View Homes for sale in New Orleans
It just might be that a groundswell is spreading throughout the home-buying public. In New Orleans, smaller houses that used to be difficult to sell are rising in popularity, and I can guess why.
First, a little history. Back in 1950, what we would
consider smaller houses were the rule: the average square footage came in at
just 983 (try to imagine the ‘average’ family with 2 kids, 2 adults and Lassie
all shoehorned in there!). By 2006, that figure had blown up to 2,248 square
feet—and we all know about the bigger McMansions—just in time for the financial
meltdown. Within the next few years, for the first time ever, the upsizing
trend had begun to reverse. Only three years later, average square footage was
2,135.
In terms of size, today’s buyers and sellers are meeting in
a much more balanced market. New Orleans smaller houses are no longer
automatically spurned. In fact, smaller houses are the first choice for a
growing number of buyers. Why?
When you really analyze it, a surprising amount of housing space is seldom used. Lifestyle
changes dictate that formal dining and living rooms are much less frequently
occupied. And it’s a fact that we only use a small percentage of the things
that we own, so in actuality, some of many homes’ area amount to extremely
high-end storage space. By getting rid of some of that unused stuff, the space
it takes up can become unneeded.
The old rule of thumb nationally is that property taxes average about 1% of the
value of a home. Smaller houses mean lower tax bills.
Maintenance bills
can be substantially lower in smaller New Orleans houses. It varies greatly by
age and style, but one estimate has it that annual maintenance bills usually run
between 1%-3% of total value.
Whether your hire help or handle it yourself, a smaller
home can be much faster to clean. This
may be less true when clutter is allowed to take over, but for those who are
vigilant clutter-clearers, it means freeing more time for doing the things that
you love. If you are paying someone else clean your home, it can easily equate
to significant savings over the course of a year.
According to the American Psychology Association, money is
the largest single contributor to stress.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans admit that financial problems are their
biggest source of stress. Purchasing a smaller house with an accompanying
smaller mortgage can directly translate into a mellower quality of life.
A smaller New Orleans house may not be for everyone, but
today’s buyers are considering the advantages with a much more open minds. If
you are giving some serious thought to buying or selling a home, let’s talk
about the wide range of possibilities on the New Orleans market today.
Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group
(504)297-2619
Harris.Terez@gmail.com
Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100
Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers licensed in the state of Louisiana.
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