Tiny House Reality Check! Watch This Before Building or Buying One

If you're considering building or buying a tiny house, watch this video first! We're talking about 5 really important things you should consider before you decide to start a tiny house project.

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1) Finances
Tiny houses can be a more affordable housing option than a full-sized house, but there’s more to think about than just the price tag of the actual house.

For example, how much will you have to pay to buy or rent land to put it on? Will you need a loan to buy or build your tiny house?
Will you be building the tiny house yourself or buying from a builder?

Make a long term budget for your tiny house lifestyle, and compare it to a long term budget for your current living situation.

2) Location
We would definitely suggest doing researching and securing a space to put your tiny house before you start building.

If tiny houses are legal where you live, then you should probably have a much easier time finding a place to put your it.

In places where the rules are less clear, you should probably think about having multiple options for locations planned in case things don’t work out at one of the locations.

3) Insurance
Find out if you can get house insurance before you build or buy in case there are specific requirements to qualify your home for a policy.

Maybe your insurance company will only insure a house that was built by a professional, or a house that has some kind of RV certification. Make sure to research this in advance, and find a company (or several) that are willing to insure your tiny house because you don’t want to be stuck with a brand new tiny house that you can’t insure.

4) Climate
Climate can have a huge impact on how you build a tiny house, and how enjoyable it is to live in one.

In warmer climates, tiny houses can overheat pretty easily. How will you keep it cool? In a colder climate, you may spend a lot more of your time indoors. Will it be enough space?

5) Inputs and Outputs
When we live in an apartment or in a house, we don’t often think about where our water and power comes from, or where our waste goes. In a tiny house, you’ll need to plan how you’re going to manage these inputs and outputs.

We hope you found these prompts helpful in your tiny house decision-making process :)

Thanks for watching!

Mat & Danielle

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CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.

Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives

Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives

[callingyouout]

Hi folks. Don't forget security. There have been several reports of tiny houses actually being stolen in the United States. Even a tongue lock won't prevent a determined thief, so plan on how to secure it in your absence. Coming home in the aftermath of a burglary is bad, but coming back and finding your home gone takes it to a whole new level.

[CoastalKite]

Finances 0:36
Location 2:02
Insurance 3:13
Climate 4:19
Inputs & Outputs 5:48

[GlobalEarthRepair]

Muy importante, folks. I am so glad someone finally did a video on the LEGAL CHALLENGES to tiny houses.

[Galemor]

Something you also need to be aware of, especially if you have a house on wheels, is that the wheels deteriorate.
So after living in the same place for a while, your tires might be without air, or even broken.
In Norway, they use a lot of salt in the winter, so the base of your home might also turn into a pile of rust....
Isolation steal space, but it keeps the temperature more steady, so don't skimp on it.
I got myself a cabin instead.
I got a little apartment in the middle of the forest, electric, well water, burner toilet and several rooms..
It's a heaven, any upgrade will increase the value and make it easier to sell later on.
It's just a 5 minute drive to the nearest store, 20 min to the nearest city.
It's a cheaper solution than a house, but safer than a house on wheels.

[origamiandcats]

I have a tiny house on rented land. It's a trailer in a trailer park.

[KyrstOak]

XD If you don't have insulation, no matter the climate, you're a fool.

[theWZZA]

LOL, all the non-glamorous details about Tiny House living. This is why I would lean toward building and living on the cheap, so they don't become a financial liability. I don't understand the people who plunk 100K into them.

[wombatone]

Trailer weight, draw bar weight, brakes etc etc. Check with State motor registry! Before you draw the plans!

[drsmbrownlee]

This is one of the best tiny house videos I've ever seen, and I've seen hundreds. This is the first one that mentions the need for a car if, like most tiny house dwellers, you're in a somewhat remote location. This isn't just a financial issue - it's an environmental one, and it's so often ignored amongst the otherwise perfectly valid claims about tiny houses and reduction of environmental impact. Also especially helpful points about insurance and certifications. Thank you so much for a stellar video.

[barrez]

Finally reality comes to the conversation! Thank you for pointing these vital pieces of information that many simply dont think of but, will have to address. Before is the time NOT after.
YOU 🎸!

[jadesidhe]

2 and a half years in a c class RV and I'm never going back to city life. I go where I want when I want, I can tailor how I live with my current finances, move to the best climate and fix things myself. And it's cheaper than the city. The only thing I'm looking forward to transitioning to is sail boat life so I can see more than here. Tiny homes are just heavier RVs as far as I can tell. Everything in an RV is already made for "tiny" mobile living. It's wonderful and I recommend it to everyone. Four friends have followed me into the life and it's worked for all of them in their own ways. I'm not against tiny homes, but if you're interested in them then check out RV, van and boat living too. Don't limit yourself just because it isn't fashionable.

[msponsler]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for being open and honest about the FULL cost of a tiny home. So many sites are dishonest and provide only the cost of materials, or cost of the build. My granddaughter put a deposit on a tiny home after being told it would cost $9000. When she realized utilities would cost as much as the house, she cancelled the sale and lost $3000.

[yulin]

The only thing I didn’t think of was insurance on the road part. Thank you for the video. I am planning to build one before I retire.

[FalbertForester]

Health: If you are no longer able to climb to a lofted sleeping area due to health issues, then many tiny house designs are not going to be suitable for you.

[ptotheatsign]

Good video. The biggest problem with tiny houses I’ve found are the (arbitrary) limitations set up by governments that make them illegal or existing in a legal gray area. That means it is impossible or at least very hard to put down permanent roots with a tiny house on a certain piece of land without feeling like the situation is a house of cards that could be undone by arbitrary rules. I’d like to switch to a tiny home from my traditional home, but the risk isn’t worth it.

[donnaduncan]

Thank you for providing serious information about actually living in a tiny house. Especially the insurance insight. So many videos only focus on the final cost to build. Great info guys!

[jbkhan]

Really good video! It's nice to see someone lay out the realities of living in a tiny house and not just gloss over the "tough parts".

[marlenekluper]

I lived on a boat for several years, so I have a good idea about the challenges of living is small areas. This video was very well thought out and provides a great list of things to consider, for those considering the tiny house experience. Well Done !!

[Itriedtakennames]

One issues with tiny houses is that, without the land ownership, they are basically super nice RVs, which will only depreciate in value as they get older. For better or worse, it is the land ownership under even old or tiny stationary houses which increases in value overtime.

Back in the day, people bought a house mid-20s, lived there 40-50 years, and then sold the land/house…which was often a large part of their retirement funding. Unless there starts to be small land parcels for sale…this won’t happen with tiny houses. Tiny houses may (or may not) save on rent, but without land ownership (which could happen if small lots were for sale) tiny houses only will go down in price every year.

[mladyskirk]

Tiny houses are endlessly fascinating! Thanks for bringing up the realities of tiny home ownership. Preparation is always the first step to any success. 🏠🏡