I don't run into this phenomenon as often as I suspect my more urban counterparts but when I do, it is disturbing. People put all their hopes and dreams about their new home through the filter of what the next owner will think. Or worse, a set of requirements their realtor or builder is telling them they must have for the house to re-sell. A rather obvious assumption here is that the real estate market will not come out of the feedback loop it is currently in although all signs are pointing towards that happening soon and in a big way. Will what sells in 2009 be the same as what sells in 2029? I don't think so. Never having been in this position personally, maybe I'm missing something in the psychology of it all. Maybe people are watching too much TV. I suppose I should add "duh" here. Quite a number of articles have come across my desk recently about how "boomers" in particular but also "millenials" and other age groups are demanding smaller more economical and efficient homes in exponentially increasing numbers. The large scale builders are taking notice and adjusting to accomodate. I guess cleaning three or four bathrooms every week gets old. - remind me to explain my butts to toilets ratio theory of American economics - remind me to invent one to explain.

11/5 Time article ran across this good article about market forces on home size - Downsizing