The period after World War 2 saw an explosive growth in the United States' suburbs. In the 1950's, the American dream was to own a small home in Suburbia - and indeed the first homes were small - an average 983 square feet. But prosperity and time generated a new dream - a bigger house, around 2000 -3000 square feet. Fast forward to the real estate crash in 2008 - foreclosures - the most dreaded fear of any homeowner. Out of the ashes rose a new concept - the tiny home, defined as 500 or fewer square feet. While not yet mainstream, the tiny home appeals to many people who want financial freedom from large mortgages so they can enjoy a better lifestyle. Macy Miller from Idaho lost her 2,500 square foot house in 2007, following her divorce. She couldn't make the mortgage payments and was foreclosed. A few years later, she and her new partner built a 196 square foot house for $11,000. She pays $200 a month to rent the land, has no debt and is very happy. She reflected on her previous life and said: "I have absolutely zero interest in tying myself up with that kind of loan ever again..... I now live here with my partner, our baby and our 100 pound Great Dane named Denver". In 2010, Laura La Voie and her husband sold their 2,700 square foot house and built a tiny home in North Carolina. "I felt really trapped," she said, "Moving to a 120 square foot space enabled us to live in a different way, take control of our lives."
Jay Shafer, a California architect, runs a micro building and design company. He knows that the largest number of tiny home owners are between ages 31 and 40. If the trend continues among the younger generation, he stands to make a tidy profit. The appeal, he says, is simple: "It shows people how little some need to be happy and how simply they can live if they choose". What does the future hold? Take a look at a new television series sponsored by A+E Networks Corp. on FYI. It's called Tiny House Nation and it "celebrates the exploding movement".
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