“Affordable” and “housing” are two words that you won’t usually see together, for the simple reason that “affordable housing” in big cities doesn’t exist! So if you want a somewhat decent roof over your head you might consider moving to Tupelo, Mississippi. Or you can do what a lot of millennials and senior citizens are doing. Join the “Tiny Homes Movement”.
What is the tiny home movement exactly? And how tiny is it? I’m 5’8”, I’m above average can I fit in it? The tiny-house initiative is an architectural and social movement that advocates for a simpler lifestyle in small homes. The average tiny home measures 186 square feet. That’s a fraction of the size of a traditional house. But limited space also offers some benefits; think about it, lower utility bills and much easier to clean and find your missing socks. That’s why retirees and young people are engaging in this movement. Tiny homes may be rented or owned.
You may choose a mini home on wheels or your small home may be set on foundation. Most tiny houses are independent structures. Other tiny houses are parked on their own lot. They come in all shapes, sizes, and forms, but they all enable simpler living in a smaller, more efficient space. The average price to build a tiny home yourself is just $23,000! Wow! That’s not even a down payment in a regular size house! At least not here in Southern California.
Here are some reasons as to why millennials are looking into this alternative type of living:
- We can’t afford to buy! Have you checked any listings lately? Prices in real estate have become impossible to pay in the last 30 years. Our parents today probably wouldn’t be able to buy the houses we grew up in.
- Millennials have more student debt than any generation before them. Recent statistics show that the national student loan debt is around 1.5 trillion dollars… so kind of hard to save with that burden over your shoulders…
- To reduce our carbon footprint. Millennials can be a lot of things, but at least we are more environmentally aware than prior generations. Having a tiny house is much more environmentally friendly than structures of traditional houses.
- For the freedom to be mobile. Life is unexpected – a new job opportunity at a different town, or a new romance across the globe…you don’t know what’s waiting for you around the corner that could make you get up and move. So a tiny home may be an easier choice that won’t make you feel stuck to a 30 year mortgage commitment. And in some cases, you could even take the house with you!
- Minimalism is trendy. Haven’t you seen Marie Kondo’s show yet? Throughout the years we hoard a bunch of things that in a tiny home you couldn’t because it simply wouldn’t fit. So whatever doesn’t spark joy in you, get rid off it. It applies to clothes, furniture, jobs and boyfriends.
So tell us… would you invest in a tiny home? Like, share and comment below!
