What are tiny houses?
Have you heard of the tiny house trend? If you’re interested in architecture or interior design, you might already have heard about tiny houses: modern, miniature residential units that are scarcely the size of an RV. But where does the trend come from? And should you be investing in it?
Where does the tiny house trend come from?
Tiny houses first started gaining popularity – and getting photoshoots – a few years ago, shortly after the financial troubles of 2009-2011. But the tiny house movement actually has deeper roots, dating as far back as the 1970s.
In 2019, tiny houses are about much more than adorable, affordable real estate. Architects and interior designer are using tiny houses to experiment with sustainability and smart technology – creating homes which are more efficient and convenient than ever before.
Should I build a tiny house?
So now for the big question: should you build a tiny house? Who are tiny houses for?
A tiny house can be a great way to add value to a larger property. You could build a tiny house as a regular rental property, or treat it as a guest house.
Some investors offer tiny houses as vacation rentals to generate additional income. This idea works well if you live in a popular vacation spot, or an area of natural beauty. In fact,a according to this report by Vox, some farmers are turning to tiny houses as a way to make more money from their land.
However, as we’ve discussed before, there are plenty of other ways to design a smart, sustainable home. For most of us, tiny houses are a useful testing ground for new ideas about design and residential architecture. You might not build one in your backyard – but you can certainly learn from the green innovations of tiny house designers.