As existing homes go for bigger price tags, new homes are shrinking. You can even buy and ship tiny homes online now.
In 2023, the average size of new homes built fell to less than 2,500 square feet, the smallest they’ve been since 2010, according to an April report from the National Association of Home Builders. That downward trend started in 2015, and only buoyed in 2021, which the organization attributes to pandemic-fueled desire for more space to stay home.
The NAHB says affordability is mostly what’s driving this downsizing trend, though a spokesperson with the organization could not offer specific data on the “tiny home” trend. Having units delivered to you from major retailers would certainly make it easier to downsize, too.
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Home Depot, Amazon sell tiny homes online
Home Depot recently told USA TODAY that they sell more than 30 varieties of tiny homes online.
Last summer, a prefabricated Home Depot tiny home went viral online. Several realtors broke down the listing online, dazzled by the “Getaway Pad Mini 1 Bed 1.5 Bath” selling for less than $45,000.
But the renderings of a finished home with a spiral staircase and roof deck patio were just that, the tiny homes are “steel frame kits” with accessories sold separately.
Amazon also sells tiny homes online. The “Chery Industrial Expandable Prefab House” is 19 feet by 20 feet, and sells for $17,500.
