How To Buy Land For Tiny House

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If you are going to purchase a tiny house, you will need to also have land to place it on. This might not be your first consideration. Most people that obtain one will purchase a tiny house that is portable. They will be able to store it on their property and bring it with them wherever they go.

However, for those that are looking for a stationary location to place this house, you will need to obtain land that is properly-suited for it.

Although they are smaller, they still need to have all of the amenities associated with homeownership including water, electricity, and plumbing for the bathroom. To buy land designated for a tiny house, you will need to know where to look and to also purchase land that will be at a convenient location. The following suggestions will make it easy to obtain land for your tiny house that you may want to live in.

What Exactly Is A Tiny House?

When you hear the term tiny house you may not realize it is actually a word that references a smaller portable home. Although there is no official designation for this type of house, it is simply a small home that is usually 600 ft. or less in size. They can be positioned on foundations which is what some people do.

They may have a relative, or they may simply want to a place where people can stay outside of their home when they come to visit. For others, they might be doing this because they feel more comfortable with a smaller house as opposed to a larger one that will have many more expenses.

Overall, a tiny house can be portable, built on trailers, or it can be situated on a foundation. To find the land for this tiny house, you will need to be selective.

How To Get Land For A Tiny House

To get land for your tiny house, you must realize that the zoning requirements for your particular county may not allow this to occur.

There are building regulations that are typically designated for standard-sized homes, buildings, and other structures, but tiny house zoning may not be available.

In fact, your county may actually prohibit you from building or placing a tiny house on any land in the county.

The only way that you can get around this, in most cases, is to designate it as a dwelling unit that is separate from your existing structure.

For example, there are ordinances that will allow smaller homes to be built in backyards, such as the proverbial mother-in-law property.

If you can convince the county to designate your tiny house as such, then you will have no problem placing it on existing property that you currently own. This is just what you may encounter at the county level. There are certain states that do not allow them at all.

States That Do Not Allow Tiny Houses

There are several states that do allow tiny houses to be purchased and used. This would include Kansas, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and also California.

For those that do not, you will not have to worry about whether you can get property in your county because the state will not allow it.

The reasons for prohibiting tiny houses have to do with their size and the possibility that they could be positioned in places that could lead to problems.

An example of this would be groups that have advocated for purchasing tiny homes for the homeless. For some, this would diminish the value of the existing properties that are in the surrounding area.

There are many reasons why states and counties will not allow this, but if you happen to be one where this is possible, you must choose the right type of property for your tiny home.

The Best Property For A Tiny Home

The first place to look would be in a rural community. These are areas that are not inundated with large subdivisions, metropolitan areas, or skyscrapers in the distance. This is also a good place to obtain this land due to the low cost.

Unincorporated land may also be a wise choice. This has to do with the limitations or complete absence of restrictive building codes that tend to be the problem.

There are certain municipalities that do not have state-specific building codes that are specifically designed to deter the use of tiny homes. By checking with your local building department, and learning more about your state building codes and zoning ordinances, you can quickly determine if this will be possible. However, there are other things that you need to know before obtaining this land to make sure it is suited for your tiny home.

Three Things To Remember When Searching For Land For Your Tiny Home

As you sift through the many different rural locations that have property available, always look for land that is far away from large cities or suburbs.

As long as you are several miles from these locations, it should not be a problem at all. Once you have found these properties, you should then consult with the realtors that are currently offering them online. They will know if that particular land is zoned for tiny homes, and if not, they can provide you with this information.

Realtors tend to have the latest info on the county, state, and city government ordinances that have come out. They may have worked with people that have purchased land before specifically for tiny homes.

By having an advocate in this area that can provide you with information, it will speed up the process of obtaining the best property for your tiny home.

Other Fees You May Have To Pay

Finally, consider how much development is on the land itself. For example, if this is in a very remote area, it is unlikely that it is connected to the local water and sewer that everyone else would have access to.

You also have to consider whether or not there are power lines coming out to that location. If not, you can spend tens of thousands of dollars just so you can connect everything to your tiny home.

Other problems may involve obtaining the necessary permits, soil and water tests, and you will also likely need a driveway.

Engineering services, utility hookups, and many other fees may simply make it less than cost-effective to have your tiny home on certain properties.

How To Get The Best Prices

Once you have figured out all of the fees that you will have to pay, and you have a few locations in mind, you will then want to obtain your land for the lowest price.

If this is through a realtor, you can make offers, as well as counteroffers through these professionals which can help you save a substantial amount of money. Although there is no way to negotiate fees with contractors, or engineering services, you can certainly do that with an individual that wants to sell the land.

Fortunately, remote locations where this land may be located are difficult to sell. That's why making multiple offers on this type of property can help you install your tiny home for a lower price.

How To Save Money On Your Tiny Home

As you are looking at all of the fees and costs of purchasing land for your tiny home, you may also want to consider saving money on the home itself.

If you are not able to negotiate a lower cost for the land, you may want to find multiple companies that sell these homes. You can request multiple estimates from the different manufacturers. Some of them are going to be very reasonable. This will assist you in saving money as you persist and obtaining your tiny home.

What If You Already Have Property?

If you do you currently own land in a metropolitan area, and you have a large backyard, you may be able to simply position it there.

The zoning ordinances, laws, and rules regarding tiny homes in your community may actually allow you to simply position it there at least temporarily.

Although this information will be gathered as you are thinking about making this type of investment. If it is allowed, you won't have to worry about getting land as you can use your existing property as the final resting spot for your tiny home.

Tiny homes can come in handy if you have friends and family that are constantly visiting.

You may also have children who may enjoy being outside of the home. Although these are someone expensive, they are a wise investment especially if you are thinking about paying a contractor to expand your home.

Some people will spend tens of thousands of dollars converting a garage into a separate bedroom. A tiny home, on the other hand, will be just like a regular home but smaller in size. You may find that this is the best investment you can make if you need extra living space.

You can find out more about tiny homes, and land for tiny homes in this article.