You probably already know that Texas is a very large state. In fact, it is the second-largest state by land mass in the United States. You’ve also probably heard the saying that everything is bigger in Texas, but does that also apply to the houses there? If so, why are they so big anyway?
Houses in Texas are so big due to the amount of available land in the state, combined with lower than average building costs and a very strong economy compared to the rest of the country.
However, not every city or town in Texas has big houses. It really depends on the city you are concentrating on. Read on to learn more about why Texas homes are so big and how they compare in size against houses in other states.
Why Are Texas Houses Big?
Texas houses are so big for various reasons; the three most important are the vast amount of land, low building costs, and Texas’ booming economy. Let’s explore each one of these in more detail.
Lots of Vacant Land Means There is Room to Build
One reason Texas houses are so large is that there is plenty of vacant land available to develop and build more homes. Texas is the second-largest state in the country, second only to Alaska.
A recent study published by CommercialCafe indicates that Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio are among the top American cities regarding the amount of undeveloped vacant land available. The vast territory of the state allows new homes to be built without much regard to the “footprint” of the home. In other words, there is enough land for a developer to build on that they do not have to sacrifice home size to fit their desired number of homes in a neighborhood.
Building Costs in Texas Are Lower Than Average
Another reason why Texas houses are so big is due to lower than average building costs in most Texas markets.
Yahoo Finance recently conducted a study and ranked each state by building cost for a residential home. According to their findings, Texas was the 15th best state for construction costs. This puts Texas in the top 30% of all U.S cities for building costs.
To give you an idea, let’s compare Texas to the state of Washington. According to the study, the cost to build a home in Washington was $238,898, while the cost to build the same home in Texas is $176,045. This ability to build at a fraction of the cost compared to other places helps developers maintain the integrity and size of the home.
Texas’ Economy is Booming, and More People Are Moving There
For the past decade, perhaps even longer, Texas has seen a strong economy. In fact, the state’s economy is better than most international countries. According to a report recently published by Texas Economic Development Corporation, Texas has the 9th largest economy by GDP in the world. It is quite impressive to consider that Texas, a single state in America, has more economic power than pretty much every country on the planet.
The state has a long history of being a leader in the oil and gas industry as well as a hub for tech companies to set up operations. Due to these companies and employers, Texas has been steadily adding new residents over the years, which is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. These economic sectors offer fantastic employment opportunities both for native Texans and those who are willing to move there.
This would perhaps explain why Houston (the oil capital of America) and Austin (the “new” Silicon Valley) are among the top 5 cities with the largest homes. Builders and developers are confident that the stream of people moving to the area is constant, and the salaries offered by the Texas economy pay well enough for a family to afford a “slightly larger than the average” home.
How Big Are Texas Houses?
Our definition of what’s considered a “big” home can be subjective, so it’s worth investigating just how big Texas homes can be compared to other states.
One of the largest nationwide lenders, LendingTree, actually conducted a study on the cities with the largest homes in America; in this study, Texas held three of the top five spots for metropolitan areas:
So, as you can see, Texas really does have some of the biggest houses in the country.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why Texas homes are so big. The state’s land mass, building costs, and economy all play important factors in the residential real estate space and contribute to the large home sizes. And with the way Texas is going, we can expect to see this trend to continue into the near future.
