[pilot602]

Originally Posted by Minnesota_Flyer

Lies, damn lies and statistics. Perhaps the middle class is getting squeezed by home prices because the middle class insists on buying far more housing than it really needs.

From the NAHB -- June 26, 2006 - The average size of a new home climbed to a record high last year, according to annual data on new-home characteristics released by the U.S. Census Bureau last month, and in terms of amenities the distance between homes built today and homes built 30 years ago continued to widen.

"Between 1975 and 2005, the portion of new homes built with central air conditioning has risen 43%, while the portion of homes built with fewer than two bathrooms has fallen from 41% to just 4%. Meanwhile, the share of newly built homes with four or more bedrooms has risen steadily from 21% three decades ago to just shy of 40% last year."

The average floor area in a newly built home last year reached an all-time high of 2,434 square feet - up from an average 2,349 square feet in 2004 and just 1,645 square feet in 1975.

Well chicken or egg argument: smaller houses with fewer amenties hold less resale value.