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There is no place like home: America’s housing crisis and how shipping containers can help

By
Real Estate Agent with Be Basic CEO

Home is the best for all people. It is a special place and nothing can replace it. But what defines a home? For the vast majority of individuals, the home is the place where they live with their families and pets, and enjoy times with friends. For that reason, every person’s depiction of the home is unique. The younger generation cannot afford to buy a home. It seems that their paychecks are not able to keep up with rising property prices. Low-cost accommodation is slowly but surely disappearing from the real estate market, so it is no wonder that home ownership rates among young adults are not impressive. In many parts of America, housing costs and shortages have started to affect the population. The question now is: is there any solution for America’s housing crisis? Shipping containers could be the answer.

Thrilled to come home to a shipping container

Thousands of shipping containers make their way into US ports, transporting just about anything, examples being t-shirts, scrap metal, and auto parts. The thing about shipping containers is that they are very strong. They are manufactured from steel, which is strong compared to wood. Transportation boxes are capable of withstanding snow, hurricanes, and tornadoes, not to mention earthquakes. So, they make great homes. It is possible to build a compact house out of only two shipping containers. Yes, but how are you going to get your hands on them? There are shipping containers for sale at reasonable prices. You do not need brand new containers. They can be used. A shipping container home is just as versatile as it looks, in the sense that it can be built in places where traditional houses could not.

Shipping containers are the biggest real estate trend

One thing is for sure and that thing is that the housing market in the United States will go through serious modifications in 2019. Those who want to have a roof over their head are opting for shipping containers. Many argue that shipping container houses are the biggest trend, receiving considerable attention. Homes that are made from these transportation boxes include but are not limited to single-family homes and multi-family homes. Yet, there are possibilities for restaurants and retail spaces. Right now, designers are doing their best to come up with new ways to repurpose shipping containers. The shipping container housing trend is here and it will stay for a very long time.

Are shipping containers really affordable?

It is clear that shipping containers have the potential to solve some of the issues of the housing market. Although they are affordable compared to standard accommodation, it is largely believed that shipping containers are not exactly affordable. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that shipping containers do not cost thousands of dollars. They are very reasonable indeed and this is why they are revolutionizing the real estate industry. The transportation boxes can be easily retrofitted with floors, a ceiling, and windows, all of this at a low cost. What is more, it does not take long to understand that there are no barriers when it comes to innovation. The housing can have sleeping and work functions.