New Homes getting Smaller-American Institute of Architects

Homes finally appear to be getting smaller.

That's one of the findings from the latest Design Trends Survey by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This survey focuses on overall home layout and use in the first quarter of 2007, and compares trends with survey results seen in 2006.

"This is the first time in three years that respondents said homes were decreasing rather than increasing in size," said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker, in a phone interview from his Boston office. In the survey, more residential architects report home sizes to be decreasing (26 percent) than report them to be increasing (21 percent).

It appears that households are putting less focus on the amount of space in their homes and more focus on how that space is being used. According to the survey, many households are finding that improved use of existing space in their homes reduces the need for more square footage.

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