A recent analysis by Realtor.com reveals that the number of homes with “extra” bedrooms in the US has reached a record high, with 31.9 million such rooms found nationwide. This represents a significant increase from 1980, when there were just 7 million extra bedrooms.
The trend is driven by smaller households and aging Baby Boomers who prefer to stay in their larger homes despite having fewer family members living with them. Additionally, some older individuals are hesitant to sell their homes due to lower mortgage rates and concerns about capital gains taxes.
The analysis found that the share of all bedrooms that could be considered guest rooms increased from 3.5% in 1980 to 8.8% in 2023, indicating a growing demand for extra space. However, this comes at a cost, with the average three-bedroom home now costing $336,839 and the average four-bedroom home costing $496,089.
The regions with the most extra bedrooms per capita are the Mountain West and the South, where there is more available land to build on. Cities like Salt Lake City and Memphis have 12% of their bedrooms classified as “extra,” while other cities like Miami and Los Angeles have significantly fewer.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2024/12/18/extra-bedrooms-realtor-big-houses