Tiny houses

[Aloha_Shooter]

I happened onto some shows on tiny houses while I was flipping through channels after replacing my DirecTV receiver. Is it just me is "tiny house" just pampered millenial talk for "upscale mobile home"? I admit there're some ingenious design and engineering elements in these (which is the only reason I've bothered watching more than one show) but everything else about them screams "mobile home" to me ... including the fact that most of these seem to be built on trailer beds (at least most "mobile" homes don't have the wheels showing!).

[DFBrews]

I would move into a tiny house tomorrow as long as there was a 3 car garage on the property.


What is is the need for a big house? All you do is sleep eat and hopefully have some pants off fun. All That could be done in 200 sq ft.


there are a lot of documentaries on this including a recent trending one on Netflix. They all have a lot of feelings though makes it a bit tough to watch.

[Dave_L]

If I were single? I might do it if it meant having land and a big shop. But with anything more than one person and I feel like you'll go crazy. I think it's part of the "I don't want to work my life away" movement that millennials, for the most part, have. Personally, I enjoy having space to stretch out and have hobby areas, entertaining, etc.

The other thing that gets me is yes, you save on a mortgage. But If you're spending $50,000, why not get a used motorhome or a travel trailer? At least those have a much bigger resale market when you decide to do something else. And yes, mortgages suck but at least you get equity that helps build wealth. If you're putting all that savings into something that will earn you what real estate can, then that's great. But I'm guessing most of the tiny home people aren't based on the shows I've watched. But real estate is generally a good thing to spend money on. Maybe that's just me...

[yz9890]

I read that most municipalities don't technically allow these types of homes to be used as a primary residence. I think the issue is that a primary residence must have either city water/sewer, septic, in electrical grid, on an excepted type of foundation or any combination. I guess many don't enforce it. And many small home owners think building it on a trailer makes it a mobile home. I think it often does but it then requires them to take it to a mobile home community or build a pad and connect it to the grid etc if it's to be used as a primary residence.

I can certainly see myself living out my days in something like that if I was by myself.

[TFOGGER]

Tiny Home=Overpriced fancy trailer. Ok for a season or so, but I'd go batshit after more than a couple of months

[wyome]

When I went home to see Dad I saw quite a few of these at rv parks near Lake Amistad....they were all on trailer type chassis

[Honey Badger282.8]

Eco Cabins. Look into them, they're actually pretty cool and can serve a purpose. A coworker is living in one temporarily while he builds his new house, once done his Eco Cabin will be turned into a guest house. They're built more like a modular home than a mobile home but because of their square footage they do not require a foundation since they are classified as a RV. One of those on a some acreage with a decent sized barn/garage/workshop would fit the bill nicely for a childless couple.

[TheGrey]

Mobile homes are far nicer, IMHO. These tiny homes are a fad among Millenials, who will eventually get tired of having to move the dining room 'table' and slide out the tiny 2'X2' squares for people to squat on when they visit.

Besides, where would they keep their stuff?

OTOH, these tiny homes would be a godsend for homeless veterans, or others that are homeless due to unfortunate circumstances. Please note that I am not advocating anything for those damn "travelers", hippies, hobos, or pothead transients.

[CS1983]

Historically, homes were quite small, so this is nothing more than a return to an older mode of living with upgrade luxury. If people don't need "stuff", or don't want "stuff", a tiny home makes more sense.

According to this article, homes today are 1000sqft larger than in 1973:https://www.aei.org/publication/toda...last-40-years/

This article details how they were even smaller in the 1800s: http://seducedbyhistory.blogspot.com...s-america.html

Username Clint rips into the Tiny house from a logical perspective in the comments: http://thetinylife.com/tiny-house-vs...-home-trailer/

We should all just go live in a van down by the river.

[Gman]

People were also a hell of a lot smaller in the 1800s. They didn't need a place to hang their 60" TV. They also used to shit in the woods. Pass.