Tiny Houses

[HappyCamper25]

Would tiny houses, you know the ones people tow behind their truck, be considered an RV? Has anyone on this forum had any experience with tiny houses?

[MNGeeks61]

HappyCamper25 wrote:
Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't realize that an "RV" meant a vehicle that is self contained and has holding tanks, a battery, septic tank, etc.

I did do some research online and it looks like you don't need to pay property taxes on tiny houses since they are registered by the DMV as an "RV". Does this sound right to you?

I think it depends. We have a park model - 396 sq ft, 36 by 11 or so. It's RVIA certified (has to be in order to be allowed in our seasonal campground) but the county taxes it as a house. It's not much, but definitely not the same as, say, a 40 foot "destination trailer". It does NOT have holding tanks which is probably the difference.

We pay property taxes on our lots, but paid less for the destination trailer as it was licensed by the DMV. Tabs were required to be current but it was only ~20 bucks per year. Property taxes with the park model went up about $250. Still cheap.

[tinner12002]

HappyCamper25 wrote:
Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't realize that an "RV" meant a vehicle that is self contained and has holding tanks, a battery, septic tank, etc.

I did do some research online and it looks like you don't need to pay property taxes on tiny houses since they are registered by the DMV as an "RV". Does this sound right to you?

As I mentioned before, the tiny houses or what ever some want to call them are available in nearly all sizes and shapes and many are available just as an RV and self contained. Many are either flat bed trailers or gooseneck trailers up to 40ft. As for your taxes, DMV may not collect it but it is in some states collected as personal property taxes. Some may not tax them, not sure.

[HappyCamper25]

Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't realize that an "RV" meant a vehicle that is self contained and has holding tanks, a battery, septic tank, etc.

I did do some research online and it looks like you don't need to pay property taxes on tiny houses since they are registered by the DMV as an "RV". Does this sound right to you?

[jplante4]

I would hazard a guess that there would be fewer tiny houses sold if HGTV stopped doing a show about them ( and paying for all or part of them for the participants ).

We ran into the HGTV Syndrome when selling our house last summer/fall. Everyone wanted stainless/granite in the kitchen and "updated" bathrooms. I did a stainless facade (stainless panels on the dishwasher and oven, new stainless microwave, new stainless fridge) and the next prospect bought it.

[lizzie]

My tiny house in in Alabama, not Wakulla. BUT, just two months ago the Wakulla County Commission changed the regulations about the required size of dwellings. I may move mine. lizzie

[johnhicks]

Lizzie are you saying Wakulla will permit it somewhere?

[lizzie]

Is this the topic about Tiny Houses? If so I would like to chime in. I have a Tiny House. It is 160 sq ft on one floor with two lofts. It is stick built and is not a park model RV and does not have an axle. It is located near a good-sized city but on property that I own and that is zoned agricultural. It has a permitted septic system and an inspected and approved electrical system. It is just as cute as a bug and I love it. No, I don't live in it full time but I could. Years of camping have helped me to determine what I really need to be comfortable and I can definitely get it all into 200 sq ft.but I must have a porch and space outside. This is not true of everyone and there is no reason it should be. Enjoy your space, however much you have. lizzie

[Naio]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

Naio wrote:
My neighbors bought a tiny home for $20,000 from a guy and son who build and deliver them. They have it on a piece of land in as a vacation home.

They live in a 1200 sq foot house, which is large by the standards of our city. Most stick houses here are 900-1000 sq feet and sell for $300,000.

Where, may I ask, is the average single family home under 1000 sq feet? Today, the average size of a single family home in the US is over 2200 square feet. Furthermore, the median cost of a home per square foot in the US is $132.00 If your information is accurate, your home location is an extreme outlier.

Nah. Extreme outliers are the bay area or Washington DC or NYC, where 1000 sq ft houses go for a million bucks or more. 😉

In a lot of places, old houses are valued much higher than new (post 1969 or so) houses. And old houses are small. Used to be, 900 sq ft was a normal family sized house.

[colliehauler]

JaxDad wrote:

pnichols wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
You can call them elephants or volcanoes, but that wouldn't change what they are, which are park models.

Exactly right on ... if they have built-in axles!


So far I consider Tiny Houses as merely a fad driven by economic issues that, perhaps for feel-good reasons, deflects by appearing to be somehow thumbing one's nose in protest at the typical approach of slaving to buy and maintain "the American Dream single family house".

So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

If the park model I looked at is any indication I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want something better. Horrible quality construction on a 60k model.

I also think it is amusing of people complaining about size while owning a rv.

The early models seemed crude but some of the builders are putting together some very nice units, way better then the best park model I can find.

The rv industry has some competition and that's a good thing.

[westernrvparkow]

Naio wrote:
My neighbors bought a tiny home for $20,000 from a guy and son who build and deliver them. They have it on a piece of land in as a vacation home.

They live in a 1200 sq foot house, which is large by the standards of our city. Most stick houses here are 900-1000 sq feet and sell for $300,000.

Where, may I ask, is the average single family home under 1000 sq feet? Today, the average size of a single family home in the US is over 2200 square feet. Furthermore, the median cost of a home per square foot in the US is $132.00 If your information is accurate, your home location is an extreme outlier.

[JaxDad]

fj12ryder wrote:

JaxDad wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

How do you know they're paying that much? Are you thinking that what they say on these shows is the honest truth?

No, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Tiny Homes for sale in new development.

From what the "information" says, it's mostly "pie-in-the-sky" advertising. I got the impression there wasn't anything actually built yet. And besides, it's Palm Springs, not reality.

Just look at the rest of that site, tinyhouselistings.com, sure there's $20k and $30k units, but there's LOTS of units in the $50k to $75k range.

From what I see in the ads, very few are RVIA certified so there's lots of legal / insurance / regulatory issues too.

[fj12ryder]

JaxDad wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

How do you know they're paying that much? Are you thinking that what they say on these shows is the honest truth?

No, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Tiny Homes for sale in new development.

From what the "information" says, it's mostly "pie-in-the-sky" advertising. I got the impression there wasn't anything actually built yet. And besides, it's Palm Springs, not reality.

[Naio]

My neighbors bought a tiny home for $20,000 from a guy and son who build and deliver them. They have it on a piece of land in as a vacation home.

They live in a 1200 sq foot house, which is large by the standards of our city. Most stick houses here are 900-1000 sq feet and sell for $300,000.

[Tvov]

Drew A. wrote:
check out Tumbleweed Tiny Homes. Some quality as RVs.

Click Here

From their site:
The Cypress is a RVIA Certified Travel Trailer RV with standard RV hookups for water and electrical. Included is our On-Site Warranty. Delivery to your door is an option.

I hope they are not the same "quality" as RVs, I would not use that as a selling point! I thought tiny homes were much, much higher quality!

Sort of related: Neighbors of mine built a very small house on a small piece of property. It came out very nice, basically a tiny Cape style house. I asked how they liked it, and they sort of shrugged and said it is a bit tight, "kind of like living in a camper"... lol!