Characteristics of New Housing

Highlights of Annual 2010 Characteristics of New Housing

In 2010:

• The average single-family house completed was 2,392 square feet. In 2009, the average single-family house was 2,438 square feet.
• 36% of the new single-family homes sold in the U.S. had vinyl siding as the principal type of exterior wall material. For attached single-family homes sold, this was 43% and for detached single-family homes sold, this was 35%.
• 88% of all single-family homes completed had air-conditioning. By region, the proportions were 77% in the Northeast, 88% in the Midwest, 99% in the South, and 64% in the West.
• 35% of single-family homes completed had 4 or more bedrooms. 52% of them had 3 bedrooms.
• Of the single-family homes completed with 4 or more bedrooms, 53% had 3 or more bathrooms.
• 17% of new single-family homes sold had a garage that could hold 3 or more cars.
• 30% of single-family homes completed had a full or partial basement, 52% had a slab or other type of foundation, and 18% had a crawl space.
• 52% of single-family homes completed had 2 or more stories.
• 49% of new single-family homes sold had 1 fireplace and 5% had 2 or more fireplaces.
• The average new single-family home sold was built on a lot of 17,590 square feet. The average lot size for new homes sold inside metropolitan areas was 16,585 square feet. Outside metropolitan areas, it was 27,363 square feet.
• 56% of all single-family homes completed had a warm-air furnace installed as the primary type of heating system.
• Of the completed single-family homes with warm-air furnaces, 86% used gas, 13% used electricity, and 1% used oil.
• 58% of all new single-family homes sold were financed by a conventional loan. The proportion was 62% in 2009 and 74% in 2008. The proportion that were financed by an FHA-insured loan was 25% in 2010, 24% in 2009, and 16% in 2008.
• The average sales price of new single-family homes sold was $272,900. The average sales price was $270,900 in 2009, $292,600 in 2008 and $313,600 in 2007.
• The average price per square foot for new single-family homes sold was $84.07. Regionally, the average price per square foot was $111.05 in the Northeast, $85.24 in the Midwest, $75.72 in the South, and $102.75 in the West.
• Of the 155,000 multifamily units completed, 50% had one bathroom, 5% had 1½ bathrooms, and 46% had 2 or more bathrooms.
• 62% of multifamily units completed used electricity for heating fuel, while 35% used gas.
• The average square footage of multifamily units completed and built for sale was 1,388.
• 9,000 multifamily buildings were completed. Of these, 22% were 2-unit buildings and 16% were 3 to 4-unit buildings.
• 83% of multifamily buildings completed had 1 to 3 floors and 17% had 4 or more floors.

Note: the estimates shown here are based on sample surveys and are subject to sampling variability as well as nonsampling error.