Hey Reader,

How’s your week going? Mine’s been pretty good, and I’ve got some an update about the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast. But first, let’s dive into a trend I’ve noticed in the tiny house space: Great deals on used tiny homes.

During the pandemic, the demand for tiny homes surged, driving up the cost of building materials and making tiny homes scarce and incredibly expensive. Homes priced over $100,000 became the norm rather than the exception. This shift has been shocking for many, including myself. As someone who has been observing and participating in this industry for the past 12 years, I pay close attention to these trends. And right now, it’s a buyer’s market for tiny homes. My guest, Janet Thome, mentioned this a couple of weeks ago.

So, should you consider a used tiny home? With some caveats, I think you should. However, it’s crucial to be cautious. Whether the home was built by a professional builder or an individual, you need to do your due diligence.

For professional builders, investigate as if you were hiring them for the first time:

• Are they still in business?
• Do they have negative reviews on Google, Yelp, Better Business Bureau, or Facebook?
• Can you contact anyone living in one of their homes to discuss any issues?

​Look for certifications like NOAA or Pacific West to ensure proper construction, but remember that certification isn’t everything. If you’re not a professional builder by trade, hire a home inspector or ask someone knowledgeable in construction to check for any issues.

For homes built by individuals:

• Seek those constructed by someone with building experience rather than an amateur’s first project.
• Remember that people can make strange decisions and mistakes that aren’t always obvious.

While this may sound daunting, consider the upsides:

• In Vermont, I’ve seen tiny houses that would cost $100,000 or more from a professional builder sell for between $60,000 and $70,000. This trend is happening across the market.
• If you’ve been designing your own tiny house and getting frustrated finding a builder, check local markets like Facebook Marketplace and Tiny House Listings.
• Used tiny homes offer many benefits: they’re more environmentally friendly and may have already had issues fixed.
• They’re faster to acquire—especially useful if you’re looking at short-term rentals like Airbnb.
• Save on labor if you were planning to build yourself.

So that’s what I’ve been thinking about lately. I love hearing from my newsletter readers, so please respond to this email. Have you considered a used tiny home? Why or why not?

Hope to hear from you soon!

Talk soon,

Ethan

P.S. Now for the podcast announcement: Starting in June and continuing through July, we’ve moved to an every-other-week format and will take August off to revamp and retool for another great year of the show.

This Week on THLP

Living the Minimalist Family Life: 3 People, 3 Cats, and a Dog in a 325sf Tiny House On Wheels

Interview with Emily Gerde

Emily Gerde and her husband Justin, son Wyatt, three cats and one dog live in a 325 square foot tiny house on wheels. Emily is the author of Minimalist Living for a Maximum Life, which provides insight on their tiny house journey and how a minimalist, organic, holistic, mindful lifestyle led to a life of their dreams.
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What's it like raising a minimalist family with plans to grow in tiny house? How do you keep the intake of stuff to a minimum while creating an enriching experience for your children? I'll ask Emily those questions and more.

In This Episode:

• Why did Emily settle on relatively large (325sf) tiny house on wheels?
• What’s it like to move a 20,000lb tiny house?
• Why Emily and her family started living in a camper but have decided to abandon that project?
• How to deal with the judgement you receive from choosing to live in a tiny house as a family?
• Emily’s efforts to legalize tiny house communities in Colorado
• What will you do when your young children approach teen age?
• Do you have to live in a tiny house to be a minimalist?
• How do you control the space (toys, play area, etc.) associated with kids in your tiny house?
• How do you deal with receiving gifts when most people tend to give children toys?
• How have you dealt with the need for an address to enroll your son in school?

Don't forget to Follow the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Wherever you listen!​

The Allure of the Roadtrip: Building Towable Tiny Houses with Chris Schapdick

Lil Wing is a metal triangle on wheels with a putting green grass landing, and it was the most unique tiny house I saw at Big Mass Festival. The builder, Chris Schapdick of Tiny Industrial, specializes in smaller tiny homes that are easy to tow. In addition, he is the author of two books about tiny house living. In this conversation, we’ll cover the ins and outs of building towable tiny houses, why Chris decided to share his process on Instructables, and what we can look forward to in his book.

Listen At: https://www.thetinyhouse.net/chris-schapdick/​

Tiny House Decisions is my best selling guide to Plan, Build, and Live tiny. If you're concerned about the systems that need to go in your home, this guide will pay for itself very quickly becuase I lay everything out for you and make the decision making process easy!

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Learn More and Download Tiny House Decisions

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Talk soon,

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