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 if the house is far enough away from the city and its rules, it might just work.
If you ski or hike enough, your commute to the mountains can burn as much gas as your commute to your job. Believe it or not, Highway 2 out of Everett slides back into King County near the town (er, census-designated place) of Baring. It may be over 50 miles from Seattle, but it's only about 25 miles from Stevens Pass Ski Resort. Here are two tiny cabins for sale that will leave room in your budget for more gear.
↑ One cabin and one storage building. You live in the 320 square foot, 1 bedroom, 1 bath A-frame cabin, while your gear lives in the 120 square foot A-frame out building. Why A-frames? They're a pragmatic choice of many classic ski chalets, and also handy in places that get over 100 inches of rain and 50 inches of snow per year. All of that snow high up at Stevens (4056 feet) passes the lowlands of Baring (747 feet) first. You get all of that atmosphere for only $79,500!
Seriously, the rustic interior and the high ceiling fit the outdoor enthusiast's lifestyle. Short gear goes in the outside storage. Tall gear goes inside. If you want a more modern decor, remember how little you spent to buy the place and realize how much more you can budget for furnishings. If you're concentrating on the outdoors, then celebrate the fact that your neighbors probably do too. The more important thing indoors will be the stories you share.
↑ If that wasn't small enough, well, this one at least looks smaller. The price is definitely smaller. Instead of an A-frame, this cabin is a hexagon for $45,900. The square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, are a mystery. One site lists it as a single family home, so there must be room for sleeping, eating, and hygiene. Another site lists it as a cabin on recreation property on vacant land. For a relative savings of $33,600, you can benefit from the mystery.
Whoever built it had a reason, but what was it? Was the hexagon an experiment? They're sometimes used for wrap-around view properties, but the view is of a temperate rain forest within arm's length of the windows. Still, just like with the A-frame, storage is important. One of the few interior details mentioned is upstairs storage. And there's storage outside too.
Both cabins come with a neighborhood that can't be bought. Baring Peak and Barclay Lake are across the highway. The Skykomish River runs by the neighborhood. There's also Der Baring Store, a general store within walking distance for stocking up on convenient necessities. A home is a castle and a refuge, but for some it is a base camp for adventures. What more do you need?
· 17518 647th Ave NE [Zillow]
· 64612 NE 179th St [Zillow]
· 64612 NE 179th St [Redfin]
· Stevens Pass [SP]
· All Tiny Homes coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath