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New homes will continue to get smaller, according to new survey
As home sizes shrink, hallways are on the chopping block.
That’s according to a new report out this month from John Burns Research and Consulting, which looks at how the architecture of new housing stock in the U.S. is expected to shift in the coming years.
Mikaela Arroyo, one of the researchers, said that based on the types of homes architects said they are designing, consumers can expect homes to continue to get smaller and their layouts more compact. That’s on par with findings from other surveys the consulting firm has conducted in recent years.
This complicates the design process for architects who have to figure out how to do more with less. The question, said Arroyo, becomes, “How is the designer going to combine spaces, maybe into a flex space, or eliminate unused spaces, and make everything fit into a smaller package?”
Last year, about 25% of floor plans designed by architects were downsized to cut costs, according to John Burns.
Construction spending has soared over the years, and home prices are in record territory. According to Realtor.com, while the median price of homes for sale hasn’t fluctuated much since last year, the median price per square foot jumped by 3.4%, suggesting the share of smaller homes is growing.
The median size for a new single-family home sold in 2023 was 2,286 square feet — down from 2,328 square feet in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The census data indicates that the median size for single-family homes has been shrinking since 2014, when it reached a peak of 2,526 square feet.
Say farewell to hallways?
As homes shrink in size, hallways could be one of the first casualties. Eliminating these liminal spaces would decrease the number of interior walls and allow for more condensed homes, the survey found.
“Essentially, we’re Tetris-ing the functional rooms together, avoiding wasted square footage on non-functional areas like hallways,” the report said.
Other tactics Arroyo has noticed designers employing to save on space include eliminating a formal dining room, adding storage in unused spaces (under the staircase, for example), three-story homes with the living space on the second floor, and tandem garages.
The survey also found that more homes will have some sort of “flex space” — rooms that can serve multiple functions, like a playroom or office. Over half new homes built last year included some sort of flex space, according to John Burns.
“A more attainable price point”
While homebuyers will have to contend with tighter spaces, the shrunk-down home sizes could ease the burden on their bank accounts.
Those looking to buy face a tough housing market, with mortgage rates hovering at 7% and record high homes prices. A recent report from real estate analytics firm ATTOM found that homes are unaffordable in 80% of U.S. counties.
Smaller homes could help.
“The increase in budget-friendly homes priced in the $200,000 to $350,000 range outpaced all other price categories for the past five months,” wrote Julie Taylor in an article from Realtor.com. “That means buyers have way more homes to choose from at a friendly price range at a time when mortgage rates remain stubbornly high.”
While this new housing stock will attract certain crowds — like millennials looking to save — it could be a turnoff for older generations who don’t want to sacrifice space.
Younger buyers will have to contend with tradeoffs like smaller eat-in kitchens, the survey found, but reining in costs will be a huge incentive.
“This is essentially being done so that homes can get to a more attainable price point for those entry-level buyers,” said Arroyos.
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A picture is emerging of the suspect who officials say pointed a high-powered rifle at former president Donald Trump on a Florida golf course Sunday afternoon.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was armed with an AK-47-style rifle and was 300-500 yards away from Trump when members of the former president’s Secret Service detail spotted him, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Routh was a few holes ahead of where the president was golfing at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, officials said.
Members of the Secret Service detail opened fire at Routh, according to law enforcement officials. It’s not clear if Routh fired any shots. Bradshaw said a witness saw a man jumping out of the bushes and fleeing in a black Nissan. The car was pulled over and the driver detained and identified as the suspect. Law enforcement found the rifle, a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tile and a GoPro camera in the bushes at the scene.
The FBI and U.S. Secret Service are investigating the incident, which the FBI said “appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”
As the investigation continues, here’s what we know about Routh:
Stephany Matat / AP
A decades-long criminal history
Routh’s most recent address is listed in Hawaii, but he spent most of his life in North Carolina, according to property records. Routh owned Camp Box Honolulu, a shed-building company, according to his LinkedIn profile. The account also says that he studied at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and graduated in 1998.
Records show his problems with the law go back to the 1990s and include less serious charges, like writing bad checks. But in 2002, he was charged with a felony — possession of a weapon of mass destruction — according to North Carolina Department of Corrections records.
Between 2002 and 2010, Routh was also charged with a number of misdemeanors, including a hit-and-run accident, resisting arrest and a concealed weapons violation, records show.
Suspect criticized Trump online
Routh voted Democratic in the 2024 primary election in North Carolina, and he voted in person, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. He appears to be registered as an unaffiliated voter.
His X account, which has now been suspended, included a number of posts about Trump.
“@realDonaldTrump While you were my choice in 2106, I and the world hoped that president Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointment and it seems you are getting worse and devolving,” he wrote in a June 2020 post. “I will be glad when you gone.”
He also referenced the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump in multiple posts, suggesting that President Biden and Vice President Harris should visit the injured and attend the funeral of the Pennsylvania rally-goer who was killed.
A Facebook account under Routh’s name was no longer online on Sunday evening.
Ukraine supporter
Routh was passionate about fighting for Ukraine, even traveling overseas to fight in the country’s war against Russia in 2022.
“I am coming to Ukraine from Hawaii to fight for your kids and families and democracy.. I will come and die for you,” he wrote on X.
In one post on LinkedIn, he shared a photo of himself in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.
A CBS News review of Routh’s social media shows his pro-Ukraine views seeped into his public statements as well. He urged people, even those who didn’t have military skills, to take up arms for Ukraine. He was interviewed by several news organizations, including The New York Times and Semafor in 2023, and Newsweek Romania in 2022. He was quoted about his efforts to recruit volunteer fighters to aid Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, though it wasn’t clear whether he had succeeded.
“This is about good versus evil,” he told Newsweek Romania.
contributed to this report.
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