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It seems of late we keep hearing about Tiny Houses.  We have seen festivals for them, articles about them.  Even some proposals about Tiny Houses being the answer to the housing shortage in some areas.  There are pros and cons to both sides of this debate.  Part of my daily routine is  going through several media outlets to scan current information.  I ran across this article and because it involves Athens, GA, which is part of my market.  It brought about several thoughts after I read the entire thing.

Tiny houses, big problems: Athens zoning regulations restrict residents from owning tiny houses

After building her tiny home in 2016, Paula Loniak found out zoning ordinances prevent her from keeping it in Athens.  “I moved here in 1992 to go the Vet School at UGA and decided I wanted to stay in Athens after I graduated,” Loniak said. “I built my tiny house and they said, “Oh no, you can’t stay here because of the zoning, and we don’t know what to call this.’”

Loniak, manager of Vet-to-Pet House Calls for Dogs and Cats, said she found out zoning regulations prevent tiny homes owners from living in Athens while she was constructing her tiny home.  The zoning ordinance requires single-family homes to be a minimum of 1,000 square feet, which is problematic for tiny house owners, considering their average residences have around 500 square feet of space.

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My conclusion after reading this article and watching the video

How would these communities affect our cities in the long run?  Pro: Tiny Houses are affordable.  They are great for those looking to downsize, uncomplicated their lives or for a young professional.  Cons: What would the Buyer demand be for resale of a Tiny Home and what would these communities look like after several years?  How much depreciation would these incur over time?  Essentially they are tiny mobile homes and most are designed to fit individual needs.  I would love to know others thought’s on this subject.  Please Contact us to leave comments or comment on Linked In and Facebook if you wish!