| I've often thought about the large size of houses in the United States. I'm sure the reasons are complex and various, but here are some of the drivers of large and "cheaply built" homes. I don't say "cheaply" derogatorily, but as a comparison in cost of underlying materials. The vast majority of single-family residences in the US are made with wood (as apposed to masonry). Most homes in the US that appear to be made of masonry are done so with a veneer layer only. - When a homeowner sells their primary residence, they are allowed a tax exemption of up to $250,000, or twice that amount if married. Since the 1960s, inflation-adjusted prices have been on the rise, which means the potential for a large tax-free gain when you sell. - Housing in the United States are massively subsidized by tax policy. Mortgage interest is a deduction to income when filing federal income tax. This means that a dollar spent on a mortgage payment is worth more than a dollar spent on something such as a vacation, a car or other non-deductible purchase. - Americans tend to move much more frequently than Europeans. An American will live in, on average, 2 or 3 times as many residences than a European [1]. As such, I think there is less "attachment" to a particular structure. Because people anticipate living in or owning a residence for less than 10 years, it seems that size is prioritized over durability. - In the United States, the quality of public schools is highly correlated to the income of the surrounding area [2]. Most communities with higher income households are full of neighborhoods have covenants that require homes of a minimum size that are legally enforceable through homeowner associations. Not surprisingly, individuals with resources take measures to ensure that their neighbors are their economic peers. Parents are generally willing to sacrifice a lot to ensure high quality education for their children, which means they are willing to spend a large percentage of their income on housing (if that's what it takes to gain access to good schools). Full disclosure: I am an American but have traveled extensively throughout the world and have often wondered what drives the size of homes in the US. 1. http://news.gallup.com/poll/162488/381-million-adults-worldw... 2. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/08/propert... |