Have you ever thought of living in a Tiny Home?
Downsizing seems to be the eventual “Last Step” for many people in Life. We systematically move from a starter home to a bigger home, to the dream home. Once that is complete, the next step seems to be to move to the “downsized” home, throw away everything you have collected through the years and live your final years free of most material things. What is the point to it all? As a frequent mover, I have always looked for the next home which fits my needs for that time. A bachelor pad, living in the country, apartment living & the bigger house for the family are all phases that I have experience. What if we skipped all of this and went for the Tiny House?
Benefits of a “Tiny” House
1. NO MORTGAGE – Most of the time these are paid with cash so you do not have to worry about that monthly mortgage payment every month!
2. Living a simplified life – All that STUFF you accumulate with the tons of storage in a bigger home is completely eliminated. The urge to buy things is diminished because your storage expectation has been eliminated.
3. Less Energy Cost & Carbon Foot Print – Let’s face it, it is great to have a 3000 – 4000 square foot home until that electric bill come in July (Especially living in Florida). It takes a lot of energy to maintain comfortable standards in a large home. With a Tiny House, not so much!
4. Higher End Finishes – When you only have 200 sq. feet of flooring to put down, you can splurge on the nicer tile or wood floors. Granite or Quartz countertops are only a fraction of the price.
5. Less Cleaning – One bathroom and the space of a small dorm room can be cleaned in no time at all! This leaves you more time to be one with nature or spend more time with loved ones.
6. Creativity – Get in touch with your creative side when it comes to storage, versatility, and comfort. You are forced to activate that imagination (which is a good thing).
Drawbacks
1 Cleaning more often – You may have less territory to cover, but the territory you do have is traveled often requiring a lot more frequency in cleaning.
2. Crowded Space – It is sometimes beneficial for families to have some separation time in order to live in harmony. A tiny home is not conducive to a lot of “ME” time, especially if there are kids involved.
3. More trips to the grocery store – The benefits of storage can also be a major drawback. If you don’t have the room to store dry goods, and have a smaller fridge, you will be taking more trips out to by needed items. And forget about Sam’s Club, bulk buying and tiny houses is like oil and water.
4. Smells – Sometimes it literally “Stinks” in a tiny house. Whether you are cooking a meal or having a pet in such a small space allows for the smell to linger. I won’t even get started with toilets in tiny houses.
I guess in the end, we all really need to measure what is important to us at certain times in our lives and make those decisions as they come. There are pros and cons to just about every living condition (yes even living in a castle!). Hopefully, this will provide you with some insight as to the possibilities of living a little more simpler.
Matthew Allen – Owner/Broker of Realty International in Windermere Fl.
102 W. 6th Ave., Windermere, Fl. 34676
Matta@riflorida.com
321-228-5555
