Tiny House Hunters - General Discussion

[Neurochick]

16 minutes ago, izabella said:

Mostly, I feel these things are a terrible investment for people without much money, and they would do much better to buy a small house on a foundation with real running water, sewer,  electricity, insulation and doors and windows to exit from in case of fire.  And those small homes exist!  They do!  My fiance has a rental house he just sold - fantastic neighborhood across from a public park with a pool for the kids in the summer, a very nice, clean, charming Tudor with original fireplace and hardwood floors, 2 bedrooms, garage and lovely yard, all for less than what many of these people spend on tiny houses.  So I just can't with the pretension of tiny house buyers!

Size wise, a lot of folks in NYC live in tiny apartments that are worth a lot of $$$ because of where they are.  But many of these tiny houses look like they're parked on the side of the road.  Why don't they just buy an RV?

[scrb]

Quote

Why don't they just buy an RV?

Probably too boring or familiar to these hipsters.  Plus they wouldn't get on TV.

I've read some articles about mini or micro apartments in NY.  These had comparable square footage as these tiny homes but some of them had high-end finishes and expensive furniture that folded out of the way.  But they weren't cheap so it wouldn't go with the whole downsizing story line about tiny homes.

[Kohola3]

1 minute ago, scrb said:

 Plus they wouldn't get on TV.

Bingo.  I would kill to see how many of them have stuck it out for more than a year.  It's a fad for most people, they get to have their 15 minutes of fame, and then it's time to grow up and get real.  These aren't poor share croppers.  These are mostly millenials who have mom and dad to bail them out when it's time to buy the McMansion.

[proserpina65]

I just read this interview on Slate with the couple who bought the burned out shack:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/10/06/an_interview_tiny_house_hunters_burned_down_shack_couple.html

Given that it's L.A., the idea of the location being of paramount importance makes sense.

Edited October 6, 2016 by proserpina65

[Texasmom1970]

The thing that bugs me the most about this show is how almost every episode the buyers remark its so small or tiny. No shit Sherlock isn't that what you wanted?!  Makes me want to reach through the television and smack them in the head!

[chessiegal]

My husband decided he wanted to watch a marathon recently. I was cracking up at him saying the same things everyone says here. :)

[debraran]

53 minutes ago, Texasmom1970 said:

The thing that bugs me the most about this show is how almost every episode the buyers remark its so small or tiny. No shit Sherlock isn't that what you wanted?!  Makes me want to reach through the television and smack them in the head!

They must tell them to say that...they all can't be that dumb. I notice the same thing on THN, not one show goes by without someone saying at least once, "I like all the natural light". Do they all live in a cave with no windows? They act like having tons of windows in the next best thing to having gold. ; )  Wait until it's cold, not as nice, or having to clean them. lol

Edited October 7, 2016 by debraran

[Texasmom1970]

1 hour ago, debraran said:

They must tell them to say that...they all can't be that dumb. I notice the same thing on THN, not one show goes by without someone saying at least once, "I like all the natural light". Do they all live in a cave with no windows? They act like having tons of windows in the next best thing to having gold. ; )  Wait until it's cold, not as nice, or having to clean them. lol

Maybe they need all those windows to distract them from the fact they are moving into a home the size of a shoe box. You know help with the claustrophobia, so it won't feel like a coffin!

[debraran]

7 hours ago, Texasmom1970 said:

Maybe they need all those windows to distract them from the fact they are moving into a home the size of a shoe box. You know help with the claustrophobia, so it won't feel like a coffin!

Maybe, I get claustrophobic but the "box" shape, one long hallway and 2 lofts just wouldn't cut it long term even if lined with windows. lol . I like cozy cottages, but even if 600 sq feet, it's more like a home to me.

I see the "natural light" comment even with regular tiny homes too, I just in all my house hunting/apartment hunting, ever really thought about it. Maybe there are a lot of places that are dark.

My pet peeve is that with my 1940 old home, my kitchen is pretty small and they on these shows,(tiny homes/international)  walk into bedrooms or kitchens larger than mine at times and keep going on, on how they couldn't cook in it, etc.  in it. Please, then you can't cook period.  : )

[Diane M]

Why is there rarely (if ever) any mention of where they are going to hang dresses, skirts, suits?  I've seen a few open closets for coats, but you can't fold everything to cram in a drawer.

