acres, and a 24' X 30' shop. At that age, I was in heaven!

Get married, she already had a daughter, and then a second one was coming. I added on a master suite, at 500 sq/ft. A 1500 sq/ft house, we did not have room for any company to come eat supper with us, unless we went outside on the wrap around porch. The kitchen was a one person kitchen.

I then built a 3 bed 2 1/2 bath for four of us. And the great room (kitchen, dining, living room in one) is the bulk of the footage. I wanted the space to have company over. The last two Thanksgivings I had 25 family members over and we had plenty of space. The HVAC portion is 3625 sq/ft. The car port is 900 sq/ft. That's a sizeable foot print, and quite a bit of roof.

Due to modern windows, doors, and foam insulation it costs the same to heat and cool 3625' as it did 1500'.

If the day comes that I move and build again, I will have a shop larger than 40' X 60' but a smaller house. We will be empty nesters by then. I will build a separate guest house, though.

our house is 1000 sq ft. it's too small, but it's paid for.

They have gotten larger because of buyer demand. People think they need to keep up with the Joneses.

I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.

It’s just nicer in many cases to have more space, if a person can afford it.

In the 1800’s people were raising families in 500sq .ft cabins. A 1000sq.ft home with 3 bedrooms would feel like a mansion.

It’s all what you are used to.

Life is just time and choices. I could have bought a 4000 sq ft home but I opted for a 1600 so I could pay it off quickly, retire young and get out of the Metroplex. For city people who aren't ever going to leave then might as well get the giant home I guess.

You’re winning.

Grew up in a small house (~1000sf). Neither my wife or I have seen the appeal of bigger houses. First rent house was 750sf, then we bought a 1500sf house in Lubbock, then to a 650sf apt in Hawaii. Our biggest was 2300sf house. We enjoyed it but the extra room didn’t make it any more of a home than something 1/4 of the size. Current house is 1900sf and look forward to being in a position like Bob, paid off. Big houses are nice to look at and visit but that doesn’t make it a home, and I never judge the measure of the man by where he lives, what he drives or what he has. There’s a family down the road that owns a 7 figure business. Their double wide is sitting on a few hundred acres that they own. Houses don’t matter to some.

About 14 years ago, 5 acres sold south of me, the empty nesters that bought are from Canada. They built a 2900sf two story stone house on it for just the two of them. He had all the windows replaced in it this year and that was 50K, then the HVAC system failed and that was another 16k. We got about a 1/2 of rain the other day and he told me his roof leaked and the estimate was 65k for a new roof. His wife had a stroke a few years ago and she is in a wheel chair now, he is 68 and crippled up in his knees so they never go upstairs. He told me the other day that the house is just too much for him to maintain and it was a big mistake having something that big.

Real estate value increases based upon a percentage. I’ve always viewed my house as an investment and a piece of the retirement vehicle…our homes have gotten bigger as has my investment grew at a higher rate of return.

I’m not certain if my wife gets attached to things or just dislikes change that much but I’ve yet to buy a house with the thoughts it will be the last one…yet anyway.

As per the other post, DFW area has gotten to expensive for me to consider it a long term place to live…20 years ago, I might’ve retired here…but it’s a great place to make a living.

Our first house was 1,486 st 3/2. I was happy with it except we didn’t have enough cabinets or a pantry and do it could have been bigger. We built a few years ago now and after seeing my parents and wife’s parents with homes bigger than they wanted at 2300-2500 sf we found a nice open floor plan 3/2.5 right at 1900 sf. Have enjoyed it so far a few things I would tweak. Has a 2 car garage and 25x30 shop. It’s cheaper utility wise than our first house.

Builders are getting top prices per sq ft on postage stamp residential properties. It only makes sense for them to add a second story and put the houses 8' a part with a 4' lot line restriction.

What an individual wants versus what they may need. Is it any different with vehicles? I live in a newly developed neighborhood with large lots. Homes range from 2K to 3K in square footage. Based on recent property tax increases, all my neighbors (and myself) would probably shave a couple of hundred square feet off our builds if we had to do it over. I love my home and as posted above, it is an investment I hope to have a return on someday.

What is odd to me is when you see empty nesters sell their home and buy / build something larger. Seems like it is sometimes driven by the wife wanting more room for grandkids, holidays, etc. I am in 2500 sq ft now and If I ever move now that my kids are about gone hopefully it will be something with a couple acres, 1200' house with a barn / bunkhouse for critters and visiting grandkids. Cheaper taxes, cheaper insurance, cheaper utilities.

I think Covid changed this a lot. People were willing to spend more money on a bigger home because they couldn’t take vacations and a lot of people started working from home.

What I am seeing around here is that older folks are finally realizing that they no longer have to keep up with the Jonses and are looking to downsize.

That is an accurate assessment.

Former apartment dwellers, now waning to own a home is also a driving factor in the cost of home sales. Simple supply and demand. Demand is high, supply is low to moderate. Prices are high. At least in the big city areas of the country.

I've got a couple of friends that bought in Highland Park 20 years ago. No telling what they could sell for today. It would have six zeros on it, I bet.

When we bought our current house in 2009, anything over 425k needed a jumbo loan. What is the current limit of the jumbo vs non-jumbo loan? Or is there even such a thing now a days?

This is America, and a free market system. Live where, and how you want. A house is where you live your life, not an "investment". Yes, it's an asset, but thinking you're going to make bank on it isn't the way to go about it. Many on here are desperate to pawn themselves off as experts. They're not.

Because I can have one if I so choose!

As I grew up families morphed from one income to two incomes. Now, in most cases both mom and dad work so they can afford more. The higher family incomes provide for flexibility.

If you build one, or remodel one, and/or add onto one you had better be doing all of it with resale in mind.

I have done all three. Done properly, and holding it long enough, you will make bank on it.