By Ann Adamson

Due to the changing economic times along with the fact that baby boomers are hitting the marketplace, there is a definite trend in small house plans. Nine out of ten builders report planning or building smaller homes. And 28 percent of Americans that are aged 55 to 59 would prefer a smaller home. Plus there’s growth in single person households to the tune of 28 percent in 2012 compared to only 8 percent in 1940. Also worth mentioning the average rising energy costs has risen from $1,386 for a 2200 square foot home to $2,772 for a home that is 4,440 square feet. And smaller homes are more affordable to build and maintain.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau the average size of a new single family home decreased from 2,438 square feet to 2,377 in 2010 which made designing to maximize space popular. Now small house plans are now measuring 2,500 square feet or less.

It is no surprise that other costs come into play. For instance, energy bills have risen from $1,386 for a 2200 square foot home to $2,772 for a home that is 4,440 square feet. Smaller homes can also cut the building costs in half and the total construction time from a year down to eight weeks.

The Plan Collection is a premiere online company that is offering consumers the best small home designs for efficient space. There is an increase in demand for open floor plans, and more closet space — elements that today’s small home buyers do still want. They do not want large living rooms, formal dining rooms, or second-floor laundry rooms any more. (The real reason is because of the noise factor.) Home buyers also want small details for space efficiencies such as built in bookshelves or desks under a stairway.

The most popular small house plans are around 2,000 square feet and actually provide many of the same amenities featured in a luxury home. One of The Plan Collection’s newest of its small house plans is from this Craftsman Home collection known as the Canterbury.

With living areas that are sufficient enough for almost any family, both the living area and master bedroom feel larger than they actually are because of their 10 foot tray ceilings. This plan provides more livability than most 1,600 square foot homes. Smaller spaces also call for scaled-back furnishings… therefore less money spent. There is a trend for more tailored over clunky items and natural lighting that makes rooms look larger — from skylights which provide natural light.

Detailed beautifully in an infographics called, “The Rise of Small House Plans” this outlines the small house plan movement and what to expect from by the year 2015.

By Ann Adamson Pending home sales increased in March 2013 and continue to remain above levels from a year ago in 2012, according to the National Association of Realtors® in its latest Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI). This analysis is based on contract signings, which rose 1.5 percent to 105.7 in March. Overall numbers are up by 7.0 percent above March 2012 when it was 98.8. So it just may be time for you to make your house plans a reality! What’s exciting is that the total existing-home sales are projected to increase more than 6.5 to 7 percent over 2012 to nearly 5 million sales in 2013. What’s more, the national median existing-home price has been forecast to increase by around 7.5 percent. That means many folks will either be in need of home plans for building or they will buy a previously owned house. The PHSI is a leading indicator for the housing sector, and it is based on pending sales of existing homes. A home sale is usually listed as pending when the contract has been signed, and although the transaction has not yet closed, sales are almost always finalized in no more than two months from [...]

By Ann Adamson Today Americans are increasingly seeking a more urban lifestyle and with this comes an interest in outdoor living spaces. Exciting house plans today include outdoor living spaces with BBQ porches or outdoor kitchens. Outside living spaces show a demand for screened porches, which are gaining traditional indoor accoutrements — a fireplace, built-in cook’s stations with a sink, storage areas and in some cases a pizza oven, a little refrigerator, even beer taps! Hybrid grills enable gas and wood cooking. Summer never tasted so good. In a recent report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) entitled, “What Home Buyers Really Want, “just eight percent of those surveyed want to live in a city center, 36 percent prefer the outer suburbs, 30 percent the close-in suburbs and 27 percent still want the old-fashioned, rural American living.” We are seeing home plans that include chef quality BBQ porches for greater privacy, along with high-efficiency glass windows and doors. This makes a home energy-smart. Here is one really nice design. This modern house design (Plan #107-1015), features a covered outdoor patio with a gourmet BBQ grilling area in its outdoor kitchen. The fireplace acts as a stunning focal point [...]

By Ann Adamson The really good news is that both single-family and multifamily housing starts are supposed to post double-digit gains in 2013 over last year.  This news is aided, of course, by the rising home prices throughout most of the U.S.  But, we are not completely out of the water, according to economists at the NAHB’s Spring 2013 Construction Forecast Conference. The NAHB’s Multifamily Production Index has jumped 38 points in the last four years and now stands at 54. This is excellent news for architects, providers, and all related industries. The NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index shows this expansion.  The index lists 273 metros areas out of 361 — about three-quarters of the U.S. metropolitan areas. The surge is because of improvements in house prices across a broader number of markets. Home price increases became more consistent in 2012, and the latest data shows about a six percent annual rate of home price appreciation nationwide. This housing sector growth is rising faster pace than the overall economy. Following are some key industry points: – Residential fixed investment component of GDP was up 17.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 – A demand for housing also means business [...]

