There’s no arguing about it; affordability is still tight. If you’re trying to buy a home, that may mean you need to look at smaller houses to find one that’s still within your budget. But there is a silver lining: builders are focused on building these smaller homes right now and offering incentives, which can help give you more options that fit the bill.
Newly Built Homes Are Trending Smaller
During the pandemic, homebuyers wanted (and could afford) larger homes – and builders delivered. They focused on bigger homes so people had more space for things like working from home, having a home gym, bonus rooms for virtual school, and more.
However, with buyers’ current affordability challenges, builders are increasingly shifting their attention to bringing smaller single-family homes to the market. The graph below uses data from the Census to show how this trend has evolved over the last few years:
So, why the shift to less square footage? It’s simple. Builders want to build what they know will sell. They focus on where the demand is most robust. And once mortgage rates started climbing, and consumers felt the affordability challenges creeping in, it became clear there was (and is) a real need for smaller homes. As the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) explains:
“After a brief increase during the post-covid building boom, home size is trending lower and will likely continue to do so as housing affordability remains constrained.”
A recent article in The Real Deal says this about how this helps buyers:
“Even a slightly smaller home can be thousands of dollars cheaper — for both builders and buyers. . . In response to affordability challenges, major homebuilders are shifting priorities away from the big ticket homes and towards the cheaper set.”
What This Means for You
If you’re having difficulty finding something in your budget, it may help to look at smaller homes. And, if you consider new builds specifically, you may find a few other fringe benefits that can help on the affordability front – like price reductions or mortgage rate buy-downs. As NAHB says:
“More than one-third of builders cut home prices in 2023. NAHB expects builders to continue offering smaller homes and more affordable designs as housing affordability remains a barrier to homeownership.”
As Charlie Bilello, Chief Market Strategist at Creative Planning, explains:
“Homebuilders are adapting to the lowest affordability on record by building smaller homes and offering more incentives/price cuts. The median square footage of a new single-family home in the US has moved down to its lowest level since 2010.”
If you explore these options, you’ll also get brand-new everything, enjoy a house with fewer maintenance needs, and have some of the latest features available. That’s worth looking into.
Bottom Line
Builders building smaller homes can give you more affordable options at a time when you may need them. If you hope to buy a house soon, let’s connect to see what’s available in our area.
