Tiny homes are defined as homes constructed in a small space. They usually take less than 500 square feet. Some tiny homes are on wheels to enable movement whenever needed.
In some cases, tiny homes are considered a source of income – making profitable short-term rentals and even long-term tenants. They can as well be vacation properties.
If you wonder if a tiny home is a better option, here are some facts to help enlighten your decision.
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Is Money Your Focus?
When buying a house, a limiting factor for many is funding. If you can’t afford it, you can’t buy it. Tiny houses can be a great way to get into homeownership if you don’t need lots of space since their price tag is usually much lower.
Tiny homes living is affordable. Compared to bigger homes, it’s easier to build your tiny home without any mortgage. You can even have a cheaper home if you are using recycled materials.
When it comes to maintenance and utility, the cost is also low since it’s not a big home. You will also be forced to buy less furniture since you are working with less space. It will help save what you would have used to buy things you want but don’t need.
Portability
Compared to traditional homes, you can take your tiny home with you whenever you move. You can also have a nomadic lifestyle around the country, especially if you have a truck with a hitch.
If you decide to move to a bigger home, you could rent it out to people who would like to explore life in a tiny home. You can also turn it into a guest house if you have visitors at your place. Awesome, right?
Easy to clean
When living in a tiny home, cleaning is done easily and doesn’t take a lot of time. You only have a small area to clean because the rooms are tiny. Since you have a few things in the house, you can do laundry and dishes quickly.
No septic system required
If your tiny house is located in the city, you can connect to a sewer system and enjoy modern plumbing. If you are far from the city, your tiny house can have a composting toilet that can be cleaned at least once in six weeks.
You can also use a water tank and plumbing for regular flushing in a portable house if a composting toilet is not an option.
Although the cost and simplicity of a tiny home can lure you into getting one, it also comes with some challenges. For instance, getting a place to build or place your house is not easy. Zoning laws have certain square footage requirements, and you should have the necessary utility in place. This can be hectic, especially if you live in a city.
Also, moving to the same house as a family with kids is not easy. There is no privacy because you keep bumping into each other. As long as you are all in the house, there is no place to have a quiet time. It will be impossible to concentrate on your work in a tiny home, especially with kids running up and down.
Below are other tiny homes drawbacks you’ll want to be aware of:
Lack of space: Tiny homes don’t have enough space for storage. Where and how will you store your stuff?
Fleeting factor: If you change your mind and want to move to a bigger home, what will happen to your tiny house?
It would help if you also thought about how you will be able to share such a tiny space with your kids, friends, and, in some cases, pets. You could face some struggles when sharing a tiny home compared to when living in a standard house.
Also, plan on how to handle conflicts. When living in a tiny home, you need to be extra keen on house management and house organizing to enable you to live comfortably.
Still not sure?
If you are still not certain if you want to venture into a tiny home living, why not give a shot? Try a tiny home for vacation. Book a few days and see what happens. Did you like it? Would you want to get one for yourself? If you like the experience, go for it!
Besides, trying before buying will help you develop ideas such as designing, building, and organizing your tiny home for you to have a splendid living.
Featured image source: Freepik Premium
