In the last few years, there has been an increase in people buying small houses. We are talking tiny houses, some as small as 100 square feet but most around 500 square feet. There are even TV shows dedicated to it — you’ve probably seen Tiny House Nation and Tiny House Hunters.

Benefits of a Tiny House

Below are some benefits of going tiny:

No mortgage — For about the price you would pay for a down payment on a large house, you can pay for the tiny house in cash. Some homes are as cheap as $20,000, but some can escalate to around $100,000. Imagine not having to write a mortgage payment each month, that could free up a lot of cash.

— For about the price you would pay for a down payment on a large house, you can pay for the tiny house in cash. Some homes are as cheap as $20,000, but some can escalate to around $100,000. Imagine not having to write a mortgage payment each month, that could free up a lot of cash. Mobility — Many of the tiny houses can be pulled behind a truck so you can move them from place to place if you get antsy in a particular locale.

— Many of the tiny houses can be pulled behind a truck so you can move them from place to place if you get antsy in a particular locale. Low cost of ownership — Being tiny, you’ll probably have a minimal electric bill and it will not cost much to furnish it.

— Being tiny, you’ll probably have a minimal electric bill and it will not cost much to furnish it. Minimalist lifestyle — A tiny house won’t take long to clean and since you won’t have to work as hard without a mortgage, you can focus on other things in life that excite you.

— A tiny house won’t take long to clean and since you won’t have to work as hard without a mortgage, you can focus on other things in life that excite you. Small environmental footprint — Being small, you are forced to consume less and are much kinder to the environment by being much more energy and resource efficient.

Downsides of a Tiny House

The tiny movement is not for everyone, here are some downsides:

Room to breathe — When you restrict square footage to less than 500 square feet, it is easy to feel boxed in and crowded with others in your own house.

— When you restrict square footage to less than 500 square feet, it is easy to feel boxed in and crowded with others in your own house. Less room to work from home — If you work from home, you may find that you are cramped and cannot spread your work out as you did when you were in a larger home.

— If you work from home, you may find that you are cramped and cannot spread your work out as you did when you were in a larger home. Lack of room for exercising — If you’re accustomed to working out at home, you will most likely have to resort to outside activities, a tiny house is just too small to workout in.

— If you’re accustomed to working out at home, you will most likely have to resort to outside activities, a tiny house is just too small to workout in. Scary in inclement weather — Imagine weathering heavy rains or a tornado in a tiny home. It’s so light that it could completely come off its footing.

— Imagine weathering heavy rains or a tornado in a tiny home. It’s so light that it could completely come off its footing. Less room to entertain — If you love to entertain in your home, doing it in a tiny house becomes tough. You just don’t have separate areas for people to congregate.

Some Cool Tiny Houses

Country Living put together a list of 44 cool looking tiny houses, here are some of my favorites:

Conclusion

Are you ready to join the tiny house moment or do you like your bigger digs? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

About this Blog

Steve and his wife built a software company, sold it and retired early. Steve enjoys blogging about lifestyle freedom, financial independence, and technology. If you like this blog, subscribe here to get an email each time he posts.

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