Jan 26

A Hot Trend to Watch: Tiny Homes

A Hot Trend to Watch: Tiny Homes

A Hot Trend to Watch: Tiny Homes. Image courtesy of phanlop88 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Hot Trend to Watch: Tiny Homes. Image courtesy of phanlop88 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Could you imagine living in 97 square feet? Tiny houses – some might even call them teeny-tiny – are growing in popularity among buyers in the second home market. Some are even making them their primary residence.

Leaf House, a tiny home builder based out of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, has downsized from its 215-square-foot house that can sleep a family of four, to it’s most recent 97-square-foot model. The smaller version is constructed with vacuum insulation panels and is designed to withstand the extreme cold.

“Being so well insulated, the tiny house doesn’t need a lot of heating; In fact, all it has are two radiant electric panels totaling only 800 watts. We’re talking a hair dryer here, turned to low,” writes Lloyd Alter, managing editor of TreeHugger, in his recent review. Leaf House also builds custom tiny homes and can deliver the house or build it onsite.

But not all tiny homes are about extreme living – some are also designed to give the home owner a little luxury.

For example, Portland, Ore.-based home builder Tiny Heirloom specializes in luxury homes on wheels with 100 percent customizable floor plans, design, and insulation. Their base model packages start at $65,000, and comes with granite countertops, real-wood or bamboo flooring, stainless steel appliances, a washer/dryer combo unit, a wind or solar package, and more. They also throw in one flight from anywhere in the lower 48 states, to meet the team and see the home under construction.

The small home movement isn’t just for those who want to live off the grid, either. Country Living magazine has an entire section of their website dedicated to little homes, and recently published, “44 of the Most Impressive Tiny Houses You’ve Ever Seen,” highlighting small homes from all over the country.

Real estate pros should check their local ordinances on the minimum square footage requirement for a building permit – some tiny homes may not even need a building permit. Tiny homes are also an option for buyers seeking land for recreational purposes, such as hunting, fishing, or weekend getaways.

Source: “Leaf 3 is a tiny house designed for seriously cold climates,” Treehugger (Jan. 14, 2015) and “Tiny houses are welcoming retreats,” The Courier-Journal (Jan. 14, 2015)

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