2009 saw a decrease in square footage of the average new home from 2,520 square feet in 2008 to 2,480 square feet. Also, the number of new homes with 3 bedrooms or more has decreased from 29% of new homes to 24%.
Jenny Sullivan reported on the trend from a press conference at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas: "The results of a consumer survey of Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) readers, also announced during the press conference, suggests that home buyers are aligned with builders in their thinking. Features consumers said they most wanted in a new home included efficient HVAC systems (76 percent), Energy Star appliances (79 percent), efficient design (66 percent), and natural light (65 percent)."
