More Americans Seek Smaller Homes in the Suburbs, According to Relocation Survey

NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- McMansions are rapidly becoming the housing equivalent of harvest gold appliances as more Americans are opting for smaller residential footprints, according to a new Relocation.com consumer lifestyle survey.

In this new Relocation.com lifestyle survey, homeowners and buyers were asked to weigh in on what they saw as the ideal home size. Forty-eight percent of the respondents indicated that their ideal home size would range from 1,000 to 1,999 square feet, while 29 percent prefer homes that are 2,000 to 2,999 square feet. By comparison, five years ago, according to NAHB (National Association of Homebuilders) the average home's square footage was 2,400 square feet, nearly 400 square feet bigger than what many homebuyers desire today.

The survey also found many Americans still find the suburban lifestyle attractive. Desiring a home near the city but still away from the 'hustle and bustle,' 54 percent of Americans indicated a preference for living in a suburban neighborhood. Urban and rural neighborhood settings were only preferred by 24 percent and 22 percent, respectively, of survey participants. Surprisingly, the survey revealed that cost of a residence is not the main deciding factor when purchasing a home. In fact, only 29 percent of respondents stated living costs as the most important reason when considering a move.

"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 sustainably within a smaller footprint."

The Relocation.com survey was conducted in mid-October, 2010, in a continuing effort to provide information on life-style factors that drive moving and relocation decisions in the U.S. For the full survey results, please click here.

About Relocation.com

Relocation.com is the largest online marketplace connecting consumers who are moving locally, nationally or internationally with professionals that can best service their needs. Working with many leading moving and storage companies, Relocation.com provides free quotes from quality, professional companies who can service consumers during their upcoming move. It is focused on helping make the relocation process easier and less challenging for the 40 million people moving each year. Relocation.com offers comprehensive information, tools and resources to help consumers compare, connect and learn about products and services from hundreds of relevant providers. Named by Inc. magazine three years in a row as one of America's fastest-growing companies, the company was founded in 2000 by online moving industry pioneer, chairman Sharon Asher, and is based in New York. For more information, visit www.relocation.com.

SOURCE Relocation.com