We live in a tiny home full-time and wouldn’t trade it for the world – but people need to know the hidden costs
The unforeseen difficulties and hidden expenses of living in a compact house have been made public by a couple.
Destiny and Brianna DeJesus exchanged their conventional lifestyle for a mobile home that was 399 square feet in size.
Due to the married couple’s online sharing, their tiny house lifestyle has garnered over 2,600 Instagram followers.
After the rent on their Texas apartment soared from $740 to $1,400 in just four years, they initially considered tiny living in 2020.
Their love of travel made them uninterested in purchasing a conventional home.
Rather, they purchased a pre-owned modest house for $90,000. However, they soon discovered that the initial expense was only the start.
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The pair believes that they will pay about $100,000 in all, including thousands of dollars in interest from financing the purchase.
That does not include the monthly rent they pay for utilities, land, or maintaining the house.
Additionally, it is not inexpensive to move their home, which is a major selling point for the lifestyle.
The cost of moving the house from Los Angeles to Portland was more than $2,000 for Destiny and Brianna.
They anticipate spending at least $8,000 on their impending move back to Texas.
Destiny stated: “We wanted the freedom to travel, but the costs of moving make it harder than we thought.”
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The difficulties don’t end there.
Tiny home maintenance is more difficult than most people realize.
Heavy rains caused their door frame to swell, so the couple had to purchase an awning for protection after replacing a broken shower door with a curtain to save money.
It has also been difficult to find professionals who are willing to work on their modest house.
Repairs are frequently handled by the couple themselves because many are reluctant to take on jobs in such cramped areas.
There are challenges in daily living as well.
Meetings that overlap in such a small area can become stressful, and Destiny and Brianna both occasionally work from home.
Nevertheless, the pair claims that the advantages exceed the drawbacks.
They posted on Instagram, saying, “We chose this life, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything,” even if things break and money must be spent.
By sharing their tale, the pair hopes to encourage others to enjoy compact living while being ready for the hardships.
“We need to see more people of color in this movement,” Destiny continued.
For Destiny and Brianna, the joy and freedom their little home has offered them outweighs the hidden expenses.
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.
TINY HOMES ON THE RISE
The persistent national housing scarcity, according to housing experts, is partly to blame for the increase in tiny homes.
The US lacks between 2.3 million and 6.5 million housing units, according to Realtor.com projections.
According to experts, the lack of available housing is the primary cause of America’s housing affordability problems, and for many years, construction has been restricted by antiquated zoning regulations.
The corporation blames old zoning laws for limiting construction levels and claims the deficit is the “root cause” of persistent housing affordability problems in America.
Although a construction boom was spurred by the pandemic, demand has not kept up with the boom.
Approximately 1.45 million residences were finished in 2023, up from the previous year, according to the US Census Bureau.
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The tiny home movement’s founder, Jay Shafer, said that the housing issue could have been foreseen as early as the 1990s and advocated for a review of the zoning laws that frequently prohibit the construction of new homes.
Shafer told The U.S. Sun that it was easy to see how the housing crisis was already affecting many of us even twenty-five years ago.
Hidden costs of a tiny home
The following lists every hidden expense that Brianna and Destiny have when they acquire a tiny house:
- Tiny home purchase: $90,000
- Loan interest: Up to $10,000 extra
- Land rental and utilities: Varies monthly
- First move (Los Angeles to Portland): $2,000+
- Next move (Portland to Texas): Estimated $8,000+
- Shower door replacement: Temporary curtain installed after breaking
- Rain damage repairs: Awning purchased to protect door
- Maintenance challenges: Contractors often unavailable, leading to DIY fixes
Destiny and Brianna claim that their modest house is well worth the expense.
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