The great Australian dream of home ownership is constantly evolving. In previous posts on this blog we have explored the notions that both our houses and lot sizes are decreasing in size, with kitchens growing in importance and outdoor living becoming more prominent.
We've also seen that many Australians are moving to downsize their property dreams with a large number choosing to purchase smaller dwellings such as apartments and townhouses to combat affordability issues.
Despite these continuing changes, according to an article by Simon Johansen in The Age recently, 'Australian homes still the world's biggest' (22 August), as the title suggests, dwellings in Australia remain the largest globally in terms of size.
The article cites figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and other data compiled for Commonwealth Securities which show that the average new home built in Australia is around 10 per cent and nine per cent bigger than equivalent properties in the United States and New Zealand respectively, with the average floor size of a new freestanding house in Australia being approximately 243 square metres.
The article notes that NSW has the biggest houses in the country, followed by the Northern Territory, Queensland and Victoria.
I suppose these findings should not be altogether too surprising – it is no secret that as Australians we generally value our personal space, as well as having areas to congregate in both family and friendship groups.
Having said this, the article notes that the increase in house sizes may have reached a peak, citing research from CommSec suggesting that various factors, such as an ageing population wishing to live in smaller properties and changing consumer behaviours, have contributed to Australian home sizes "going sideways" over the past five years.
Population demographics will always be changing and this can have an impact on what buyers look for in homes. Ultimately in constructing a new property, owners will usually design in accordance with their own preferences. However it could definitely be a worthwhile exercise to keep general demographic trends in mind when building your new home.
For real estate advice, including about what buyers are looking for when seeking out property purchase options, please don't hesitate to talk to a Century 21 property professional at one of our offices around Australia.