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How Many Windows Does the Average House Have?

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Real Estate Agent with Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com 0480809

Last week, I read an article about things you should do before putting your house on the market. Most everything was basic stuff you hear all the time, but one thing caught my attention. It said to replace old windows. It's not something I hadn't heard before, but the article continued and said, "...you can often upgrade standard windows to vinyl for a reasonable $300 per window. The average home has 8 windows..."

replace window to sell houseThe part that caught my eye was not the $300 a window, which I do think is a high estimate, but that the "average" home has only 8 windows.  Where are these homes with 1 and 2 windows to offset all the homes with 30 or 40+ windows?  How could the average be 8? My house has 30 operable windows and about 10 that are inoperable, so that's 40 right there...

I decided to conduct my own unscientific study to get a more realistic average. I posted the question on my profile on Facebook, as well as a private group to see what kind of answers I got. Overall, I received 1 answer of 6 windows and 2 answers of 8 windows, though one of those said she had an additional large, inoperable window. Where were all the 1 or 2 window responses?

The most windows someone posted was 69 with a breakdown of 35 on the ground floor, 23 on the second floor, and 11 on the third floor. Not many houses have 3 floors, but it's still 58 windows if you ignore the third floor.

The unscientific average I came up with was 20.26 windows. This is no where near 8. If my average came in around 10 or 12, I would then think my sample was just a little unrepresentative of the average across the country. To come up with a number over 20, which is no where near 8, makes me think even more how ridiculous the report was that I read.

To replace 20+ windows at $300 a pop, we're now talking a little more than chump change. I can't say I would spend $12k to replace my 40 windows if I was going to sell. I think I would leave that up to the new homeowner, and make sure my house showed well and was priced right!

Post the number of windows you have and let's see if we get a different "average"...

**Are You Packed Yet?**

donna harris Realtor Austin TX blog

Donna Harris, REALTOR®
RE/MAX Austin Skyline
www.DonnaHomes.com
Donna@DonnaHomes.com
austin-texas-homes-for-sale.com

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Copyright© 2011 By Donna Harris, All Rights Reserved. You may re-blog with links back to this post.
*
How Many Windows Does the Average House Have? * was first published on donnahomesblog.com.

Comments(11)

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Loreena and Michael Yeo
3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Prosper TX Real Estate Co. - Prosper, TX
Real Estate Agents
I'm not home so I cant tell exactly how windows I have but just my living room makes 6 and 4 in my bedroom. Certainly closer to the 30-40 mark too. Perhaps the average was used back in the 60s or 70s and the number hasnt been updated yet?
Aug 18, 2011 05:09 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home again, home again...

yeah... average of 8 sounds ridiculously low .... I live in a modest 3br home ... and without counting the basement windows... we have 23! (and three of them are large "picture windows").

 

if you picture any two-story home... that would only be one window on each exposure for each floor.  Redonkulous!

Aug 18, 2011 07:03 AM
Than Maynard
Coldwell Banker Heart of Oklahoma - Purcell, OK
Broker - Licensed to List & Sell - 405-990-8862

Around here the average is 12-14 windows for under 1400 square feet. I believe that is something that was missing from the article...the square footage of their average house. Again, I would think they are going after older homes, since a new home wouldn't need new windows.

Aug 18, 2011 07:13 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

Loreena- We like our natural light!

Alan, Very Redonkulous!

Than, Granted, newer homes wouldn't need new windows, but new homes would still be considered in the average home across the country, right? Averages would include every house. They could have said, the average of homes built until 1970 have 8 windows, but they didn't stipulate age or size, just "average".

Aug 18, 2011 07:19 AM
Hrisco & Associates
Hrisco & Associates - Roanoke, TX
Roanoke Homes for Sale - Roanoke Neighborhoods

I would tend to agree with you Donna, replacing windows to sell just doesn't make sense, it takes years to recoup the cost of replacing your windows.....energy wise....and that is if you are going to stay in the house.

Aug 18, 2011 09:07 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Donna

Thanks for sharing the tips, they would help a home to sell and sell faster.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Aug 18, 2011 10:14 AM
Dawn Rueger
Beiser Realty - Oshkosh, WI

Hmmmm don't think I have ever counted my windows...My personal home is approx 2400 sq ft and was build in the before 1970 has 18. Even at 18 I can think of spaces to add windows to let more light in. 8 seems very "cave-like" to me.

Aug 18, 2011 10:18 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

John, Like a tankless water heater...

Lou, THanks.

Dawn, Along with wood paneling, those older homes liked it dark!

Aug 18, 2011 10:40 AM
Kay Van Kampen
RE/MAX Broker, RE/MAX - Springfield, MO
Realtor®, Springfield Mo Real Estate

Donna, I started counting some of the homes we have on the market.  15 would be a better average for some homes in our area.  Larger homes of course more than triple.

Aug 18, 2011 02:27 PM
George Scott Stevens
http://www.renaissancerealtygroup.net - Dallas, TX
Renaissance Realty Group Dallas, TX 214-458-1647

18 windows in my little 2300SF 3bdrm home, Donna.  And $300 per window for vinyl is JUUUUST a little high!

Aug 19, 2011 10:32 AM
Peter Richards
AraxWindows - Arlington, GA

It always depends. When I installed windows at araxwindows the average client who lives in his own house, had 10-15 windows. It's in Austin, Texas. So this is from my own experience.
But I can see from the comments above, that the number of windows is so different.

Apr 27, 2019 08:12 AM