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I get the premise in being mobile versus stationary, but otherwise cannot fathom why a reduction in home size from 2000 square feet to 500-600 square feet hasn't caught on versus the 250 square foot box. I know America is typically a land of extremes, but thought perhaps by now the prospect of moderation might have started to catch on?
I think so called tiny homes are up to 400 ft, which allow them to be pulled down the road. So, I guess you cannot purchase a 500-600 ft home unless it is a double wide trailer or something. People disdain trailers, which means going either super small (less than 400 sq ft) or cottage size (1000 to maybe 1500) but nothing in between.
I think it must be the combination of size, low cost, and mobility. I, too, wonder why the people on the tiny house shows don't just buy a small house, or put a manufactured home/mobile home on a piece of land; or live in a trailer or RV, if they want mobility. Tiny homes create a conundrum. They don't meet the requirements of permanent homes or RV's.
Many of the tiny homes have better finishes than RVs/travel trailers - but in a lot of cases that is a disadvantage to mobility. The dry-walled walls, a tile shower and a concrete or stone counter don't take to being frequently moved down the road very well, there is a reason even high-end RVs tend to use a lot of plastics.
I think it must be the combination of size, low cost, and mobility. I, too, wonder why the people on the tiny house shows don't just buy a small house, or put a manufactured home/mobile home on a piece of land; or live in a trailer or RV, if they want mobility. Tiny homes create a conundrum. They don't meet the requirements of permanent homes or RV's.
I don't get it either, why not just get a park model mobile home? At least it would be enough room to be comfortable.
Most people haven't bought into this fairyland fantasy of small houses. The 2400 sq ft house that we owned was fine during our working years. After we retired we bought one house that's 1561 sq ft and a winter home that's 1678 sq ft. That's about as small as I'd ever want to go. My minimum requirements are 3 bedrooms or 2 bedrooms and den, 2 bathrooms and large 2 car garage. You're not going to get that in 400 or 500 sq ft. What we have allows for a comfortable lifestyle where we aren't constantly bumping into each other.
There's a physical limit, possibly around ~400 sq ft or so where trying to shrink a traditional house even further into a "tiny" footprint stops making any sense. Tiny houses so small that they can't retain good insulation in winter. Appliances so small they can barely hold a TV dinner or store any food. Sinks so tiny not even a pan can fit in. "Loft" areas where people can't even sit straight. Plus they can't really be moved around much and they violate building and safety codes.
For small and mobile nothing beats a well designed RV.
Mobile homes are quite obviously the "alternative" to tiny homes. They aren't seen as such because they aren't "trendy" or "cool." Instead, they're considered "trashy" or whatever.
A decent singlewide mobile home shouldn't cost much and can be put on your land just like a tiny home can. In many cases, you'll have a lot more luck getting approved for a mobile home vs. a tiny home, based on zoning.
And yeah, trailers suck compared to real houses, but a tiny home is NOT a real house.
I think so called tiny homes are up to 400 ft, which allow them to be pulled down the road.
Need to qualify this comment. I was thinking about Park homes. These are really nicely made, airy, and often use universal design to accommodate folks with mobility problems.
I think it is an issue of property taxes,but i could be wrong.
In NJ a 1500 sq ft mobile home would cost me more in property taxes than a tiny 400 sq ft home.
You are taxed on square footage,which i think is universal?
That is why ranches in my area have higher taxes vs a two story cape or colonial even if the colonial has more sq footage.
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