We make no secret of the fact that JohnHart’s clients overwhelmingly show interest in family houses as opposed to townhomes or condominiums. But the single-family home as we know it is going through an evolution. The all-purpose rooms of old are being replaced with intentional space. And with that efficiency comes a less-is-more approach that is surprisingly being embraced by families across the Greater Los Angeles area. So how can less house be a bigger deal?
Yes, Family Houses Are Getting Smaller
The downsizing of family houses isn’t speculative. In 2023, the median home size in the U.S. was 2,200 square feet. By 2024, it had dropped to 2,150 square feet, the lowest it had been in 15 years. Of course, this is partially due to the market. But buyer demand is influencing this structural shrinkage as well.
In a report published by NAHB, today’s buyers were revealed to be more interested in family houses at around 2,070 square feet, whereas the buyers of 20 years ago preferred larger homes of around 2,260 square feet. In LA, where median sales prices for single-family homes hit $1.16 million in January 2025, an appropriately sized home is often preferable to an oversized home. Especially in light of financial and practical considerations.
A Real Waste of Space
The truth is that much of the square footage in these larger homes isn’t really being used. One need only look at a 2012 UCLA study in which 32 families were surveyed about their behavior at home. The report showed that up to 60% of the space in these family houses was rarely occupied.
No matter how voluminous the property, family members tend to congregate in high-traffic rooms like the living room or kitchen. Guest suites, offices, studios, and even formal dining rooms were regularly relegated to glorified storage spaces. As a result, architects have started to design simpler layouts that orchestrate functional rooms together with space efficiency as a priority.
Do Smaller Homes Make Happier Families?
Smaller homes may also be key to happier families, as strange as that may sound. University of British Columbia psychology professor Elizabeth Dunn claims that the happiest homes support environments of social interaction. More square footage places distance between family members and reduces the potential for emotional connection.
Supporting this idea, Dr. Chris Foye stated in a 2017 study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies that the relief families feel upon moving into larger homes is often short-lived, a result of chasing cultural expectations instead of personal needs. Considering another facet of this theory, researchers suggested that families of four to six members tended to be the happiest, regardless of a home’s square footage.
The Financial Consideration
As we mentioned, the move to smaller homes isn’t all about the money. But money does play a significant part in this trend. By investing in modest-sized family homes, buyers take on mortgages, property taxes, and utility costs that they can more easily manage. And this leaves more money to improve their quality of life with frequent travel, more educational opportunities, and more ways to invest in their communities.
Could the growing attention on sustainability be further fueling the popularity of smaller family houses? Most definitely. But smaller homes also point to the modern buyer’s preferences for flexibility and practicality. In a competitive market like Los Angeles, it could also mean the difference between homeownership and a lifetime of renting.
With a brand that says as much as JohnHart’s, Senior Copywriter Seth Styles never finds himself at a loss for words. Responsible for maintaining the voice of the company, he spends each day drafting marketing materials, blogs, bios, and agent resources that speak from the company’s collective mind and Hart… errr, heart.
Having spent over a decade in creative roles across a variety of industries, Seth brings with him vast experience in SEO practices, digital marketing, and all manner of professional writing with particular strength in blogging, content creation, and brand building. Gratitude, passion, and sincerity remain core tenets of his unwavering work ethic. The landscape of the industry changes daily, paralleling JohnHart’s efforts to {re}define real estate, but Seth works to maintain the company’s consistent message while offering both agents and clients a new echelon of service.
When not preserving the JohnHart essence in stirring copy, Seth puts his efforts into writing and illustrating an ongoing series entitled The Death of Romance. In addition, he adores spending quality time with his girlfriend and Romeo (his long-haired chihuahua mix), watching ‘70s and ‘80s horror movies, and reading (with a particular penchant for Victorian horror novels and authors Yukio Mishima and Bret Easton Ellis). He also occasionally records music as the vocalist and songwriter for his glam rock band, Peppermint Pumpkin.
