We own a tiny home village on the beach after giving up our 3k square-foot home – ‘you gotta not care’ what people think
After years of RV travel, a couple has built a distinctive tiny home town.
After a brief trip, the couple, who previously lived in a 3,000-square-foot house with their kids, were motivated.
According to Norfolk CBS affiliateWTKR, Virginia Beach residents Sylvia and Eric Hawkins claimed to be living what many people believe to be the traditional American dream in the early 2000s.
They both had good careers, “nice cars,” and a big house, but they felt separated from each other and the children since they had to take care of everything.
Eric said, “We were like two ships passing in the night,” to the organization.
“We had no idea how much it would cost, not monetarily but emotionally it cost to maintain that lifestyle.”
Read More on Tiny Homes
The family then went camping in Cape Charles, which is located on the East Coast about 46 miles north of Virginia Beach, in 2010.
Compared to their house in Virginia Beach, Sylvia and Eric were “relaxed” and “enjoying each other [and] the environment” in the cramped area.
They chose to take an additional day off and make a significant switch to tiny living after returning because of the drastic difference.
After a while, the couple moved permanently to a nearby Virginia Beach campground, renting out the 3,000-square-foot house and purchasing two motorhomes for their family.
LABOR OF LOVE
According to Eric, their extended family first disapproved of the choice, but he pointed out that it was crucial to concentrate on what was best for them—going little.
It also established a strong foundation for the future and saved them a significant amount of money.
I bought a shipping container from China and turned it into my perfect tiny home – it only took a few hours to assemble and it looks so spacious inside
“You gotta not care what people think and you can’t live with other peoples’ fears,” he stated to WTKR.
At first, their kids weren’t the biggest supporters of their parents’ choice either, but according to Eric, they not only grew to appreciate it but also learned a key life lesson from it.
“It’s like leading people to a place they don’t want to go, but they are happy when they get there,” he said about his move.
“Home is where you make it,” they discovered.
What is a tiny home?
A tiny home is, in theory, any residence that is less than 400 square feet.
Some tiny homes are converted from former school buses or vans, and many are constructed on trailers so they can be carried wherever.
Tiny homes are normally exempt from the same taxes as regular residences, while each state has its own regulations.
Nonetheless, tiny homes are prohibited as permanent residences in Alaska, Iowa, Louisiana, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
VILLAGE VENTURE
The couple is talking about how moving to a tiny house helped them navigate their own village more than ten years later.
“We always felt like ‘let’s build a tiny house village’ so we’d live there and as well as show people and let them experience what we felt,” Eric said.
They located a four-acre plot of land that once housed 14 modest cottages, a restaurant, and a gas station after scouring their former Cape Charles vacation destination.
After making all the necessary investments and renovations, they listed the property on Airbnb in 2022.
Tiny homes include basic designs, colorful cladding, and fully functional kitchens and bathrooms, among other features.
Since then, many of Americans have stayed in the village that the Hawkins couple developed, demonstrating its significant popularity.
Amazon and Walmart offer pre-built small home kits for anyone who want to start a tiny house with minimal work.
Read More on The US Sun
Walmart offers a two-story “easy-to-assemble” unit that includes a roof deck for $25,985.
For $15,299, Amazon also sells what some refer to as the “ultimate” tiny house, complete with a bathroom and an easy assembly process.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!