[debraran]

1 hour ago, Diane M said:

Why is there rarely (if ever) any mention of where they are going to hang dresses, skirts, suits?  I've seen a few open closets for coats, but you can't fold everything to cram in a drawer.

Yes, you can "minimize" but if it gets cold in your area, you are going to need boots/hat/gloves/heavy coat. One couple who did a lot of outdoor activities (Tina and Luke) made many cubbies for gear and it was practical. They were engineers and thought it out well. I asked one couple on FB and they said they put a rod in the bathroom, but I remember thinking, might help with wrinkles but things would get damp also.

I've seen other couples use a space meant for something else and make it a closet, why you don't think about dresses, etc. is beyond me. Unless you are very much jeans/tees at work and home, I couldn't stuff my black dress in a little drawer or my husband's suit under the bed.

Of course, it relatives have extra room, you can use their space but that could get old soon.

[Grneyedldy]

They might have to use their guest "room" for extra closet space. :-D

[MaKaM]

Homebrewing house hunters. I didn't hate them but the director sure loved tight closeups and sticking the camera in weird spots. In the oven, in the microwave, up in the chandelier. I was shocked when it wasn't stuck in the toilet.

[toolazy]

I wonder how many tiny house people have rented storage units.  I mean, how could they not?

[auntjess]

You'd have to, unless you have family to leave things with.

[Kohola3]

Wait, what, you mean that they aren't really "simplifying" things and aren't content to live with two forks, two plates, and three pairs of underwear for the rest of their lives?

[debraran]

I know they do, some admit it, but how can you live in an area with 3 or 4 seasons and have no closets or space for winter gear (even one of everything) or places to hang your hat, literally.

I've seen some with a lot of storage, but the "boxes on wheels" you just can't have 3 or 4 items of clothing and nothing for dressing up or awful weather.

I knew one show was bogus (and the house up for sale  in months) when they had children and no storage, no closet for hangers, they showed no shoes, boots, outerwear, just dolls and books.

I kept wondering what was missing, what didn't feel right, then I realized it was like a model apartment, you don't live here, you just pretend for a while.

I enjoyed the escape of watching THN on FYI, but now they want me to pay so I might catch it on the website but wont pay a dime to my cable company.  I like the International shows a bit more because I can site see a little and although many European places are small, they have a lot of character.

Edited December 13, 2016 by debraran

[Honey]

On 5/31/2016 at 3:40 PM, Mu Shu said:

According to the tiny housers who actually talk about composting toilets (they seem to be like fight club-never mention them). The poopy is dehydrated.  It seems the water in poop is the stink vessel, and once it is removed,. The poop is odorless.   I don't know how they explain dry pee, which is stinkier than wet pee.  

 

I I think the reason these things are illegal in most places is because you can't have a large number of people dealing with their own waste, and even if the poo is rendered stink less (I highly doubt,. Smell a dried cat turd and tell me what you think)  it is still a health hazard.  

 

Anyway, the best way to kill a romance is to have your partner hear and smell you pooping. So these people must not be getting much action.  

Lol.  I'm pretty sure for the first couple years of marriage,my husband thought I didn't poop....ever.

There are just some things that shouldn't be shared.

[Honey]

Someone asked why mobile homes get such a bad rap.  Around here, the mobile home parks are where the poorest of the poor live, they are filled with criminals and drug dealing activity.  There is no pride of ownership, so they are all run down without busted out windows and cars up on blocks.

There are 2 of these parks near where I live, both on the same road in the bad section of town.  We lived in a nice house about 12 years ago and it backed up to a huge sand lot.  If you walked from the back of our house, through that sand lot (a couple of football fields) you came right into one of the mobile home parks.  We came home once, and someone had stolen our bbq grill from our deck.  You could see drag marks from someone dragging that grill ALL the way across that sand lot to the park.  Lol  That must have taken some work. 

The nicest mobile home parks I've seen have been in the South. 

Has there been any discussion about the mother and daughter (with the lizard) who bought the tiny home, and modified it to make it longer?  The daughter was the one concerned about the kitchen, because it appeared she did all the cooking.

