Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL HomeSize does matter, when it comes to homes

Size does matter, when it comes to homes

By Paul Drewes - bio | email

MAILI (KHNL) - Many families pick a place to live based on square footage. But now, today's trend in the shrinking housing market is smaller homes.

While companies have always built some houses with less square footage than others, during these trying economic times, smaller home sales are leading the way for Island developers.

Model homes around Hawaii, aren't seeing the traffic they used to.

But while new home sales have slowed, the smallest model home in Sea Country's Nohokai is a popular one.

"You have a smaller mortgage, the price is smaller, its efficient and its a good way to get into the market," said Sales Consultant, Donna Walker.

The location of these homes in Maili, also helps attract members of the military and other buyers looking for a first home. For some, the price of their own place is no longer out of reach.

"These people, instead of paying rent, can get into a home for the same monthly payment," said Walker.

For years homes have gotten bigger and bigger. Nearly doubling in size since 1970, according to the National Association of Home Builders. That meant some homes were larger than 2,600 square feet.

But not the smallest model at Nohokai, which checks in as a 3 bedroom 2 1/2 bath at around 13-hundred square feet.

The homes maybe similar in size to popular ones from decades ago, but even these new houses have all the amenities of their larger counterparts.

"We offer central AC, steel framing, its all the same. Just the square footage will be different," added Walker.

Not everything is smaller about these houses. Lots average 4-5 thousand square feet.

And apparently home buyers like what they see, 4-5 of these homes sell each month.

The smaller homes are so popular, a new planned development will feature one with even even less square footage. And other builders also add, their small homes are a draw around Oahu.