Historically, buyers at the higher end of the housing market rebound more quickly from a recession than the average home buyer – who may have to watch their money more closely during rough economic times. Because of this, the typical new house has been growing larger ever since the housing crash and most recent recession. However, according to a new analysis from the National Association of Home Builders of numbers from the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions By Purpose and Design report shows a slight decline in both the average and median square footage for new homes built during the second quarter of this year. And though the decline was small and the typical new home remains large by historical standards, analysts see it as the start of a trend downward for new home size. This is encouraging news for buyers as there has been a lack of entry-level new homes available for sale on the market. And, since for-sale inventory is low, any increase in the number of homes available to the average home buyer is good for balancing the market, reducing price increases, and boosting the number of first-time home buyers active in the market. More here.
