Three Tiny Homes With Big Appeal

What these small houses lack in square footage they make up for in clever design and savings.

Think you could live in a house that’s not much bigger than an SUV? Tiny homes are becoming a practical and affordable option for buyers ranging from young singles looking for a starter home to empty-nesters and retirees looking to downsize.

Typical tiny homes are well under 500 square feet and range in price from as little as $20,000 to more than $150,000, excluding land costs. Most homes are prefab, so there might be an additional charge for delivery.

Piqued your interest? Here are three tiny homes with big appeal:

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At 160 square feet, this studio-style home was designed by Tiny Home Builders with the retired homeowner in mind. It’s one-level with no ladders to climb to access the sleeping area, as is common in many tiny homes with loft-style beds. There’s one bathroom. The home is priced at $36,000. If you need the builder to deliver the home to a site, there’s an additional charge of up to $3 per mile after the first 50 miles.

This modern tiny home is 200 square feet and was constructed by Cinderbox Dwelling using a Japanese-style burnt wood siding, which is rot resistant. It costs $19,000. Inside you’ll find a bathroom, desk alcove, storage closet, built-in shelving, and a bookcase that doubles as a ladder, which is used to access the loft-style sleeping area. Appliances aren’t included. Shipping costs for this model are negotiable.

This petite property mimics the look and feel of a barn. Built using recycled materials by Spice Box Homes, it’s just 128 square feet. There’s a loft-style bed area, vaulted ceilings and exposed wood collar beams above the kitchen and main living areas. The bathroom is equipped with a composting toilet. This model costs $37,000 and shipping costs are negotiable.

Take a look at six additional tiny homes you'll love to get more ideas about how to take downsizing to the extreme.

Andrea Browne Taylor
Contributing Editor

Browne Taylor joined Kiplinger in 2011 and was a channel editor for Kiplinger.com covering living and family finance topics. She previously worked at the Washington Post as a Web producer in the Style section and prior to that covered the Jobs, Cars and Real Estate sections. She earned a BA in journalism from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is Director of Member Services, at the National Association of Home Builders.