The myriad benefits of going not-so-big

Given the not so big home trend, here are the reasons why people are downsizing with zest:

Less $$$
Less house means more disposable income through smaller mortgage payments, heating and cooling bills, and property taxes. This is especially a concern where interest rates and energy prices are rising.

Less Maintenance
Less house means less house to clean, lawns to mow, things to fix. If you're single, you'd rather be out socializing. If you have a kids, you'd rather be spending time with them. If you're retired, you have better things to spend your energy on.

More Freedom
Smaller homes (especially in multi-family buildings) result in destinations being closer together, and that's a whole lot more walkable than neighborhoods where homes take up an acre each. For the same reasons, errands and social plans become more convenient, and of course, as a result it's a much more social environment.

More Comfort
Sarah Susanka states in her Not So Big House series of books that her clients repeatedly find a well-designed smaller home is more livable, usable and comfortable than a much larger home. For one, there are no 'museum' rooms to make a house feel empty, and second, humans prefer occupying the edges in niches and enclaves vs. being in the middle of expansive spaces. In other words, humans prefer human-scaled environments.