A Tiny House In Our Future?

[Float On]

Great article, ctg, and very funny.

I don't understand why there is not an equally popular movement to revitalize the 750 -1200 square foot current housing stock that is everywhere around us, at least in the areas that I like.
We lived in an 816 square foot house for 3 years recently and found it too tight since we both work at home. Liking our current 1000 foot a lot better.

But I don't get it--it would be so much cheaper, and the water and systems are already in place--much cheaper, but not as pretty.

We did just fix up a small house in SC that we are reselling now and boy, it was ugly, circa 1968, when we started, and it ended up gorgeous--so much value in that era, the bland ranch house, ugly when we bought it, quitely lovely now.

So I think many of us single living folks would be wise to think of refurbishing some of these older (and in many cases, blighted) spaces.

It's a good feeling to add value to the neighborhood, too.

That's the size I'm most interested in. That rehab you did wasn't in Beaufort, SC was it? I love the little 2 bed/1bath 600 sf cottage we stay in there. In fact, my husband is in SC for 2 weeks and he and his brother are going to stay there for a couple days. I'm always checking out what's available there on realtor.com.

I still check out smallhouseswoon.com daily but rarely check out tinyhouseswoon.com anymore.

[TxZen]

I am interested in in something around 700-1000 square feet. It's becoming hard to find in the town I am in, due to influx of people wanting cookie cutters and driving the costs of something simple up over $200k. Down by the Gulf, we saw several and in our budget.

[rodeosweetheart]

Float, yes the rehab is in Beaufort, and we've owned a total of 3 houses there. The smallest was out on St. Helena.

We've been very happy there--we love it, but our kids are up up North and out west, along with grandchildren, so we decided to redo this latest and sell it. Have a contract and supposed to close in a couple of weeks, so fingers crossed!

[Float On]

Float, yes the rehab is in Beaufort, and we've owned a total of 3 houses there. The smallest was out on St. Helena.

We've been very happy there--we love it, but our kids are up up North and out west, along with grandchildren, so we decided to redo this latest and sell it. Have a contract and supposed to close in a couple of weeks, so fingers crossed!

Well, darn. Missed my opportunity. If you buy another one there...let me know.

[rodeosweetheart]

Well, darn. Missed my opportunity. If you buy another one there...let me know.

I've pm'ed you, float!

[Gregg]

I actually don't believe the tiny house movement will ever be much more than fringe, but the fact that it has shown a lot of people that living in less space with less stuff doesn't mean a spartan existence makes it priceless. If I could secure the land and the permits to develop a subdivision of 700-1000ish sq.ft. houses I would bet the farm to bankroll it. The City Council's unspoken logic is that people living in small homes would demand the same services, but pay less in taxes than people living in larger homes. Even though 1/2 the houses in town are older and small, they want to maximize revenue from anything new. There is just enough truth in that idea to lend even more credit to the adage that you don't fight city hall. Additionally, all the top developers in town have a pipeline filled with lots designed for 2800 sq.ft. houses and a pocket full of city council members. Competition for their lower priced products wouldn't be viewed favorably. This is not an uncommon scenario in Anytown, USA.

[Ultralight]

I actually don't believe the tiny house movement will ever be much more than fringe, but the fact that it has shown a lot of people that living in less space with less stuff doesn't mean a spartan existence makes it priceless. If I could secure the land and the permits to develop a subdivision of 700-1000ish sq.ft. houses I would bet the farm to bankroll it. The City Council's unspoken logic is that people living in small homes would demand the same services, but pay less in taxes than people living in larger homes. Even though 1/2 the houses in town are older and small, they want to maximize revenue from anything new. There is just enough truth in that idea to lend even more credit to the adage that you don't fight city hall. Additionally, all the top developers in town have a pipeline filled with lots designed for 2800 sq.ft. houses and a pocket full of city council members. Competition for their lower priced products wouldn't be viewed favorably. This is not an uncommon scenario in Anytown, USA.

Very good points, still sucks though. :/

[Gregg]

Very good points, still sucks though. :/

The obvious starting point is RE-development. My 800 sq.ft. house is in the middle of hundreds and hundreds of other 800 sq.ft. houses. We have mature trees, are 5 minutes drive (14 by bike) from the warehouse district that is the hottest spot in town, the same distance from a major university, a few blocks from a small college, etc. We're in a hot market right now because of low unemployment and even lower interest rates. Average days on market for houses here is 17. Average DOM in my neighborhood is 4 and the average selling price is 104% of listing price. Gentrification is happening as fast as the original owners are dying. I would be buying, renovating and flipping as fast as possible except people are pricing houses as though they are already fixed up. I don't want to do that much work for free, but its still encouraging to see younger owners moving in and fixing up. I kind of like it that there is no way for the bigger developers to gain a presence in the hottest market segment. Its poetic. But that's just me.

[ctg492]

Update on son and daughter inlaw. They met with tiny home builder and came to the conclusion of where or better where they could not put the home. They think it would be a wonderful living, but a trailer park is the only place they found so far and that was not the dream. They want small living in the heart of the the city to walk, bike and such so they are re doing the plan. Best of all I said nothing.

[freshstart]

Best of all I said nothing.

that had to be hard! you done good