The size of homes is dropping from the peak of 2,520 square feet in 2007. This year homes will average 2,327 and are expected to drop to 2,152 in 2015.
That is also good news for the storage companies, because downsizers will never throw everything away. (Do any of you remember when there were no “Public Storage” units? Isn’t it amazing how industries come and go? Try to find a pay phone today, a fax machine, an open Blockbuster.)
The National Association of Home Builders says that entry foyers, living rooms and dining rooms may soon disappear. How often are you ever in your formal living room? Living rooms and large entrances are built for our ego needs, not our living needs.
Lew Sichelman had an interesting article recently about this topic in the L.A. Times. Check it out at www.latimes.com.
He warns people to watch for builder tricks like scaled-down furniture. Also, you should buy from the inside out. The important part of any home purchase is the floor plan, not the front façade.
The article mentions that you should keep builder brochures and floor plans, count the rooms and their size, count closets, check the traffic plan, window placements, and electrical outlets. Even try to get a home-design model kit with symbols and have it drawn to size so you can determine how your furniture will look and fit into the spaces.