"Tiny" Houses in Greater Pittsburgh (California: buy, construction)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Polish Hill never seems to have much on the market. It is a small neighborhood to begin with, and I am told properties change hands without ever hitting the MLS. So even though it may not rank as the most desirable neighborhood by most people, it is a tough neighborhood in which to limit your search.

I looked on Zillow today, and there were only about 10 houses which were sold "on the market" in the last two years or so, which is a ridiculously small number.

[Tallysmom]

I live in a small house. 1000 square feet, no basement. There are tricks to living in a small space. Keeping things picked up is one. For everything you bring in, take something out is another.

And the biggest? Do not buy furniture that sits low on the floor. Buy things with elevated legs. When I had a sofa that had a one inch clearance I had to move it to vacuum under it. But my house is so small, that I had to move the coffee table, which meant I had to move the ottoman, which meant I had to move the chair, which went into the dining room.

Which is also my quilting area. And the library. And the exercise room. And the mail room where hubs packs up his ebay sales. Get my drift?

So I ended up vacuuming under the sofa every six months because it was SUCH an ordeal. Swear -- I thought I was going to find Jimmy Hoffa.

And everything goes under the sofa, especially when the cats are knocking things under. My new lounger chairs are way lighter, and I can easily get a dust mop under them to clean.

The other thing about having your furniture higher on legs? Because you can SEE the floor, it gives an illusion you have more space.

The other thing about small houses and small rooms? There is often only ONE logical way to arrange the furniture. I know people that would drive CRAZY.

I'm not a shopper, and I don't have tons of stuff -- I'm sort of a minimalist. Frankly, the glass and pottery I'd love to collect and show off wouldn't last 10 minutes between living in earthquake country and owning some rather active cats who are all over the place.

But I couldn't live in 700 square feet. My next house will be in 1500 range. And a bedroom for a quilting studio.

[Clint.]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Is this the garage from Ferris Bueller's Day Off? He really messed up that car...should have just rolled back the odometer.

[I_Like_Spam]

There is an exceedingly small house which is a converted gasoline station at S. 19th St. and Sarah. It wasn't a very big gasoline station when the building served that function.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

I live in a small house. 1000 square feet, no basement...

...I couldn't live in 700 square feet. My next house will be in 1500 range.

People would have to really love their family members to live in under 1000sf.

I wonder if anyone ever thought to do a study on domestic violence and square footage of living space.

Heck, even a divorce rate analysis would be worthy.

Originally Posted by Clint.

Is this the garage from Ferris Bueller's Day Off? He really messed up that car...should have just rolled back the odometer.

It does look like it, doesn't it? Maybe it is!

[Tallysmom]

[quote=Hopes;26236731]People would have to really love their family members to live in under 1000sf.

I wonder if anyone ever thought to do a study on domestic violence and square footage of living space.

Heck, even a divorce rate analysis would be worthy. [quote]

You know -- at one time we decided to help a friend out and let her live with us. What a mistake! It nearly broke up our marriage, and I did throw her against a wall. And she is why I believe in strict gun control laws. Although, I'd be out by now....

But yeah -- having a bad person in the mix in a small house is pretty intense.

[Hopes]

Laughing at our gun control law comment!

I made my first husband store his firearms under our waterbed (yeah, we had one of those in the 80s) because he'd have to take a few hours to empty the water to get his guns.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Laughing at our gun control law comment!

I made my first husband store his firearms under our waterbed (yeah, we had one of those in the 80s) because he'd have to take a few hours to empty the water to get his guns.

Not a bad idea at all. Had a another friend ask us to store her guy's guns -- she was leaving him and wanted to be well out of the state before he could get his hands on one. It took him three weeks before he asked us if we knew where they were.... and another two before we gave them back.

By then, he found a new "soul mate, love of his life..." so we figured he wouldn't off himself. No chance of finding her -- she did it right. She quit her job moved to a whole new place and never told ANYONE where it was and cut all ties to here.

[CaptainPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Polish Hill never seems to have much on the market. It is a small neighborhood to begin with, and I am told properties change hands without ever hitting the MLS. So even though it may not rank as the most desirable neighborhood by most people, it is a tough neighborhood in which to limit your search.

Originally Posted by eschaton

I looked on Zillow today, and there were only about 10 houses which were sold "on the market" in the last two years or so, which is a ridiculously small number.

Yeah, I peripherally know someone who looked for a place in Polish Hill and was told the same, sales are rare and often happen under the radar, as it were.

I can understand that. It's a really cool little place, and there just isn't much room.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Yesterday CNN profiled various individuals across the country who have consciously chosen to downsize their former American lifestyles of intense consumerism to diminutive homes with just the basics. Those interviewed said they appreciated shedding not only so much of their "stuff" in order to comfortably live in spaces that are often well under 500-square-feet but also relieving themselves of great financial burdens associated with larger housing options.

That article can be located here: Tiny homes hit the big city - CNN.com


While the number of people who are now living in "micro-housing" is growing on a national scale I have not yet seen this trend reach Pittsburgh, despite the fact that recently our housing prices have been appreciating more rapidly than prevailing real wages, pricing more and more prospective entry-level home-buyers, including myself, out of the market. As a prime example here in my beloved Polish Hill there are only two homes on the market, and both are in the high-$200k range---FAR out of my reach---and we're supposedly one of the "cheaper" neighborhoods in the city's East End.

When I was participating in visioning sessions for Polish Hill's newly-revampled long-range comprehensive plan I was very receptive to the notion of transitioning the "hidden" part of our neighborhood (on the other side of the 28th Street Bridge and below Frank Curto Park) to the city's first neighborhood of new micro-housing. The "Great Recession" has also been termed the "Great Reset" because it has caused many Americans, including myself, to ask ourselves "Do I really need all this stuff?" as we seek to cut costs and simplify our lives. I have been briefly pondering buying a run-down fixer-upper in a place like McKees Rocks, Etna, or Braddock, but I know in the long-term I'll miss living in this neighborhood so I've decided to continue renting until I have enough saved to buy a lot in Polish Hill from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and build my own "tiny" house upon it.

Does anyone else on this sub-forum have an interest in micro-housing? Does anyone here know of any local micro-housing communities? Does anyone think it would be a laborious task to receive zoning approval from the city to build a small home on a small city lot?

Hey, I read that article. While it brings up an interesting topic, a lot of people in that seemed just a tad too trendy and pleased with themselves for me. They seemed less interested in "downsizing" and more in getting attention.