WAIT, YOU NEED THIS: TINY HOMES

When I started my research for this piece, it was like opening a Pandora’s box. Once you start researching, the big world of tiny home living awakens. With housing costs skyrocketing across the nation, home buyers are getting more creative about finding alternative solutions to owning property. And with the minimalist movement still going full-steam ahead, people are shifting their mindset and requiring less space to live an inspired life.

Enter tiny homes

This movement has gained popularity over the last several years, even garnering a show on HGTV called Tiny House Big Living. So, in this post, we will dive into what defines a tiny home, how it works, the motivation behind it, and where you can get one.

Tiny homes defined

The typical American home is an average of 2,600 square feet. Tiny homes are generally around 150 – 400 square feet. Talk about a downsizing. You can either rent or own and it is typically an independent structure. Some are built on their own plot of land and others are parked along with other buildings or a larger home. These structures can be built from anything from a container (another huge housing trend) to a trailer to simple, small “pre-fab” structures. Some have wheels; some don’t.

But the premise of investing in a smaller home is that it allows you to simplify life and consume less. The motivation can be financial, environmental, or simply wanting more freedom from the conventional way of life. To be able to do the things you really want to do without feeling physically and financially trapped.

TheTinylife.com breaks down the true cost of owning a home in today’s market:

How can I get one?

You might be thinking, “This sounds amazing! Where can I get one of these?” Hold your horses. There are three big “L”s to consider with tiny homes and those are loans, laws, and land. Do your research. Find out the laws in your area, identify how (or if) you will get a loan (usually banks will not easily lend due to low resale value and square footage). And of course, identifying where you can realistically build that is in line with your current lifestyle.

What’s awesome about tiny homes is that you can customize it and be as creative as you want to be. I always find that the fewer resources we have to work with, the more creative you become. Plenty of people design their own, however, there are amazing prefab tiny homes you can literally “add to cart”. Check these out:

Wheelhaus

Offers non-mobile modular homes

Tumbleweed

Nature inspired, rustic homes

New Frontier Tiny Homes

For those who want a little luxe

Hygge Supply

The perfect tiny home kit. The birch le collaboration house features C2 Paint, Calm (C2-924) throughout. (psstt…soon to come are even smaller, more affordable “cottages”).

Tiny House Listings

Discover tiny homes for sale or rent in your area

Want to become part of the tiny house movement? Share with us in the comments!