Finding an affordable place to live in Seattle isn't easy these days. That's why so many people are looking elsewhere in King County, down in Pierce County or beyond. Even then, if you want to find something truly cheap, you have to think tiny. Good thing then that Puget Sound is full of tiny homes full of potential. Here's five we discovering in the outskirts and surrounding towns and cities of Seattle.
Start over in Poulsbo with a 1 bedroom, 1 bath that has 396 square feet inside. There must be houses where the master suite is bigger. For the asking price of $175,000 you get the cottage, 0.59 acres, a big deck, and a bold and blue paint job. It was built in 1954, so evidently someone wasn't thinking Baby Boom; but was probably thinking 'just enough.' The inside looks nicely maintained with space left over for an extra convenience or two, or the luxury of space for the sake of space.
Take the occasional ferry from Everett up to Hat Island and find a tiny two-fer. The price is $169,000 for 1 bedroom and 1 bath and 426 square feet; but check whether that second tiny is included in the footage. In any case, you get two places to sleep. Handy for snorers. The 6,098 square foot lot is waterfront, a definite bonus; but check into the details behind the comment about "Walking access to the upper Island when the tide is out." How close is that water, and is it closer now than when the house(s) was built in 1964?
From the photos it would be hard to tell this 600 square foot tiny in Tacoma was built in 1945. It has 1 bedroom and 1 bath; which can feel more spacious with the somewhat open floor plan and no extraneous rooms. The house and the 6,534 square foot lot are listed at $145,000, which includes a 480 square foot garage. The car(s) get almost as much coverage as the people. Enjoy the open lot that isn't fenced, a sign that maybe they had nice neighbors. That's a priceless luxury.
Back across the Sound in Bremerton is a relatively spacious 1 bedroom, 1 bath with 680 square feet. It has dark wood flooring and cabinetry, which may reflect being built near the shipyard in 1940 just before World War II. It easily could've been a pragmatic choice for someone concerned more with costs and commuting instead of the cuteness of a bungalow. The 4,356 square foot yard shouldn't be overwhelming, which may also have been intimidating. In that case, the price of $139,999 buys the precious commodity of time.
Return to Tacoma and another 6,534 square foot lot with a 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 600 square foot house. The price isn't much different, $134,000; but the house actually includes a slightly larger porch. It, too, was built in the early Baby Boom years, 1948, more proof that small households and tiny houses have been around for a long time. A bonus is being within a few blocks of Wapato Park, just in case you need a bit more room.
· 16740 Delate Rd NE, Poulsbo [Zillow]
· 4 Island Walk, Hat Island [Zillow]
· 1516 S 54th St, Tacoma [Zillow]
· 1115 Poindexter Ave W, Bremerton [Zillow]
· 6521 Yakima Ave, Tacoma [Zillow]