Smaller House Buying Trend – Charlotte NC Real Estate Expert

The “appeal” of a bigger home is shrinking along with house size. Americans are downsizing due to the economy or simply out of preference. The lure the “McMansion” has faded making way for a new trend of smaller home buying.  

For many, the bigger the house, the bigger the headache.  According to U.S. Census statistics, the average American single-family home dropped from 2,541 in 2007 to 2,343 at the end of 2008.  Home buyers are considering smaller homes that are more energy-efficient and less expensive to maintain.

Benefits of A Smaller Home

Once you have experienced living in a bigger home, you realize that you don’t actually require or even desire as much space as you thought you did.  A big house is costly and you often spend more time slaving away to pay your mortgage and maintaining the house than actually enjoying it.  By downsizing, you can actually improve the quality of your life. because the money saved on extraneous utility bills and maintenance costs can now be spent on actually living it.

There is also something to be said about the “coziness” of a smaller home.  Family members tend to go off in their prospective corners in a larger house and don’t connect as much. With less room to ramble around in, families spend more time more together and bond more.  According to Shay Salomon, author of ‘Little House on a Small Planet,’ there is a growing trend towards putting family, community and the environment before space and big house prestige.

Simplicity and Affordability of a Smaller Home in Charlotte NC

More Charlotte, NC home buyers are considering the simplicity and affordability that a smaller house offers.  In today’s soft housing market, buying a smaller home may actually be the safer route because smaller homes tend to be more affordable, more energy efficient and are easier to sell if need be.  

Having a smaller home also doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on functionality or design. Bigger isn’t always better and less space doesn’t have to mean less if you decide what each room will be used for and go from there.

Try to keep the following in mind when you are working with a smaller home: 

• Smaller scale furniture in smaller rooms will make the space feel larger.
• Keep everything in proportion by scale down furniture and décor.
• Keep tabletop nick⋅knacks and accessories to a minimum.
• In a smaller space, less is actually more comfortable and appealing to the eye.   

According to Heather Wagenhals of HQ Real Estate and Investment in Phoenix, “You can create your own paradise within four walls, and it doesn’t have to be 10,000 square feet.

A Silver Lining

The economy has got people thinking about what they actually need instead of how much they can buy, which isn’t such a bad thing.  “Many people are looking for a simpler life and a small home equates to that” says Gregory Paul Johnson, co-founder of Small House Society  .

Real Estate Homes For Sale Charlotte North Carolina

If you are in the market to buy a smaller home or other real estate in Charlotte, NC, contact Leigh Brown.  Leigh is a certified EcoBroker® and a seasoned real estate expert who serves the Charlotte Metro area.