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We live ina ~700 sq ft condo, it's not exactly the best layout either. But we get by just fine. We've spent about $200 to heat the thing in the last 365 days, and that is in Vermont.
What I miss is having land of our own . My dream is to buy land and start by building a 1 bedroom apartment, and then adding a small, super efficient 3 bedroom owner built home made with local materials wherever possible (framing and siding at least). When we retire the kids can fight on who gets to keep the house while we live in the apartment. Small but comfortable home for wife dog and 2 kids, is going to be around 1300 sq ft. IMO. (maybe 650 sq. ft. on the ground). 3 small bedrooms, 2 full bath - 1 inside master BR, kitchen open to Living or family room. Mud room with laundry in the closet. What else do you need!
Condo living is OK, but even our modest maintenance fee ($250 a month) could go pretty far towards maintaining a home. Privacy is OK again, but noise can be an issue.
Seems like it would make a cute cottage/second home, bu they really should have a two bedroom option if they want to sell a lot of them. (And read the comments in the original article. Some of them are rather funny.)
There's a builder in Washington state who recently built some developments aimed at empty-nester seniors. 1BR on one level, with design features for easier mobility.
Seems like it would make a cute cottage/second home, bu they really should have a two bedroom option if they want to sell a lot of them. (And read the comments in the original article. Some of them are rather funny.)
We have a local Ikea with a very similar model home like this built within the store. I've been through it and it seemed to be a hit with local people. The price is quite steep, though. I could easily live in something like this, although my home plans are a bit smaller in square footage and has a sleeping loft rather than an actual dedicated space for a bedroom.
Seems like it would make a cute cottage/second home, bu they really should have a two bedroom option if they want to sell a lot of them. (And read the comments in the original article. Some of them are rather funny.)
Actually, the prefabs are built by ideabox, which has a small development in Eugene, Oregon, and builds several models of prefab homes. This model is called the aktiv. (No, they don't have a passiv model.)
Ideabox partnered with IKEA Portland to design the interior contents, so what you're getting is a ready-to-go (you need to connect the house to utilities) house with a lot of IKEA stuff inside.
The houses were introduced at the Portland Spring Home & Garden Show.
Ranging from as little as 100sq feet, up to the behemoth 172sq ft 'Popomo', a lifestyle change for Americans is just a few pages of plans and some lumber away.
Lower power bills, less maintenance (replacing an 8x16ft roof doesn't cost that much), and overhead.
The wave of the future is here. And since banks do not finance these things, they could basically end the "foreclosure crisis" in a couple of years. No more complaining about a 30 year mortgage, adjustable rates, etc. These things are bought the old fashioned way. With cash, and some sweat and labor.
Tumbleweed Houses.
But the irony is, this country is so broke - Less than 80% of working Americans couldn't even afford to buy one them right now even if they wanted to!! Ha, ha.
We have always lived in smaller houses they are more intimate, homey, cozy, very little room to collect excess clutter that you don't really need, more cost effective and doesn't take an entire day to clean every inch of the place.
This is a very interesting coversation. Hawaii is a different planet in that space is at a premium literally. I live like I said in a old subdivision in what was formerly a rural area. Now it is crowded, the lots are 0 lot line, you can't go around the house. duplex townhouse 4 ill conceived bedrooms ok, the builder should be shot 30 years ago. There is a pole in the middle of the miniscule living room that holds up the second floor. The bathroom is almost the same size as the living room, and the neighbors are on top of you. We are a couple with 2 small dogs and though we have a largiish yard for the 3000 sf lot, it is not ideal except the mortgage is paid. I couldn't afford to rent or buy my own home now. Ideal for me. a log cabin or cedar home prefab on a 1/4 acre. I would have 1000 sf like I do now but well laid out. I miss a small foyer, a living room that is normal size. To afford that I would have to move out of Hawaii. I don't know if it is worth it. I like to dream though aloha
There is a pole in the middle of the miniscule living room that holds up the second floor.
A new twist on "pole construction."
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