The NAHB Studies Characteristics of Single-Family Homes

The long, deep recession of the past several years has taken a harsh toll on the nation's home building industry at every level, even influencing the types of houses that are built and the features consumers are willing to purchase. As the industry stumbles back toward better health, some of the features and amenities popular during the boom years will regain their popularity, but some recent trends likely are here to stay. In particular, homes with smaller footprints are projected to remain popular among consumers, according to a recent study by the NAHB. The organization scrutinized census data collected from 2005 to 2009 on the characteristics of new homes started in that period to identify trends. The most significant change in home features has been the median size of single-family homes. In 2006, the median size of single-family homes peaked at 2,268 square feet, but in 2007 houses began to shrink. Median square footage has continued to decline since then, dropping to 2,100 square feet in 2009.

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