With the cost of homes skyrocketing with seemingly no end in sight, the next generation of homeowners is looking for more affordable alternatives.
One option that has risen in popularity is buying a tiny home. These minimalistic, sustainable houses are designed to maximize every inch of space while reducing the financial and environmental burdens of traditional homeownership.
Some tiny homes are prefabricated and shipped in one or a small number of pieces, with minimal construction or installation work required compared to a conventional house. These homes have gotten so popular that Amazon has begun selling tiny homes — or, at least, permitting its vendors to list them — for affordable prices.
One of the listings, simply labeled "Generic Modern Prefabricated Container Tiny Home," drew the attention of People.com, which wrote about how it comes in at just under $10,000 and has multiple different room customization options with 400 square feet of space.
The listing is now unavailable on Amazon, however, raising some question over the legitimacy of the premade home and price. The Cool Down reached out to Amazon for comment and did not hear back as of publication time but will update this article if able to receive confirmation. In any case, many other listings for tiny homes on Amazon do remain active, most of which with zero or limited reviews.
As People described, the customization features for this home and others that Amazon offers allow owners to find the right balance of open space and closed-off rooms that fit their needs. For those who already own a home but would like a guest house or separate office space, these tiny homes are a great, affordable way to expand without taking on major construction costs or long renovation timelines.
Even better, many of Amazon's tiny homes say they come pre-wired with solar panels installed on the roof. Solar is the ultimate home energy-saving hack, as many homeowners who use solar report that their energy bills have gotten down to or near $0 a month.
If you already own a home or will in the near future but don't know where to begin with solar installation, EnergySage offers a free service to compare quotes from vetted local installers — somewhat like an Expedia.com for solar — and save up to $10,000 on solar installations.
Another way homeowners can save on their bills while promoting environmental sustainability is to upgrade from oil or gas heating and window air conditioners to a heat pump that does both by moving heat in or out of the home — which is possible even when temperatures are below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Many have reported savings of up to $400 per year.
To find an affordable heat pump that meets your demands, Mitsubishi offers a service to help you find the best heat pump for you.
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