Biggest Homes are Aussie Homes

[trev]

While average US home sizes have shrunk for the first time in a decade due to global recession, the average floor space of new Australian homes hit a record high of 214.6 square metres in 2008/09 financial year, according to official data.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data commissioned by CommSec also showed the average floor area of new free-standing houses was also at a record high - 245.3sqm.

By contrast, the average size of new homes started in the US in the September quarter stood at 201.5sqm.

Data from Europe shows that Denmark has the biggest homes (houses and flats) with an average floor area of 137 sqm, followed by Greece (126 sqm), and the Netherlands (115.5 sqm).

Homes in the UK are the smallest in Europe, at 76 sqm on average.

So those who want more space, come to Australia.

[DanS]

Congrats. Now you're stuck with the McMansions.

[Donegeal]

If I could, I would.

[Asher]

Australia, home of urban sprawl 2.0?

[Kitschum]

So you have space, at least in Europe we're free of killer spiders, and killer snakes, and killer jelly-fish.

[Asher]

Canada has even more space than Australia, and lacks the killer spiders, and killer snakes, and killer jelly-fish.

[loinburger]

And year-round heating is more efficient than year-round air conditioning.

[Asher]

You realistically only need heating from ~October to ~April

[loinburger]

I generally operate on the assumption that all Canadians live in Yellowknife.

[Kitschum]

You need heating in winter in Australia too, at least during the night.

[Asher]

If I ever get unfathomably rich, I'm actually going to build a massive compound deep in the Northwest Territories with my own internet trunk and generators and airstrip.

I'm serious, too. I think that'd be awesome.

[Flubber]

So those who want more space, come to Australia.

I always figured that people in colder climates have more "need" for more space per person. Since weather prevents going outside you have more need for recreational and living space indoors.

Trev-- your article -- did it have data for lots of other places too since i wondered if there might be a rough temperature to average house size correlation-- It would probably be very rough unless you could somehow adjust for precipitation as well.


If I were in Aus, I figure a small house would be enough (as long as it was spider and snake repellant)-- Wouldn't you be on the beach every day anyway?

[Wezil]

So you have space, at least in Europe we're free of killer spiders, and killer snakes, and killer jelly-fish.

Yes, but you're chocked full of Europeans.

[trev]

I copied about all the facts there was in the article, rest was mostly irrelevant comment, original sources may have had more, but they would have to be searched for and article not specific on sources generally from outside of Australia.
Environmental need is certainly not the reason for the big houses, the weather is decent enough not to require indoor space for recreation and there are very few deaths from killer spiders, snakes, jellyfish etc. Our most dangerous creature in terms of number of deaths caused are large spiders, which when seen in cars by panic stricken female drivers result in fatal car accidents. The females should take the blame for that, not the spiders.
In Australia the principal residence has tax advantages, so many people 'invest' for retirement by expanding their houses, then selling into a smaller house on retirement, giving them money to spend.
I suspect home size has a stronger correlation with home ownership rates rather than any other factor, people tend to live in bigger houses if they own them, rather than if they rent them.

[Asher]

The main problem with Australia is your nanny state.

It's ****ing unacceptable to ban video games from adults because some bureaucrat thinks it's too violent. What a shameful country.