Is Affordable Housing Still Possible?
Housing That is Affordable
The answer to that question would all depend on how you want to live your life. If you want the big house and big lifestyle, the answer would be no for the average American.
If you would be happy living within your means, then it is “Yes” – there is such a thing as affordable housing.
The only person that can make it work is you.
Two important questions you need to ask yourself:
What Do You Want For Your Life?
Some people have a lot of time and money on their hands and can afford a big house with a big yard.
You may ask why “time and money”?
Those two go hand-in-hand.
On the other hand, a small house costs much less. For example, take a house that is 500 square feet or less.
A small house doesn’t cost very much to build. If you choose to build your own little place, you would save a lot of money. Maybe you wouldn’t even need a mortgage at all.
Additionally, living in a small place necessitates keeping things clean and tidy. You can’t have lots of “stuff” because there is no room for it all. It keeps you organized and clutter-free.
All of this contributes to a stress-free and debt-free lifestyle.
Affordable housing is still a very real possibility for anyone and everyone that chooses to make it work for them.
The answer to that question would all depend on how you want to live your life. If you want the big house and big lifestyle, the answer would be no for the average American.
If you would be happy living within your means, then it is “Yes” – there is such a thing as affordable housing.
The only person that can make it work is you.
Two important questions you need to ask yourself:
- What do you want from your life?
- And what can you afford?
What Do You Want For Your Life?
Some people have a lot of time and money on their hands and can afford a big house with a big yard.
You may ask why “time and money”?
Those two go hand-in-hand.
- When you have a big house, it costs a lot of money to buy and to maintain. The bigger the house, the more it costs to buy. And property taxes are usually determined by the size of the house.
- A big house takes time to clean, to maintain, and there is more to upkeep.
- And a big house usually comes with a big yard which means that more time it taken to maintain the property.
On the other hand, a small house costs much less. For example, take a house that is 500 square feet or less.
A small house doesn’t cost very much to build. If you choose to build your own little place, you would save a lot of money. Maybe you wouldn’t even need a mortgage at all.
- If you buy a tiny home that was already built by someone else, or a prefab tiny house, it would still cost you much less than a large house.
- Property tax costs would also be considerably less than you would pay for a big house.
- A little space takes only a small amount of time to keep clean.
- Little houses are traditionally set on small plots of land. Sometimes even on land that belongs to someone else. Yard work would be virtually non-existent.
Additionally, living in a small place necessitates keeping things clean and tidy. You can’t have lots of “stuff” because there is no room for it all. It keeps you organized and clutter-free.
All of this contributes to a stress-free and debt-free lifestyle.
Affordable housing is still a very real possibility for anyone and everyone that chooses to make it work for them.
About Small Houses
So you’ve made the decision to streamline your life and move into a tiny house. That’s great! So let’s review the types of tiny houses you have to choose from, shall we?
There is a daunting selection of tiny houses out there, and since they’re such a hot trend for architects to show off their design skills, the number keeps growing. Ultimately, you’re the only one who can decide what kind of dwelling you want.
House for One?
If you’re looking for a place just for yourself … well, you’re not alone. Across the US, single people occupying households has increased to 27% of total households. That’s up from only 8% seventy years ago. And if you look at some of the bigger US cities, the percentage of single person households is above 40%. If you plan to be living on your own for a while, you can consider the tiniest of small houses. There are single-level mini homes that are the size of a trailer. There are micro-apartments not much bigger than that in normal apartment buildings in some larger (and usually “hipper”) metropolitan areas.
If you’re married, you may want to think about one of the larger tiny homes. Many designs have a full second floor. These won’t be mobile once they’re placed, so make sure you research where you want to drop your tiny house beforehand.
Rent or Own?
The trend of micro-apartments is growing at an increasing rate in the US. While tiny living spaces in, say, Tokyo are no longer a new concept, places like New York City are temporarily waiving old laws aimed at tiny slums in order to give the modern micro-apartment a trial run. If you’re still not quite sure if you can make the ultimate commitment to living in a small house, renting for a year-long lease might be a good test for you. Places like Seattle, Vancouver, and San Francisco are already building high-rises designed for high-density micro-dwellings, but places like Boston, Providence, and Cleveland (yes, really) are picking up on the trend as well. Check to see if your town has plans for tiny apartments, or if there are any in a city you’re interested in moving to. Many are designed with shared bathrooms – that is, a larger bathroom which services several apartments, perhaps even the whole floor. Whether or not you’ll benefit from this kind of set-up depends on your taste: which do you value more, complete privacy, or a larger, more comfortable bathroom?
Living in a micro-apartment building means you’ll have plenty of like-minded neighbors, too. Many of them will have been living in a mini home longer than you, and may have some tips for successfully streamlining your lifestyle.
