Desire grows for cozy over colossal

Are large homes going the way of SUVs? Apparently so, according to a recent Angie’s List poll, in which one in five respondents living in homes 2,000 square feet or more expressed a desire to downsize.

Large homes still rule -- the average U.S. home today is 2,434 square feet, according to Angie’s List -- but more owners are expressing a desire for the coziness, lower utility costs and time saved that smaller homes provide, said Angie Hicks, founder of the website directory of home and garden services.

Of those polled who prefer a smaller home, 62% said the downsizing would provide more time for non-domestic activities, 50% sought less square footage because of an empty nest and 49% cited wasted space as their reason for wanting less.

-- Diane Wedner