WILKINSON COUNTY, Ga. — Tiny homes - they're exactly what they sound like. They are homes, 500 square feet or smaller, with everything you'll need in it -- but a fraction of the cost of a regular sized one.
Folks at the Southeastern Tiny Homes Festival in Wilkinson County say they're worth it.
"The average American only interacts with 250- 300 square feet of their home a day. That is a tiny house,” says Will Johnston, Executive Director of the Microlife Institute in Atlanta.
Johnston says the company focuses on providing and educating folks about various housing options through micro living.
He says we're in a housing crisis right now.
“We have high demand, but low product. That balance of being able to have a good paying job isn't that 30% of your income going to your mortgage or your rent. It's probably like 40 or 50," he said.
On top of transportation costs, supply chain issues, and prices of rent, Johnston says this gives people little options, and every type of family or person has different needs in a home.
“You want that starter home? You’ve got models that start at $39,000. Where some of these on property go up to almost $150,000. That is still more affordable in today's market,” he explains.
He says you do still need to consider the land, water, sewer, that the house will need, but…
“The initial structure can be very affordable. The whole package could only be around $75,000-$80,000, and that is also the price of a luxury car," he said.
Denise Ryals is CEO of Hummingbird Tiny Home Rentals in Wilkinson County, and is hosting and collaborating with MicroLife Institute on her land for the first time.
She began building tiny homes with her husband 13 years ago, but now she rents them out -- owning 8 homes, one camper, and a converted silo, on over 10 acres of land.
She says not everyone wants a mansion, and that’s what’s valuable about these houses.
"Just because you go tiny, don't mean you have to give up the luxuries of home,” she explains. "Having the ability to choose the size of home that you want and the freedom to take your house with you was very intriguing to us when we first started this," she said.
She says her homes range from 196 square feet at its smallest, to 500 square feet at its largest.
“If you’re thinking of going tiny, this is the perfect opportunity to come stay in a tiny house, and see if you like it,” Ryals says.
Kay Buff and Tracy Gardener are both in their 60s.
“We don't want to have to pay a loan for another 30 years,” Buff says.
They say it would save them $300,000 to buy a tiny home instead of building a regular one.
"So, this works out really well for us. It gives us enough room to have people over, but not have to have a big house to be able to do it and keep up with,” she says.
Gardener says it’s also for the community, because there are many tiny homes communities that have begun to pop up.
“You don’t just want to buy land and put a little bitty home on it. If they have a community, like where we’ve been looking at, it has a swimming pool, recreation center. It gives us something to do, or our grandkids something to do if they come visit,” Gardener explains.
Camdon Hill owns a trailer with his wife, two kids, and pets.
"The prospect of a tiny home does offer more freedom in the future,” he says.
Hill says he currently pays a mortgage as well as lot rent, but wants to own his own house one day.
"If we have our own land to put it on, we don’t have to worry about paying anybody else anything. Just paying taxes,” Hill explains. “What I've seen today, seems like a tiny house could be a viable option for us," he says.
Ryals says they'll be holding a class soon to teach people how to build their own tiny homes.
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