The other night I was watching HGTV. I use to be embarrassed by my love of this channel but as I've grown I have learned to embrace this love. Also, what else am I suppose to watch at 1 am on a Friday night? Anyways, I was watching one of HGTV's regular programs: House Hunters. However, as the night progressed, it changed from just normal nuclear families to suddenly millennials buying houses as big as my dorm room. At first I was confused to why people would ever want to live in such a tiny space, but then as the episodes progressed I slowly got it.
Tiny homes are basically glorified trailers. In some cases they are portable and just need land to be put on in order for you to live there. However, they are made to look like houses by having nice architecture put on a shed like building. They can resemble anything from a cottage to a log cabin. But even so, they are still only a couple hundred of square feet and can be more money than they are worth. So I decided to further investigate into why people would ever want these homes.
After a few hours of episodes and a few articles online it is clear that there is appeal to these tiny homes. They cost less, are less work, and convenient for a person who doesn't need a lot of space. In this article by The Washington Post, they outline 12 people that have tiny houses and why it works for them. It's an interesting to see what people like about these small spaces, but it's also weird to learn about how much they cost. Even though people get these houses because it would be cheaper that a bigger space, they still are more than excepted. So it had me wondering: Is it really worth it?
When comparing to an average American home, these time houses are not cost comparable. Yet, there is still a whole show dedicated to people buying them. In this article by Forbes, the pros and cons are laid for these tiny homes. I can definitely see the appeal and why trendy millennials love these houses. Perhaps, people don't mind the high cost ratio because what they ultimately want is a small space. It makes sense for younger people who don't have kids to get a place a lot more manageable. Plus, it still is an investment that can help show financial responsibility and help in the long run.
I'm still trying to figure out myself if they are so popular because it is a new trend, or if they actually make sense. On one side, they are small, cheaper, efficiency, and aesthetically pleasing. But they also can be too small, not worth it, and too much effort. Even so, they are fascinating. How they can fit so much in such a small place is insane. I can barely make my dorm that functional. All in all, even though I can't see myself buying one of these tiny homes anytime soon, I definitely will be avid viewer of House Hunters: Tiny Homes.
