Last Updated: Nov 14, 2023
Less home, less waste, better build, better value—these are the home buying rules Todd Talbot lives by. From gas guzzling cars to fast food, Rise got a chance to talk with Todd Talbot, Vancouver’s Love it or List it host, about why less is more, and why quality building practices matter.
Todd and his family recently moved from a 3,000 square foot home to a 1,200 square foot home. It’s all part of an idea he calls “right-sizing.” That doesn’t necessarily mean buying a tiny home, rather people should consider their needs and buy a home that strictly meets those needs—nothing more and nothing less. When it comes to home buying, more is sometimes less. Less home, means less energy, less furniture, and more money in your pocket.
In Todd’s words, “If you drive a Suburban, I don’t care how carefully or how often you drive it. You drive a Suburban. It’s a big car. It takes a lot of gas. That’s not a sustainable choice. If you’re building a 5,000 square foot house, that’s not sustainable either.”
The size of a home can also increase unnecessary landfill waste. A third of the waste in Vancouver’s landfills is a result of the housing industry. Many of those homes were built in the last 30 years, a result of rising home prices and poor construction. In contrast, Todd believes that people in the green building industry lean towards a higher quality build. They have a longer time horizon in mind. Their builds tend to hold value longer, they last longer, and they run more efficiently.
Poor construction is avoidable, and Todd compares it to food consumption. He says, “We all know that eating healthy makes us feel better, makes our bodies function better, we look better, and we have more energy. Whether it’s food or construction, the fast food/fast build choice is not always the healthiest.“
Whether you Love It or List It, Todd wants you to consider how the home you buy impacts your life and your community.