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The Small & Tiny House Movements...What You Need To Know

By
Real Estate Agent with Cascade Sotheby's International Realty

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SMALL HOUSE MOVEMENT

A movement is underway. It’s called the ‘Small House Movement’ which has also helped to spawn the ‘Tiny House Movement’. What exactly is it? It involves a growing number of people who are shedding their dependency on material things and finding contentment in material minimalism including reducing the size of the house they live in.

But we are not talking about a home that is 800 to 1100 square feet only. No, in the case of a tiny house, we are talking about a home that is typically no larger than 200 to 400 square feet…some even smaller.

ITS ABOUT RESPECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT & OTHERS

What is driving this trend? According to the Small House Society, “The movement is the result of concerns about what we are doing to the environment, and what the environment is doing to us (wild fires, flooding, hurricanes), as well as a shifting economy.” As they put it, “Some people just desire to live simply so that others can simply live.”

A number of Bloggers have taken up this cause and have gained a following in the process. I first learned about the movement through the blog of Tammy Strobel called Rowdy Kittens. She writes about how she and her husband were caught up with the middle class rat race, overly concerned about material possessions. After a bit of self-discovery, both she and her husband purged themselves of needless material possessions so that they could pursue more life experiences, and as a result downsized into a 400 square foot apartment…quite happily I might add.

FINDING THE ROOTS OF THE SMALL HOUSE MOVEMENT & WHERE IT'S HEADED

The fascination with small homes and smaller living space seems to have begun gaining momentum back in 1997 with the publishing of Sarah Susanka’s book, “The Not So Big House” which struck a nerve with a segment of home buyers and spawned a series of books on the subject. From there, a number of home builders have begun showcasing a new style of tiny house that can even be transported on wheels if need be. Take for instance PAD (Portland Alternative Dwellings) and Tumbleweed Houses which feature fully functional homes with as little as 84 square feet!

UNDERSTANDING THE MINDSET OF THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT

Buyers for this market tend to be very conscientious of their carbon footprint. They value enjoying life experiences over material things and are adverse to the commercialism brain washing they perceive going on within Western society today.  As they see it, the Western mentality of success puts a premium on owning more and more as a sign of that success. Many of them see the end result of that kind of mentality resulting in a stressed out life without ever finding true contentment and satisfaction with the life they've lived.

The more dedicated of this group have shed their cars and use bicycles and public transportation to get them where they need to go. Less is more, and that includes clothes, kitchenware, furniture and the dreaded trinkets that tend to clutter our lives. I must admit, their tales of adventure and the shedding of the Western notions of Success have been quite inspiring.

To get a better understanding of the core values and outlooks of this movement, you can check out Joshua Becker’s Becoming Minimalist and Francine Jay’s Miss Minimalist.

In the end, this movement for small houses and even tiny houses should not be ignored by our industry. As Real Estate Brokers and Agents, we owe our clients the ability to understand their needs (albeit small needs) and ways in which these needs can best be met. What are your thoughts on this growing movement?

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ABOUT TARRIS ROGERS:  Having lived here in Central Oregon nearly my whole life, I love being able to put my expert knowledge to work for you.    I specialize in Resort/Vacation/2nd Homes, Investment Property, Short Sales, Foreclosures and have specialized services for Out of Area buyers.  I'll make sure you get great service! 

If you're an out of town Buyer, you'll especially love me.  Please ask me why.

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Comments (5)

Jenny Durling
L.A. Property Solutions - Los Angeles, CA
For Los Angeles real estate help 213-215-4758

Wow! You are talking TINY here. I can see downsizing but I really can't imagine living in something smaller than a 2-car garage!

Nov 02, 2010 12:08 PM
Tarris Rogers
Cascade Sotheby's International Realty - Bend, OR
Bend Oregon Real Estate

I know what you mean Jenny.  It took me a bit to wrap my brain around the idea of living in such a small place, however the more I took the time to learn about what inspires these homeowners, the more I sorta got it.  I've chosen to live in a smaller house (by conventional standards) for many years (1080 square feet).  For my wife and I it has been quite adequate all these years.  The idea of moving into something half that size or less is a bit scary to contemplate, but if push came to shove, I think I could do it. 

Nov 02, 2010 12:22 PM
Robin Dampier REALTOR®
Coldwell Banker King - Hendersonville, NC
Hendersonville & Western NC Real Estate Source
I've been reading more and more about these tiny homes. I can understand their purpose in the current economic situation for many folks. But, for many as you say their reasons are to live more simply and shed possessions. They are surely eye catching and I can see how they might work for a single person. Kinda like a recreational home you can tote along with you if you relocate. Since my husband recently passed away I can see where I don't need the 1,500 sq ft of living space but couldn't imagine much below 1,000 sq ft. I think it would/could be very difficult for the young couple with the baby in the film clip. Sue of Robin and Sue
Nov 02, 2010 01:07 PM
Tarris Rogers
Cascade Sotheby's International Realty - Bend, OR
Bend Oregon Real Estate

Sue, I'm so sorry to hear about your husband.  I wish you many good things as you move forward and hope you will make many happy, new, memories along this new path you're now on.  I too was thinking about the 'challenge' a young family might find in living in a small house, but then I got thinking about those small thatched roof huts in Africa where entire families live together.  As long as they have food, clothing and shelter, they always seem to have a smile on their face and the families appear to be very happy together.  Who conditioned us to believe that we can't be happy or content in a house that is only several hundred square feet?  Granted, it's not going to work for everyone and for every circumstance, but isn't a successful family more about who they are as people, rather than about what they live in? I suspect that a small family living in a tiny house probably make more use of outdoor space then kids living in large homes.  When you think about the alarming obesity rate in children in this country, maybe a small or tiny house isn't such a bad thing.

Nov 03, 2010 05:59 AM
Sarah Lynn Jaskowski
Williamsville, NY
House. Home. Today.

I watched Tiny: A Story abotu Small Living.  Tiny houses fascinate me.  So many people said on the documentary that living in a tiny home is so much more than spending less and reducing your impact on the environment.  Living tiny helps you connect with the community, your loved ones and yourself.  It's an inspring lifestyle.  Thank you fo sharing =)

Jul 20, 2014 09:53 AM