[debraran]

Well, I thought I might give the new season of THN a try, maybe it improved. Well, the first family on tonight was large, but they are getting 2 trailers, living smaller, etc. Well, I googled the first names of the parents and articles came up on how they can't live in them, problems with construction, over budget, etc.  If they show can't find a place where zoning is approved, pick people who understand the limitations and have construction companies with experience, then why bother?  It's deceiving to not show the good and the bad, some people are success's but many are empty today and for sale. The fun is gone for me, I have more fun with the international shows now, might be partly fake but the scenery is grand. ; )

 

http://www.omaha.com/living/transition-to-tiny-house-life-poses-big-challenges-for-nebraska/article_53fc587f-8b01-5cc0-a3f0-2b34131d93a9.html

[laredhead]

Debraran, thanks for posting the link to that article.  Sometimes going smaller does not mean it will be a more simple lifestyle. 

[izabella]

Since their tiny home is almost 700 sqare feet, they would have done better finding a small house already on land connected to water and sewer and electricity.  Ceresco, Nebraska has 900 people - real estate prices seem reasonable for a family of 5 who just sold their home to go "tiny."

http://www.city-data.com/city/Ceresco-Nebraska.html

Instead, they are couch surfing and basically homeless since they can't find land.

[debraran]

1 minute ago, izabella said:

Since their tiny home is almost 700 sqare feet, they would have done better finding a small house already on land connected to water and sewer and electricity.  Ceresco, Nebraska has 900 people - real estate prices seem reasonable for a family of 5 who just sold their home to go "tiny."

http://www.city-data.com/city/Ceresco-Nebraska.html

Instead, they are couch surfing and basically homeless since they can't find land.

I know they have a lot of faith, mention God frequently, but they have to research better. Zoning is zoning. The construction company never did a tiny home but they should have had some guidance from the show.  They started a Go Fund Me page, but people aren't going to feel as sorry for them since they were more naive then falling on hard times, as in a tornado.

I put some blame on them, some on the show. They saw what would be an interesting hour, the fact that they didn't have land or even have it finished on time, didn't matter.

[auntjess]

18 hours ago, debraran said:

The fun is gone for me, I have more fun with the international shows now, might be partly fake but the scenery is grand. ; )

 

The show I find fun to watch, is Breakneck Builds, where people have a prefab house built, and they're all sizes and shapes.
A lot have been Jersey shore storm replacements.

[proserpina65]

17 hours ago, debraran said:

I know they have a lot of faith, mention God frequently, but they have to research better. Zoning is zoning. The construction company never did a tiny home but they should have had some guidance from the show.  They started a Go Fund Me page, but people aren't going to feel as sorry for them since they were more naive then falling on hard times, as in a tornado.

I put some blame on them, some on the show. They saw what would be an interesting hour, the fact that they didn't have land or even have it finished on time, didn't matter.

I put the blame on the homeowners.  It's their responsibility to make sure zoning laws allow what they want to build and to make sure everything is permitted.

[debraran]

16 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I put the blame on the homeowners.  It's their responsibility to make sure zoning laws allow what they want to build and to make sure everything is permitted.

I did read on their blog  (Big Family Tiny Life) that he likes to google, research, etc. Then it doesn't make sense...a quick google of zoning laws in Omaha might give you a headache, but would have said, "No tiny homes unless................."

Maybe they felt the show was going to help. In one slab build on THN where Katrina hit, sure they relaxed zoning laws to have smaller homes built, no one was there and they need a community, but to have random tiny homes with larger homes, that probably wont fly. Maybe a small community of them, the way they do mobile homes, but again, if they are supplying land, water and garbage removal, it wont be as cheap.

Slab builds on THN have had more luck with people staying and liking them and not being on wheels, safety zoning issues are addressed, you can't just leave your lot and of course taxes will be paid. ; )

Edited December 31, 2016 by debraran

[CherryAmes]

We're planning a move in the next year and are starting to declutter and downsize.  We're not hoarders and have no problem getting rid of things but stuff we want to keep still managed to accumulate over the years!  Anyway I thought of this show while I was sorting through the Xmas boxes.  Even if I can accept that these people don't have many clothes or dishes or books or toys for the kids or, well, much of anything, do they not have seasonal stuff like Xmas decorations?  I've got boxes and boxes and before I get rid of any of it they'll need to pass a law outlawing Christmas.  I am betting they may be saving money on their tiny house but they're spending money on a storage unit, or two or three - especially the families and older couples buying these things.  

Edited December 31, 2016 by CherryAmes

[debraran]

I find your comment enlightening. I feel as others, that many don't plan on staying long and keep things in storage or at parents, etc.  One home with 2 kids this past year (up for sale now) had NO storage closet for clothes anywhere. Nothing. Even if you put up hooks, where do you keep winter boots, coats, hats, etc. The little cute drawers hold tee shirts, pants, but not other things.