Mobile or Permanent?
If you’ve decided definitively to build or buy your very own tiny house, the first decision should probably revolve around where you want to live, and how firmly you can commit to that area. If a friend who owns a few acres of farmland gave you the go-ahead to park your tiny home there “for a while,” you might want to consider keeping your tiny house on wheels. Keeping your tiny house mobile means it’ll be a cousin to a trailer or a mobile home, but it has some key things those cousins don’t normally have: quality in design, quality in workmanship, and eco-friendly construction.
Tiny house designs are conceived with the newest construction techniques and materials in mind. This means elements of your tiny house will be strong and durable without being overly bulky. Much of the space transforms from one state to another – for instance, a daytime couch might morph into a bed at night. Tiny house designers take pride in their ingenuity when using space to its fullest potential, and it shows.
Almost without exception, tiny houses that are built onto a trailer are more solid than campers or mobile homes. They’re constructed with quality materials. They’re heavy; they’re meant to be delivered to a semi-permanent location, not to spend most of their lives on the road. And while tiny houses are far less expensive than traditional large houses, they’re not cheap. Larger wheeled tiny homes cost upwards of $60,000, much more than any camper. But that price tag buys you premium construction materials that are sturdy and eco-friendly.
If you’re moving into a tiny house, odds are you’re the kind of person who tries to live a green lifestyle, who gives thought to the impact you have on the environment, and who would prefer a green home design. If so, you’re in luck: it’s practically impossible to find a tiny house that isn’t eco-friendly. Tiny house designers know their demographic, and they know how important eco-friendly housing is to them. Many are made with recycled materials.
You’ll be free to move your house wherever you want, whenever you want, but you’ll find the number of designs for wheeled tiny houses limited. They can be no more than 8 feet wide, and, depending on the state you live in, roughly 13 feet high. That’s not enough space for a full second floor, but many have innovative loft areas.
One other consideration for tiny houses on wheels: utilities. You’ll need to plan ahead for your fresh water, your sewage, your gray water, and your electricity. Phone, cable television, and an internet connection are additional things to think about.
Buy It or Build It?
You’ll need to make a fair assessment of your DIY skills before you want to tackle building your tiny house yourself. If you’re a skilled carpenter, and have plenty of time, you might be okay with just a set of blueprints. You’ll buy all the construction materials yourself (don’t forget to shop for the eco-friendly varieties!) and, therefore, save quite a lot of money. The next step up is still technically DIY construction: purchasing a kit from a tiny house builder. They’ll send you all the pieces and parts, and you’ll supply the tools and elbow grease. With this, you’ll still save around half the cost of having your tiny house delivered pre-built.
Whether you’re a construction genius who wants to design your own home from scratch, or you’re leaning towards paying someone to do it all for you, your design options for a permanent tiny house are almost limitless. A quick internet search will find you gorgeous small cottages designed by artists and architects, many of which are available for purchase at a premium price. Some are designed to be underground, partially or completely. Some take recycling to new levels, utilizing old busses, shipping containers, or even portions of airplane fuselages. Some are designed to be in a metropolitan area, and some are designed to be in the middle of a gorgeous meadow with nothing around for miles. But when shopping for a design, use a critical eye … some of those are for show only. For instance: one attractive design is for a spherical dwelling in a tree. Sure, it looks gorgeous, but they don’t show or mention plumbing or electrical wiring. It’s not a feasible design to live in, but it sure looks great!
Have fun with your tiny house journey. There are so many options, you’ll have no problem finding a new mini home that meshes perfectly with your desired lifestyle. Hopefully this review of tiny houses helped with your decision.
So you’ve made the decision to streamline your life and move into a tiny house. That’s great! So let’s review the types of tiny houses you have to choose from, shall we?
There is a daunting selection of tiny houses out there, and since they’re such a hot trend for architects to show off their design skills, the number keeps growing. Ultimately, you’re the only one who can decide what kind of dwelling you want.
House for One?
If you’re looking for a place just for yourself … well, you’re not alone. Across the US, single people occupying households has increased to 27% of total households. That’s up from only 8% seventy years ago. And if you look at some of the bigger US cities, the percentage of single person households is above 40%. If you plan to be living on your own for a while, you can consider the tiniest of small houses. There are single-level mini homes that are the size of a trailer. There are micro-apartments not much bigger than that in normal apartment buildings in some larger (and usually “hipper”) metropolitan areas.
If you’re married, you may want to think about one of the larger tiny homes. Many designs have a full second floor. These won’t be mobile once they’re placed, so make sure you research where you want to drop your tiny house beforehand.
