Buying A Tiny Home As A Vacation Home

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Are you thinking about purchasing a new vacation home? Perhaps this is your very first time buying such a little luxury and you are keen to make a wise choice. Then again, you may have just sold a vacation home and are keen to purchase something else, or could even have several properties under your belt.

Whatever your situation may happen to be, the fact that you are here means that tiny homes interest you and with plenty of good reasons!

Of course, choosing a tiny home as your vacation home may feel more than a little non-traditional and may even fill you with apprehension as to whether it is a good choice, both in the short-term and in the long term.

That is where we come in. We are delighted to provide you with a clear and concise guide to the option of buying a tiny home as your next vacation home. We will do so by answering the following questions and topics in turn:

What Do We Mean By a Tiny Home?

What Are The Advantages Of Choosing A Tiny Home As A Vacation Rental?
(The Affordability Factor - The Price Is Most Definitely Right!)
(The Practical Factor - Easy To Clean, Easy To Maintain, Easy To Manage!)

What To Look Out For When Purchasing A Tiny Home As A Vacation Home
(Is It Built To Code?)
(Does It Meet All Zoning Regulations?)
(Will It Appreciate Over Time?)

Let's begin with the most obvious yet crucial question. After all, we can hardly consider any other related questions if we don't fully understand what we mean when we use the term 'tiny home'.

What Do We Mean By A Tiny Home?

Here in the United States, a typical American home comes in at around the 2,600 square feet mark for size. This stands in stark contrast to what is considered a tiny home. The typical definition of a tiny home is one that has a square footage of between 100 and 400 square feet; indeed tiny homes bear their name for a reason!

Tiny homes come in a variety of designs, much dependent on who carried out the building work. Some owners take on the task themselves and have built their tiny homes from scratch. Others have been built by a professional builder or investor, in fact, even sheds or storage containers can be used to create a tiny home.

The main concept of a tiny home is to create the feeling of space in an area that actually is very limited for space. This illusion of there being more space comes about from making use of hyper-efficient design, features such as large windows, high ceilings, open plan, and micro-appliances can all work beautifully together to give the impression that space that is as small as a couple of hundred feet square is roomy and comfortable.

If we wanted a simple bottom line definition for a tiny home, perhaps we could put it this way; a space that has been created to make living more simple, efficient, and affordable. You can learn more about what makes a home a tiny home is, read this article.

In fact, that leads us very nicely onto the next question which is surely at the forefront of your mind; Are there really worthwhile advantages to choosing a tiny home as your vacation home. Let's find out.

What Are The Advantages Of Choosing A Tiny Home As A Vacation Rental?

The Affordability Factor - The Price Is Most Definitely Right!

Owning a vacation home can feel like a luxurious dream to many people without any hope of it actually becoming a reality. Then the tiny home movement happened and all of a sudden that pipe dream feels like it could have some substance to it. Indeed, this one massive advantage to choosing a tiny home as a vacation home surely has to be at the top of the list on the pros page.

We could say that the idea of having a tiny home as a vacation home opens up a dream to many people that otherwise would not exist.

So, what type of figure are we talking about for a tiny home?

Of course, the price can vary dramatically depending on location, design, and finish, however, as a guide we could say that a tiny home for vacation purposes can come in with a price tag between $10,000 and $40,000. Indeed, for people who can't afford a conventional vacation home, a tiny home can certainly be a worthy option.

Of course, it's not just such people who may be interested in a tiny home as their vacation home. Even people who can afford a larger property may be attracted to the idea of owning a tiny home without a mortgage or any type of debt. This puts more money in the piggy bank to enjoy while on vacation in the home!

Another excellent factor related to the price is that of investment as a rental.

For many vacation homeowners, the fact that the property sits empty for a significant part of the year can feel like a negative situation from a financial standpoint, hence why many people find themselves renting their vacation home out while they don't need it. Doing so with a tiny home can be a very attractive proposition.

More than likely you will have either no loan or a very small one for the property, however, tiny homes are a surprisingly popular choice as a short-term vacation rental. Being able to turn over a healthy sum as a vacation rental, while also enjoying the property yourself during the times of the year you are available puts this purchase in a lovely win-win situation.

The Practical Factor - Easy To Clean, Easy To Maintain, Easy To Manage!

Large properties can feel like an attractive purchase, however, unless you have the finance to employ someone to carry out all of the cleaning, maintenance, and management, it can actually end up feeling a whole lot more like hard work and a whole lot less like a vacation!

Opt for a tiny home and you will soon turn that nasty surprise on its head. A smaller space means much less cleaning, fewer things to care for, less work to maintain everything; in a few words, a tiny home is easy to manage.

In addition, all of those nasty repair bills that come with large vacation properties, from repairing a swimming pool to fixing a damaged roof, are not going to plague you when you have an efficient tiny home to call your own. For a low-hassle, maximum vacation enjoyment option, it certainly feels like a tiny home tick the most important boxes on this front.

What To Look Out For When Purchasing A Tiny Home As A Vacation Home

Of course, the fact that choosing a tiny home as your vacation home is a great idea does not mean that you can go out and purchase the first one you see without any concerns; now that would be a very unwise move! As is the case with all properties on the market, you will soon see that the good, the bad, and the ugly are always present! What can you do to set yourself up for a good choice? How can you ensure that you purchase a tiny home that will prove to be a great decision, not just for the short-term but also for the long game? Let's find out.

Is It Built To Code?

It is crucial to inform yourself on this aspect before you even start to look at tiny homes for your vacation home. State and local governments have building codes that need to be adhered to if the building is built on foundations. In fact, you will likely find that the same requirements are mandatory for both tiny homes and traditional buildings.

Does It Meet All Zoning Regulations?

A lot of cities have zoning regulations when it comes to tiny homes and some of these can be very strict. For instance, a regulation may exist that stipulates the amount of living space that a tiny home needs to have. If you can't meet the zoning laws the home cannot be occupied so be sure to do your homework on this one too!

Will It Appreciate Over Time?

If you are considering a tiny home that is built on a permanent foundation, with a good design, room to improve, and in a popular location then there is every chance that your investment will appreciate over time. However, we should note here that tiny homes built on wheels and parked on owned land are viewed as mobile personal property, as such they are seen as depreciating assets.

The Bottom Line On Purchasing A Tiny Home As Your Vacation Home

There is no doubt that choosing a tiny home comes with many perks. The price makes this option very affordable. Couple this factor with the ease of maintenance and the proposal is certainly very attractive.

By ensuring that the tiny home you choose meets all state regulations, as well as zoning laws, you are well on your way to buying a property that will be home to many happy vacation memories, without a hefty price tag to go with them!