Americans Downsize, Some Chose 'Tiny' Homes

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the median size of a new single-family home is around 2,100 square feet. That may seem large, but the median size of a single-family home has been shrinking in the U.S. since 2006. And that's good news for Jay Shafer.

He owns the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which builds and sells what are called "tiny houses." These are the miniature homes that are often super-efficient and insulated.  Tiny homes are also generally built on wheels, so that they don't have to meet the building codes of a house, including a minimum size standard.

We speak with Shafer, who says that he's noticed a surge of interest in smaller living.