One of the questions we get asked quite a bit is if a property is zoned to allow tiny homes.
Sometimes a county or subdivision may have restrictions or covenants that require a home to have a minimum square footage. The minimum may be as high as 1,000 square feet (sometimes higher) or as low as…well, no minimum at all!
While you may have seen a tiny home and thought it was cute, you may be thinking, “How do you do anything in there?!” or “I want one!”
So let’s talk about a few pros and cons of tiny homes!
Great on a Budget
One of the nice things about tiny homes: they are much cheaper than a regular sized home! The average cost of a regular home is moving towards $300,000 whereas the average cost of a tiny home is around $45,000. Sometimes the cost of a tiny home can be far less and not even break the $10,000 mark! That’s a huge difference.
In addition to cheaper building costs, tiny homes will save you on taxes, insurance, heat/air, and more!
Environmentally Friendly
Another great thing about tiny homes is that they require much less energy. Because they are small, heating and cooling consumption is far less. If you are looking to lower your carbon footprint, a tiny home will definitely help contribute to that.
Low Maintenance
This may be an obvious one, but because there is less space, there is less to clean! Instead of a big home or cabin where the cleaning can feel endless, a tiny home cuts down on all that space so you have fewer dust bunnies to wipe away!
The time it takes you to clean could be cut in half! Also, repairs would take less time as well. If you think about repairing a roof or replacing carpet in a regular sized home versus a tiny home, it will take far less time and money as well!
While there are great reasons to get a tiny home and they seem to be on the rise in popularity, there are also downsides.
Let’s take a look at some of the downsides.
No Space
So while having a tiny home can create a more simplistic life, it could also be frustrating not having the extra space.
You may have to squeeze by anyone else walking around. Most likely there will be very little counter space, you couldn’t have several guests, and there’s really nowhere to go when you need some privacy.
Not Marketable
While tiny homes sound great in theory and may look really cute on TV, the majority of people want their space. For this reason, you are cutting down the likelihood that someone will purchase your tiny home and property.
It will most likely take much longer to sell as tiny homes aren’t as widely sought after versus a regular sized home. For many, tiny homes are viewed as a fad. You may not want to invest in one if you plan on wanting to sell in the future.
Safety Issues
If you think about the possibility of a fire, the home would likely go up in flames extremely quickly and then everything is gone in the blink of an eye.
In addition, there are less places to hide things in the event someone were to rob your home, everything is right there all in one place for easy access.
Conclusion
These are just a few pros and cons of tiny homes. It’s really best to do a lot of research before deciding to invest in a tiny home. Think about what you want in a home.
Are you looking to be there forever?
Will you ever think you want more space?
Even if your tiny home is just for vacation, consider all the pros and cons before making the big decision.
Always check with the county planning department before beginning with any plans and think about all your options before making the leap!