I've downsized a lot watching these shows, so much I didn't need, but there are 4 season basics in my neck of the woods, that I can't live without. And I like a few Xmas decorations also.

It scares me though how naive and dumb some of them are, later they will blog how they were cramped, had no room for blankets, etc. How can you not think of these things prior? The THN homes aren't flying off the for sale listings either, some are there for 2 years or more. And the more homes that flip in a few months, the more people will be skeptical. 

I wish for those who really want them, they don't ruin it for zoning considerations. Nothing like seeing how quickly people leave them and complain to hurt an argument on how they would improve conditions for others.

[Mu Shu]

Well shit Sherlock.  I could have told these sad sacks most of their shacks aren't legal or up to code with nominal research.   Some of them know this, and think they can get around it.  All it takes is one neighbor to report you, and boom, you're classified as an R V and only allowed to park in one place so many months of the year.  Dumb shits.  Poor kids.

[Tewest86]

I just can't see how the lofts are practical for couples.  Let's be honest, there is no way for WOT without bumping her head.  Plus, if they have kids, there is NO privacy.   

[Kohola3]

Quote

Plus, if they have kids, there is NO privacy.   

After the first one arrives, consider it free birth control.

[debraran]

11 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

After the first one arrives, consider it free birth control.

You would hope...one show in a "back in a few months" segment, the older daughter of a couple said, they were "still working on the privacy issues" She had a privacy wall/sheet in loft but that doesn't help with noise.

[Honey]

Anyone watch Tiny Jamboree on New Years day?  It showed a gathering of about 50 tiny homes, and a tour of several of them.  Some of them were beautiful, and I could really live in them.  At the end of the episode, a couple got married in the "Tiny Chapel".

The prices of these homes used to be $20,000-$40,000, those same homes are now $60,000-$80,000.  Crazy!

[debraran]

On 1/2/2017 at 9:27 AM, Honey said:

Anyone watch Tiny Jamboree on New Years day?  It showed a gathering of about 50 tiny homes, and a tour of several of them.  Some of them were beautiful, and I could really live in them.  At the end of the episode, a couple got married in the "Tiny Chapel".

The prices of these homes used to be $20,000-$40,000, those same homes are now $60,000-$80,000.  Crazy!

I might catch that if they rerun it. I don't think the growing prices will stay, it seems many languish because in certain parts of the country you can get a 2 bedroom condo for what some of them want. If it's portability and you can't move it anywhere, the gas is too expensive, etc. then you will be stationary with a trailer that can't move and isn't legal in some areas.

I heard 2 guys say that their home tiny house blew a wheel because of the weight (they were both around 400 sq feet) in the last few months. That doesn't seem right, they should have tires that withstand the pressure. I feel some companies are cutting corners since no one is checking them. Zoning might be a rip off at times, abused, etc, and inspections are costly,  but it does stop some people from taking advantage of others.

Edited January 3, 2017 by debraran

[movingtargetgal]

My friend and I were talking about the zoning issues surrounding tiny homes on wheels and RVs.  It is illegal in our town for people to live fulltime in their RV's or to have a portable home that is not connected to running water or sewer/septic.  She felt is was unfair.  I pointed out that there were health concerns regarding the safe disposal of human waste.  I know some of these homes use composting toilets and they claim that it is safe.  However, I don't trust that all of these homeowners will compost their waste appropriately.  I would not want one of these irresponsible homeowners parking their home and depositing their waste up hill from my well.  I am not against tiny homes if they are hooked up to water and sewer/septic.  I know a lot of aspiring tiny home owners want to stay mobile, however if mobility is what you need then an RV is the way to go.  They are mobile, tiny, and have storage tanks that can be pumped out and be disposed off safely.    

[izabella]

I also question where their other water waste is going, like their shower water and their sink/dishes/washing the dog/cleaning the tiny house water.

[MaKaM]

3 hours ago, izabella said:

I also question where their other water waste is going, like their shower water and their sink/dishes/washing the dog/cleaning the tiny house water.

I believe that is called "gray water" and in most places, the rules about its disposal are not as strict as potty water.

