Small Is New Big In Housing

Item: Forget the ‘McMansions’of the boom years: These days, small is the new big /Baltimore Sun & Idaho Statesman

More Info: For the first time in nearly 14 years, the median size of a new single-family home decreased in 2008 - to 2,215 square feet from 2,277 in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Since 1991, houses for single families consistently have been getting bigger and bigger, mirroring the housing bubble and good economic conditions. In the Treasure Valley, homebuyers have learned that big homes mean big utility bills, said Jim Powell, a real estate agent with RE/Max Advantage. Clients a few years ago wanted 3,000- to 4,000-square-foot, cathedral-like homes, he said. Today, they’re looking in the 2,000- to 2,500-square-foot range.

Question: How would you describe your home and yard? Too big? Too small? Just right?