March 27, 2005
old house stats
“In 2001, only 8.3 percent of all U.S. homes were built before 1920. That’s roughly 9.9 million old homes out of the nation’s 119.1 million housing units. Most of the pre-1920s homes are in the Northeast (4.3 million) or Midwest (3.4 million). There are fewer in the South (1.4 million) and even fewer out West (800,000). By contrast, 19.1 million homes were built between 1990 and 2001. Almost half of those, 9 million, were built in the South.”
[ via houseblogs.net ]
Seems new McMansion and garden home neighborhoods go up every day here in Alabama. I’ve definitely noticed less interest in old house here than there seems to be farther north. People around here think you’re totally bonkers if you want to live in a house older than 5 years.
My question is: Who is buying these 300K+ McMansions? I have actually heard people call a pre-owned house a ‘used house’ as if it were a car. The success of the selling of conspicuous consumption as a goal in life is horrifying.
On the other hand, it has made it so that I can afford an old, beautifully built house that still has it’s original clawfoot tubs.