Four couples that have been best friends for 20 years wanted a better way to live closer to each other and closer to the environment, so they pooled their money and decided to build a small town just for themselves! Their settlement, called the ‘Llano Exit Strategy,’ features four tiny houses facing the Llano river outside of Austin, Texas.

The tiny homes, each of which cost roughly $40,000, were designed by architect Matt Garcia to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. They feature slanted roofs with water barrels that can hold up to 5,000 gallons of rainwater, reflective walls to keep out the unwanted Texas desert heat in the summer, and special insulated windows. The interiors are made of plywood, which keeps costs down and gives the homes a warm and spacious feel.

The group of friends spends time there as often as they can, and they make their retirement plans on this property.

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These four couples have been best friends for 20 years, so they decided to make a tiny town just for themselves

They pooled their money and build a small and sustainable place where they could grow old together

Each of these homes cost only $40,000

Every 400-sq-ft cabin at the ‘Llano Exit Strategy’ has a queen-sized bed, a couch, a bathroom and a porch

The interiors are covered in plywood – “It’s a high-design finish that doesn’t cost a lot of money,” said architect Matt Garcia

Their roofs collect rainwater into water barrels that can hold up to 5,000 gallons

“This is a magical place, but it’s arid. We’re doing what we can to reserve as much water as possible for the native trees and grasses,” said resident Fred Zipp

The corrugated steel exteriors reflect sunlight, helping to keep the inside cool in the summer

“It’s like a Disney movie out here. We have hare, bobcat, deer, and all kinds of birds. As we spend more and more time here, we find more and more,” said resident Jodi Zipp