[Kohola3]

Gray or otherwise, the thought of it sinking into the ground and contaminating my well would give me pause.  These clueless nimrods don't seem to take any of this into account when contemplating their nomadic lifestyle.  They all need to rent a small motorhome and travel for a couple of weeks to experience both primitive campgrounds and those with facilities to understand that there is work involved in managing the basics of heat, light, water, and disposal.  Having camped all over Alaska for 6 weeks, it isn't all fun and games!

[Mu Shu]

On 1/1/2017 at 5:54 PM, Tewest86 said:

I just can't see how the lofts are practical for couples.  Let's be honest, there is no way for WOT without bumping her head.  Plus, if they have kids, there is NO privacy.   

I got a lot of problems with these people.  WOT is a new one to add to my grievances.  But really, how can you get any with kids 6 feet away, and a fetid, festering human litter box the same distance?   That is just some sad, crusty ass shit. 

[Nysha]

21 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

These clueless nimrods don't seem to take any of this into account when contemplating their nomadic lifestyle.  They all need to rent a small motorhome and travel for a couple of weeks to experience both primitive campgrounds and those with facilities to understand that there is work involved in managing the basics of heat, light, water, and disposal.  Having camped all over Alaska for 6 weeks, it isn't all fun and games!

There's a show about living off the grid, where the families check out 3 off-grid homes, choose one, and spend a weekend living there before making the final decision. That's what tiny house buyers need to do, especially the ones with kids. I love the idea of downsizing, but I'm realistic enough to know that I need a downstairs bed and, while my 6 year old grandson who lives with me would be fine having a loft to play in, he still has nightmares, midnight fevers, and occasional accidents that make sleeping in the loft impractical.

[Kathcart]

I am honestly starting to think we viewers are being punked with Tiny House Hunters. I just do not believe that people can stand living in these tiny houses, especially the really tiny ones.

[debraran]

I feel that the under 1000 sq feet slab builds are fine for most single, couples or one or two children. I've seen space used very well in some 2 bedroom cottages with kitchens much larger than mine and porches, etc. When you go under 400 with more than one person, you have to be special people, not claustrophobic or "needing your space" I laugh when a loft that overlooks another loft is considered "my space" when you can see the person, hear the person and probably at times, smell the person, from the other side. ; )

I think for some, tiny houses are fine, but for many on these shows, it's "lets see if we can make some money on a re-sell" but from what little I can see on listing sites, many languish years. They are overpriced and made for that person, so why would many others want it at a higher price tag? They also are quickly built and many have questions about quality with no insurance covering it. That was a big light bulb for me, if I can't insure a home, that's scary. I also think for some of us, we want that adult doll house that we imagined as a child, maybe with more updates but still our little cottage. The reality of it is different though. I think many from blogs I've read, get a little too close but it's the stress of repairs, having no place to park, composting (which seemed like a good idea) maybe illegally using utilities, and other things that add to it that you don't find in an apartment or smaller condo.

I hope they show more homes on the THN shows for vets or older couples,  more realistic builds.  With Tiny house hunting, at least the homes exist, some leave but others, I'm sure are okay.

Edited January 11, 2017 by debraran

[Nysha]

On 1/10/2017 at 3:09 AM, debraran said:

I feel that the under 1000 sq feet slab builds are fine for most single, couples or one or two children. I've seen space used very well in some 2 bedroom cottages with kitchens much larger than mine and porches, etc. When you go under 400 with more than one person, you have to be special people, not claustrophobic or "needing your space" I laugh when a loft that overlooks another loft is considered "my space" when you can see the person, hear the person and probably at times, smell the person, from the other side. ; )

If I were to build a tiny house, it would have to be on a foundation, on land I own. Tumbleweed Tiny Houses used to have a line of 300-800 sq ft cottages meant to be built on a foundation. One of them had 2 tiny bedrooms, plus the upstairs loft & I could easily see myself and my grandson in that space. He would have his own bedroom, but could use the loft as an extra play space to keep toys and crap out of the tiny living room.

I think the few who actually live in their tiny homes after the first 3-6 months, either have a deal with someone who allows them to park it on their property and use their electricity & water, or are extremely single and like it that way.

[auntjess]

When these shows were fairly new, I think someone said that unlike traditional homes, which are expected to appreciate, tiny mobile homes would depreciate just like a vehicle would.
If so, it would be a really bad buy.

[debraran]

4 hours ago, auntjess said:

When these shows were fairly new, I think someone said that unlike traditional homes, which are expected to appreciate, tiny mobile homes would depreciate just like a vehicle would.
If so, it would be a really bad buy.

