Welcome to Tiny Homes, an idea that is more popular with minimalists than with neighborhood associations and zoning boards. We'll point out the fun parts. You'll have to check out the logistics and legalities - but not for houses that have been there decades.
If you're new to the area; no, this is not about a cabin made out of bars of gold. It wouldn't take many of them to buy it though. The gold rush happened here, too. Welcome to the town (or at least the mailing address) of Gold Bar where this 480 square-foot cabin is priced at $99,900. Two bedrooms and apparently a bathroom that isn't in the listing but is in the photos so it must exist. Some places hide their charms and claims.
Think of the cabin as a tiny house, but bigger. The trendy Tinies are about 120 square feet, and are known for efficient use of space, tiny appliances, loft beds, and a necessary minimalism because there isn't much room for storage. From that point of view, 480 square feet is a palatial quadrupling of space. Appliances are full size. The bathroom has a regular toilet, not an RV version. There's no need to scrimp on the size of the bed. The main bedroom is on the first floor, and the left bedroom is reached by stairs, not a ladder. This is elegance, relatively.
Outside, there's a lot more room because the lot is more than a third of an acre. There are trees on the lot, but there are views of the mountains, too. It also comes equipped with a river that runs by it, which also means it is worth checking to see if the Skykomish River also occasionally runs through or around it. Fishing is close enough to be done while others eat their appetizers. Fresh fish. Hiking is just a short hike, no driving required - for those who measure hikes in miles.
A commute to Seattle might be a bit much if you want to take the bus, unless you've got about two and a half hours for each trip. The drive is a little over an hour, without traffic. But, the world does not require Seattle. People do work in other places, and maybe Monroe is close enough at only about 13 miles away. Maybe, if you're lucky, you can work from home. Need a break, catch a fish. Notice the snow falling, quit work early and drive up to Stevens before the rest of the crowd.
Oh yeah, and check into that whole Gold Bar heritage. Maybe there's a nugget or two left lying around that will help you pay the mortgage. You can still stake a claim - somewhere, maybe there.
· Gold Bar [wikipedia]
· 51727 SE 217TH Pl [Zillow]
· All Tiny Homes coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath