Earlier this month I spent two warm (triple digit) days at the Colorado Tiny House Festival.
Here are some of my key takeaways:
- There were a LOT of people there. Despite the heat and the dire warnings from the local media, people stood in long lines with their umbrellas and their lemonade to see tiny homes. Why? CO is not affordable. I talked to one young DINK couple, who were there seeking a more affordable home ownership option. They were "doing all the right things" but the basic truth is that even with two good incomes, traditional housing is still out of reach for them.
- Many were talking about co-housing or community topics. People were in conversation about how to create housing and community for others, buying land with/for family, regulatory hurdles for tiny home developments, and the nuance between a tiny house and a tiny home in CO State Law. I talked to one amazing woman populating her small mountain town with affordable tiny home ADU's as a way to create affordable housing for service workers forced to drive long distances to work.
- Financing! Many who saw my banner (backwards in the selfie photo ?? because I cannot figure out how to turn off mirror view) thought I was there to offer tiny home financing. I had financing conversations with adjacent vendors, attendees and basically everyone. Figuring out how to buy a tiny home (or a converted van or bus for that matter) is still an individualized challenge as there is not a universal lending product for alternative housing options. This sometimes drives people to RV's, which have a more approachable lending solution. However, RV's aren't designed for long-term housing. So we brainstormed solutions and talked about other ways to achieve this goal.
- The long term financial outcomes of choosing a tiny home versus an American Dream home. I got 45 minutes with the microphone to opine on the long term financial security we can create when we focus on something more aligned than "the largest house we can afford". If you aren't sure what might be more important to you, head on over to my website
and take the Unconventional Values Quiz. It's a great place to start exploring. Or if you’d like to plan your long term security through tiny living, book a call!