Agree, When I read a fire took a home and no insurance, I was like, 40,000 up in smoke! And no resale value, well some small condos are like that but they at least have some appeal and losing 5-10,000 isn't like losing most.

From one article :

I was driving into work today when the idea came to me for this article.  Why does it have to be so difficult to achieve the life so many of us would love to live?  There are no simple answers to our reasons, but we need to face them head on.  Since I don’t like to focus on the negatives too much, my next post will be on some of the possible solutions and approaches to overcome these barriers.

UPDATE:   Here are the solutions to these:   Part 1  and Part 2

 

Land

One of the largest hurdles for people wanting to live in a Tiny House is access to land.  Land is expensive, in growing short supply and people want a balance of having land and being close to city or town centers where they can access services, entertainment and employment.  These things are often in conflict with each other.  The closer to the city center, the smaller and more expensive the lots.  To have a Tiny House, you don’t need much land for the actual house, but you do need enough to be able to obscure the house from prying eyes in order to fly under the radar of code enforcement and curmudgeons.

LOANS

At this point, banks don’t feel that Tiny Houses are a viable option because they don’t have a good resale value.  This means their loan isn’t secured with collateral.  It is this dynamic that means for us to get access to loans, we need to get creative.  Some borrow from a family member, some save up years to pay with cash, others use credit cards and carry a balance.  There isn’t a good answer in this area yet, it’s a tough problem to crack.

Tumbleweed has realistic info on THOW's vs RV's

https://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/expert-advice-how-to-resources/5-things-that-no-one-will-tell-you-about-tiny-house-rvs/

I read a mom's story about keeping a TH clean. She said, sure it was smaller, they told her under an hour to clean, but getting a hand vac to work didn't cut it and you REALLY have to make sure you don't sneak in stuff, because a little clutter looks much larger. I have issues with that, with paper, mail, etc.

[debraran]

Just now, debraran said:

Agree, When I read a fire took a home and no insurance, I was like, 40,000 up in smoke! And no resale value, well some small condos are like that but they at least have some appeal and losing 5-10,000 isn't like losing most.

From one article on Tiny House building site:

LAND

One of the largest hurdles for people wanting to live in a Tiny House is access to land.  Land is expensive, in growing short supply and people want a balance of having land and being close to city or town centers where they can access services, entertainment and employment.  These things are often in conflict with each other.  The closer to the city center, the smaller and more expensive the lots.  To have a Tiny House, you don’t need much land for the actual house, but you do need enough to be able to obscure the house from prying eyes in order to fly under the radar of code enforcement and curmudgeons.

LOANS

At this point, banks don’t feel that Tiny Houses are a viable option because they don’t have a good resale value.  This means their loan isn’t secured with collateral.  It is this dynamic that means for us to get access to loans, we need to get creative.  Some borrow from a family member, some save up years to pay with cash, others use credit cards and carry a balance.  There isn’t a good answer in this area yet, it’s a tough problem to crack.

Tumbleweed has realistic info on THOW's vs RV's

https://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/expert-advice-how-to-resources/5-things-that-no-one-will-tell-you-about-tiny-house-rvs/

I read a mom's story about keeping a TH clean. She said, sure it was smaller, they told her under an hour to clean, but getting a hand vac to work didn't cut it and you REALLY have to make sure you don't sneak in stuff, because a little clutter looks much larger. I have issues with that, with paper, mail, etc. so I know that cute little fold down table would look messy fast. ; )

[MsProudSooner]

There is a website (http://tinyhometour.com/) that features many much more realistic versions of Tiny Houses as well as the more unrealistic ones.

[Kohola3]

So looked at the link for the storybook cottage.  Good grief, I had no idea I was living in a tiny house all this time.  Mine was 900 square feet and I was there for 34 years..  Who knew I'd start a trend.....

[MsProudSooner]

3 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

So looked at the link for the storybook cottage.  Good grief, I had no idea I was living in a tiny house all this time.  Mine was 900 square feet and I was there for 34 years..  Who knew I'd start a trend.....

Well, if you compare 900 sf with the 4,500 - 5,000 sf homes you see now.......

[auntjess]

6 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

 Mine was 900 square feet and I was there for 34 years..  Who knew I'd start a trend.....

When these shows started, there were even a fair amount of under 200 sq '.  They got bigger and bigger, and the we got some more realistic sized homes, that didn't need lofts and ladders.