Small spaces are all the rage as the economy tanks and eco-consciousness gains, according to Haya El-Nassar at USA Today (h/t Ian Swain). Is even more trouble brewing out in Mansion land?
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 at 3:11 pm and is filed under Real Estate. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Units of this size (250 - 400 Sq ft.) can be incorporated into single family homes as auxiliary units. If the homes are located in close-in urban neighborhoods, the tenant has easy access to urban amenities and an introduction to the neighborhood. The homeowner has help covering their costs and greater flexibility such as a place for adult kids if they need a space or a place for parents that are not quite ready for assisted living.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Check your local zoning before you call the contractor! In my town certain residential zones forbid this sort of unit. Here, it is intended to protect owner-occupied housing neighborhoods from takeover by student rentals.
December 17th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
As an architect who is transitioning toward becoming a developer of my own urban projects, I find this concept so promising on so many levels - even beyond new creative markets and eco-consciousness.
These tiny pads are the perfect opportunity where good design thinking can add value. Unlike McMansions which are about image rather than function, micro-dwellings will only succeed if they effectively function with their limited spatial resources. Issues like storage, daylight and acoustics, for instance, will be even more critical in small spaces.
Also promising is that these dense projects pencil out more easily, since the rental price per square foot is typically higher for smaller units than for larger units. Urban zoning and land use codes in many cities will need to evolve toward greater density - but I think that’s only a matter of time.
December 18th, 2008 at 3:15 am
I know of a fellow in Japan who was able to reach out and touch both walls of his apartment, simultaneously. Is that the price to pay for being in the location that you want? ….Tiny units are a real estate developer’s dream - more units per building. The key is to find a way to manage the parking requirements. Still, this should be an option. The more types of housing the better…This company was among the first for tiny houses :
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
December 18th, 2008 at 9:00 am
My parents house was built in 1972 and was a fair representation of the average house. It is 1200 square feet. My house was built in 1985 and is 1700 square feet. It is the smallest I could find in a decent neighborhood. My friends’ houses are minimum 2500 square feet and have been built since 2000.
And this with declining birthrates.
Something is definitely out of whack.
When I lived in a 600 square foot apartment, I did just fine, and apart from losing some furniture, I bet I would do just find in about a 900 square foot apartment/condo now.
If I could find one…
December 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
The small add-on unit has been around for decades, often known as mother-in-law apartments. Portland has recently liberalized the zoning to encourage them.
The Vacation Rental By Owner phenom I wrote about in the Hybrid Housing post a couple of days ago is a newer use of these small apartments.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Definitely another sign of the imminent death of suburbia.