It is no secret that we are all worried about the number of natural disasters in today’s environment – from tornados, to floods to earthquakes – it does not matter why these disasters are happening with more frequency than in days gone by, but what does matter is how we can make our homes safer to weather the storm. What have today’s engineers done to help design for today’s home owners? In natural disasters such as earthquake, the biggest danger to a house plan doesn’t come only from the shaking – but from the falling debris, as do most of the inhabitant’s injuries or fatalities. Many engineers and architects continue to work hard to design safer buildings. Their goals include coming up with solutions for humans to be better able to withstand Mother Nature’s temper. Pennsylvania State University’s architectural engineers are investigating the behavior of glass and walls during earthquakes in order to come up with better strategies for building windows and walls to withstand earthquakes and other natural disasters. The engineers have been studying historical earthquakes on a mini-scale, for example, and then they designed glass panels that will not touch the frame corners. When the glass corners are [...]

By Ann Adamson As the U.S. housing market continues to make gains, it seems that the median desired home size today is approximately 2,226 square feet, says new research that came out of the National Association of Home Buyer’s (NAHB). More than 3,600 home buyers were approached regarding a variety of new home characteristics. The survey, “What Home Buyers Really Want” was conduced in 2012, and its data summarizes some significant differences in home design size preferences. Research from the 2012 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows that today’s first-time buyers have an income of $61,800, and are a median age of 31 years old.  And it would appear that age plays a big role in a home buyer’s preferences.  What’s more, the amount of space requirements drop steadily as the buyer’s age increases. For instance, the desired home size is 2,494 square feet for those younger than 35, but people 65 plus, want a home with at least 2,065 square feet.The real reason has more to do with a buyers’ ability to access credit. Harshly stringent mortgage lending requirements since the economic downturn has created a situation where those people who are still able to obtain credit and put down a larger down payment – typically [...]

By Ann Adamson The economy and current real-estate market has changed the way many people view buying a home. McMansions are being sold for rock-bottom prices, but should you even consider buying one?  The average size of new homes has dropped, according to the National Association of Home Builders.  In the 1950′s the average size was 983 square feet. The average home was about 2,340 square feet by 2004, and today people prefer small. Homes under 900 square feet have benefits: 1) With a half an acre of property, expansion is a possibility. 2) There are smaller rooms to heat or cool, so monthly utility bills cost less. 3) You owners will spend less on maintenance like painting, landscaping, roofing, etc. 4) Smaller homeowners will save money on property taxes. Inside the home, you will also save time on housecleaning, and indoor maintenance.  Plus, living in a smaller home forces you to make choices about what you keep and what you donate, sell or give away. There is definitely a resurgence of interest in the small home among the younger families in the U.S. — a new generation of people living in more environmental, ecologically responsible, cost efficient and affordable [...]

In a recent “Realtor Magazine” article, writer Barbara Ballinger wrote an excellent feature article about the trends in designs in 2013.  At the top of this list is a focus on smarter controls that cost less – a home’s systems such as security, temperature controls, lighting, electronics and possibly 80 more, can be controlled via a computer or devices such as an iPhone or  iPad — helping working home owners manage things when they are not home. In addition to great rooms where families can enjoy being together, people are also thinking about more light, and nature. Now many home designs are inspired by spaces that extend beyond the traditional outdoor patio or deck. These spaces almost function like an indoor room for year-round living —with cozy furniture and fire pits, television and audio systems, bars, hybrid BBQ grills, and other creature comforts.  With this trend there is more interest in outdoor food preparation cook’s stations with many elaborate yet functional features like a built-in sink, refrigerator, and nice marble countertops — but also extra storage, a pizza oven and even beer on tap! And as if those aren’t enough, some future homes may even have a backyard pond in [...]

– Rounding Out March as Women’s History Month– An artist and one of the most prominent architects, Maya Lin became famous at the young age  of 21. As an undergraduate at Yale University, Lin entered and won a public design competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. – beating out more than 1400 competitors. Born in Athens, Ohio on October 5, 1959, Lin graduated from Yale in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a Master’s degree in architecture in 1986. She was among the youngest at Yale when she received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts in 1987. Lin’s work is characterized by simple lines and shapes, natural materials and Asian themes. Her “vision and focus was always on how the space needed to be in the future and what it meant to the people.” The Vietnam Wall that she designed is typical of her vision. With one side pointing to the Lincoln Memorial and the other to the Washington Monument – and forming a V-shape, Lin created “an opening or a wound in the earth to symbolize the gravity of the loss of the soldiers”. Opponents criticized the Vietnam Wall for not conforming to the traditional [...]

It seems that modern ranch house style homes are becoming popular again.  Could it be that the aging baby boomer population needs spacious one one-story homes to accommodate their aching joints? The modern ranch house plan originated back in the 1920s, and then from the 1940s through the 70s, ranch house plans became popular among post war middle class home owners because of the comfortable, rambling style. And of course due to the nice warmer climates, they were extremely popular in California and the western states where open living and back yard BBQs were a social event. Typically, ranch homes are known for their minimal use of decoration inside and outside the home. These plans were also called rambler or rancher homes, and of course, got their name as they were were reminiscent of the American West. During this period in history working ranches featured a casual and informal lifestyle – bright, open floor plans with simple segregated living spaces. Residents enjoyed both privacy and family livability. Ranch homes was associated with smaller tract houses also build during this period. And it was the United States post War baby boom which created a high demand for these ranch house plans which were affordable.Communities such as Hope Ranch popped up in spots [...]