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 old enough, it was probably built before there were rules.
It's 1931, the Great Depression probably isn't old enough to have earned its name. You need a house. What do you do? You build small, 540 square feet, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, and you celebrate the fact you could build it. Now, it's for sale at $234,900; Seattle has built up around it, and small is back in style.
If it was on wheels it would be applauded as an extra-large Tiny. Remove the chain link fence and let it roll away. Instead, as-is, you get a plot of land that, at 2,321 square feet, would fit inside the American average house, at 2,392 sq. ft. The tinier the house and the land, the less there is to maintain and heat, the less there is to mow and weed.
But if only you bought it sooner. Nineteen years ago it sold for $48,000. Even as recently as July is sold for $117,871. That's a rather specific price, but evidently that's the way foreclosure auctions go. Now, however, it has new carpet, windows, paint, and appliances.
And, it has that vital feature of real estate: a location in Brighton, close to light rail, Seward Park, and the conveniences along Martin Luther King Jr. Way. A commute to Seattle or Renton is reasonable, saving you more time. Maybe you even work in the neighborhood and won't need a car; which would be handy because there isn't a garage.
Seattle's attracting a lot of singles and couples without kids. One bedroom, one bath, and a lot of free time may be just what you need.
· 4315 S Morgan St [Zillow]
· All Tiny Homes coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath