The “Tiny House” Movement

We’ve been tracking the so-called “Tiny House Movement” for a few years now. FYI TV recently debuted a new TV show that features Tiny Homes, which are often less than 300-400 square feet. The concept is simple, make a tiny house that’s as space efficient as possible. De-cluter your life and you can live well for less, because you’re saving money on housing and energy vs. a much larger conventional house.

Graphic credit: FYI.TV

What’s interesting about this is that a ‘Tiny House’ is a media-embraced “hipper” name for something that is much like a single section manufactured home, only smaller! Some “Tiny Houses” are even built on a ‘trailer,’ so they can be moved, which makes it sound like a cross between a tow-able RV and a smaller manufactured home.

A typical new ‘single wide’ or single section home is larger than a Tiny House, and has the advantage of being built to strict federal construction and safety standards, which means it is durable, permanent home that can last as long as a conventionally built house does. A manufactured home’s cost is routinely lower in per square foot than a tow-able RV. The U.S. Census Bureau says it’s about half the cost of new conventional construction.

As more people look at getting a Tiny House, some may well open their minds and wonder, “Hey!  Why not live in a new, modern manufactured home?” In fact, studies point out that manufactured home owners overwhelmingly appreciate their home, just as the couple in the video above were excited about their Tiny House.

CBS News and the Boston Globe are among those in the mainstream media who have taken another look at manufactured home living. The TMZ and BBC news stories have pointed out that millionaires and movie stars are living in luxury manufactured homes. NBC’s American Dream Builders showcased a full episode on modular homes that looked stunning when the designers were finished.

What’s in a name? For some, plenty, but for thinkers and the open-minded, the words of Williams Shakespeare come to mind, “A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.”

MHLivingNews celebrates those who select a Tiny House, but also encourages those seeking the American Dream of home ownership to take a fresh look at modern manufactured homes. You can get everything that a Tiny House offers and more, for less. Common sense, isn’t it? ##