Rent or Own?
The trend of micro-apartments is growing at an increasing rate in the US. While tiny living spaces in, say, Tokyo are no longer a new concept, places like New York City are temporarily waiving old laws aimed at tiny slums in order to give the modern micro-apartment a trial run. If you’re still not quite sure if you can make the ultimate commitment to living in a small house, renting for a year-long lease might be a good test for you. Places like Seattle, Vancouver, and San Francisco are already building high-rises designed for high-density micro-dwellings, but places like Boston, Providence, and Cleveland (yes, really) are picking up on the trend as well. Check to see if your town has plans for tiny apartments, or if there are any in a city you’re interested in moving to. Many are designed with shared bathrooms – that is, a larger bathroom which services several apartments, perhaps even the whole floor. Whether or not you’ll benefit from this kind of set-up depends on your taste: which do you value more, complete privacy, or a larger, more comfortable bathroom?
Living in a micro-apartment building means you’ll have plenty of like-minded neighbors, too. Many of them will have been living in a mini home longer than you, and may have some tips for successfully streamlining your lifestyle.
Mobile or Permanent?
If you’ve decided definitively to build or buy your very own tiny house, the first decision should probably revolve around where you want to live, and how firmly you can commit to that area. If a friend who owns a few acres of farmland gave you the go-ahead to park your tiny home there “for a while,” you might want to consider keeping your tiny house on wheels. Keeping your tiny house mobile means it’ll be a cousin to a trailer or a mobile home, but it has some key things those cousins don’t normally have: quality in design, quality in workmanship, and eco-friendly construction.
Tiny house designs are conceived with the newest construction techniques and materials in mind. This means elements of your tiny house will be strong and durable without being overly bulky. Much of the space transforms from one state to another – for instance, a daytime couch might morph into a bed at night. Tiny house designers take pride in their ingenuity when using space to its fullest potential, and it shows.
Almost without exception, tiny houses that are built onto a trailer are more solid than campers or mobile homes. They’re constructed with quality materials. They’re heavy; they’re meant to be delivered to a semi-permanent location, not to spend most of their lives on the road. And while tiny houses are far less expensive than traditional large houses, they’re not cheap. Larger wheeled tiny homes cost upwards of $60,000, much more than any camper. But that price tag buys you premium construction materials that are sturdy and eco-friendly.
If you’re moving into a tiny house, odds are you’re the kind of person who tries to live a green lifestyle, who gives thought to the impact you have on the environment, and who would prefer a green home design. If so, you’re in luck: it’s practically impossible to find a tiny house that isn’t eco-friendly. Tiny house designers know their demographic, and they know how important eco-friendly housing is to them. Many are made with recycled materials.
You’ll be free to move your house wherever you want, whenever you want, but you’ll find the number of designs for wheeled tiny houses limited. They can be no more than 8 feet wide, and, depending on the state you live in, roughly 13 feet high. That’s not enough space for a full second floor, but many have innovative loft areas.
One other consideration for tiny houses on wheels: utilities. You’ll need to plan ahead for your fresh water, your sewage, your gray water, and your electricity. Phone, cable television, and an internet connection are additional things to think about.
Buy It or Build It?
You’ll need to make a fair assessment of your DIY skills before you want to tackle building your tiny house yourself. If you’re a skilled carpenter, and have plenty of time, you might be okay with just a set of blueprints. You’ll buy all the construction materials yourself (don’t forget to shop for the eco-friendly varieties!) and, therefore, save quite a lot of money. The next step up is still technically DIY construction: purchasing a kit from a tiny house builder. They’ll send you all the pieces and parts, and you’ll supply the tools and elbow grease. With this, you’ll still save around half the cost of having your tiny house delivered pre-built.
Whether you’re a construction genius who wants to design your own home from scratch, or you’re leaning towards paying someone to do it all for you, your design options for a permanent tiny house are almost limitless. A quick internet search will find you gorgeous small cottages designed by artists and architects, many of which are available for purchase at a premium price. Some are designed to be underground, partially or completely. Some take recycling to new levels, utilizing old busses, shipping containers, or even portions of airplane fuselages. Some are designed to be in a metropolitan area, and some are designed to be in the middle of a gorgeous meadow with nothing around for miles. But when shopping for a design, use a critical eye … some of those are for show only. For instance: one attractive design is for a spherical dwelling in a tree. Sure, it looks gorgeous, but they don’t show or mention plumbing or electrical wiring. It’s not a feasible design to live in, but it sure looks great!
Have fun with your tiny house journey. There are so many options, you’ll have no problem finding a new mini home that meshes perfectly with your desired lifestyle. Hopefully this review of tiny houses helped with your decision.
