Tiny homes are a growing corner of the real estate market. You may have noticed the subject trending on social media, or you may have spotted shows like Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Hunters on your TV screen.
What is a tiny home? It’s a home that is 400 square feet or less. It is not a section of a larger building — this is why apartments, condominiums and lofts are not part of this real estate category. Tiny homes are compact dwellings that give owners all of the essentials of a house but with fewer rooms and maintenance costs.
Not all tiny homes are alike. Read ahead to see which type is right for you.
The standard tiny home is a tiny house. It looks like a regular single-detached house but shrunk down to a miniature size.
One of the biggest benefits of a tiny house is that you don’t have to build it from the ground up. Many companies offer pre-fab tiny houses. They will do all of the construction tasks for you, from insulation to carpentry. The structure will be move-in ready.
All you will need to do is find the right location to set it down—some states will have zoning laws about tiny houses and where they can go. Check your state’s laws before you buy. After finding a location, you can order your house, decorate it and move in.
The Container Home:
A unique type of tiny home is the container home. A container home is made of converted shipping containers.
What’s the biggest benefit of a container home? Customization. If you want a simple, compact house, use one shipping container. If you want more floor space, attach multiple shipping containers beside each other. Do you want another level? Stack the containers on top of each other.
You can control more than the building’s shape with a container home. You’ll have the opportunity to choose every single feature, from the windows to the flooring, to match your construction budget and personal style. It’s all up to you.
How can you start building a container home? Start by searching for a new shipping container for sale through this online shipping container portal. Through the portal, you can find and purchase the container — or potentially, containers — you need for the construction. Once you’ve made the order, you can prepare your new home’s foundation and get ready for the delivery date.
The Mobile Tiny Home:
Mobile tiny homes aren’t rooted to a foundation. They’re built to move around. The main benefit that comes with this type of tiny home is it merges your vehicle and lodging together into one convenient package. You have the freedom to travel without having to book a hotel room, and you don’t need to rent a truck to move to a new city. You can drive your home to your destination.
How can you get a mobile tiny home? There are several options for this. You can convert a van or school bus into a tiny home (this is sometimes called a “skoolie). If you’d rather not customize a vehicle into a tiny home, you can look for a convenient pre-made option like an RV or trailer home.
The main issue with mobile tiny homes is that it can be more difficult to attain utilities since you aren’t rooted in one location. Things like plumbing, gas, electricity and internet will be more challenging to set up.
Which tiny home suits you? Take your pick from this simple guide.