Homeowners no happier than renters, says expert
Research says good design, not ownership, is the key to a happy home
Elizabeth Dunn is giving you permission to stop keeping up with the Joneses.
The psychology professor and director of the Happy Lab at the University of British Columbia says those who strive for a luxury abode are likely wasting their time.
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"Actually what really turns out to matter is the extent to which your home provides you with a great opportunity to interact with other people," said Dunn.
She says owners shouldn't be obsessing over granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a steam shower — but design and layout. A house with great "social engineering."
"Does your home, for example, open up onto a courtyard where you naturally run into neighbours and have barbecues and have lots of friendly social contact with the people around you?"
Dunn says the research also tells us that female homeowners are no happier than renters and actually weigh about 5.5 kilograms heavier on average.
Smaller yards bring joy
People do tend to feel happier when they're outside, says Dunn, but the size of your garden may affect how you socialize with your neighbours.
She says Charles Montgomery explores this in his book Happy City, and says having massive yard may just be another way to isolate you from your neighbours.
"He argues, based on a bunch of research, that the best yard is one that about 13-feet deep," said Dunn.
"So you can imagine, if you're on a block with a bunch of town homes and everyone has these little yards, people are likely to be out in those yards and they're going to see each other and chat easily."
Commute time matters
While many Canadians move to the suburbs to get more bang for their buck, that may actually be a pretty bad tradeoff, says Dunn.
"Having that big home doesn't actually seem to be all that significant in terms of improving happiness. Instead, maybe what you should think about is how the home you choose is going to affect the way you spend your time."
She says spending hours everyday commuting to your enormous home could decrease your overall happiness.