Appropriately Sized Houses

It has been said that the next big thing…is small.  We have seen it already in automobiles and meals.  And now we are seeing it in our houses. 

There is already a growing “tiny house” movement.  Houses in the 100 to 120 square foot size are built on a trailer frame for portability, which allows the owner to work around current zoning laws requiring a minimum home size.  Tiny houses do, however, have their drawbacks. They are a little too small for most people. Storm resistance on a trailer frame must be taken into consideration.  And vehicles large enough to tow the trailers tiny houses sit on, along with the resulting transportation costs, are not tiny by any stretch of the imagination. 

A logical step up from the “tiny house” is what we call an “appropriately sized” home.  What is an appropriately sized home?  It’s a house that feels big but is not; a house that is secure on a permanent foundation; a home that can be expanded as future needs change; a home that is affordable for singles, couples beginning their lives together, and empty nesters who want to downsize.  It’s a home that is efficient in the use of initial building materials as well as long term energy use and maintenance.

Smaller, appropriately sized homes are the future.  A smaller house offers substantial savings in building and maintenance, lower taxes, and lower energy consumption.  At the same time, owning a smaller home means more time and more freedom, and the money to enjoy them.

Consider all the options for your future housing needs, whether small or tiny, and find what is appropriate for you and your lifestyle.  It is true that size does matter.  And the future is clearly smaller.