Forget the McMansions!  Buyers are leaning toward “sensible”, smaller homes.  The dream of having a showplace home with the emphasis on two stories and big public spaces, is not as it was 5 or 6 years ago…even if you can afford it.   I am finding that when it comes to the priorities of buyers, less is more in some cases.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), to save on square footage, the living room is shrinking in size.  Builders are merging the living room or formal sitting room with other spaces.  The NAHB also reports that “in addition to floor plan changes, 68% of builders surveyed say that homes in 2015 will also include more green features and technology, including low-E windows, engineered wood beams, joists or tresses, water efficient features such as dual-flush toilets or low-flow faucets, and an Energy Star rating for the whole house.”

“We’re definitely seeing more Americans downsizing due to the current state of the economy”, said Relocation.com Chairman and Founder Sharon Asher.  “But as more homeowners rethink how much space they need, I think we’ll continue to see more innovative approaches to living well and sustainability within a smaller footprint”.

Price, energy-efficiency, organization and comfort seem to be the top priorities of potential home buyers.  The expansive homes of the boom era are losing their appeal and the swing is towards buyers looking for compact and usable square footage with rooms that can serve more than one purpose.