Use recent size and price patterns to avoid overbuying.
You're deciding how much home you actually need for the next season, without overspending just to "have space." My guidance match your target square footage and price lane to what is moving through Prague, OK, not to an abstract ideal.
Looking at the latest numbers, the clearest signal was the spread between what is coming on the market and what is getting accepted over the last three months, the typical new listing price point was $369,950, while the typical pending price point was $152,500. In that same period, typical size among pending homes was 1,288 square feet, and typical size among recently closed homes was 1,470 square feet. Some metrics were not reported for this period, including a single typical sold price for last month and sold-to-asking percentage, so I keep the decision anchored to what is visible accepted and closed homes clustered in the low-to-mid one-thousands of square feet. That matters because upsizing decisions often fail when the budget is set using the "new listing" lane, while the actual accepted lane is materially different. Choose your target layout first, then set a price ceiling that keeps you in the typical pending and closed lane unless you intentionally want to compete in the higher-priced new-listing tier. Tour at least one home around the typical pending size about 1,288 square feet and one closer to the typical closed size about 1,470 square feet to confirm what feels right. If you find yourself repeatedly stretching toward the new-listing price lane, tighten your must-haves so you are not paying for space you will not use.
