Are Micro Homes The Future Of Housing?

Thanks to creative architecture, small can be beautiful when it comes to homes these days. There are a number of trends that are all coming together to cause some people consider returning to more modest sized homes and even "micro homes" under 500 square feet.

Lower energy bills and smaller (or no) mortgage payments are all reasons that some consumers are now choosing smaller homes. For several decades now the trend was toward owing larger homes. The belief was that the larger the size of our home, the greater our status in the world. Now many homeowners, even the wealthy, are beginning to realize that huge "McMansions" are more of a liability than and an asset, and that downsizing to a smaller home is "eco chic".

Unfortunately many of those who bought homes larger than they could afford are now facing foreclosure. For a while, financial common sense seemed to go out the window for many young couples, who thought they had to buy homes twice as large as the ones their parents owned. Many soon realized that these huge homes were expensive to heat and cool, cost more in property taxes, and required thousands of dollars a year in upkeep.

Aside from financial and environmental reasons, choosing a micro home can encourage one to cut down on consumption, and help reduce some of the complexities of modern life. With less time required for housekeeping, or by not having to work a second job to afford a huge home, micro home owners often find that they experience an increase in "quality of life" after downsizing.

A home half the size, uses roughly half the electricity, water, and gas. If you are paying to heat and cool rooms that are rarely used, you may be paying hundreds of dollars each month for no good reason.

As baby boomers with families become empty nesters, they are starting to downsize or even choose "micro homes" that are less than 1000 square feet. These homes feature cleverly designed living spaces and storage areas and often feature high end touches that are found in much larger homes. Micro home owners are also choosing to put more money into energy saving features such as spray foam insulation and solar panels to make their dwellings "zero energy". For an example of a zero energy home, see this small one in Austin Texas. Zero Energy Home

The Micro Home Revolution

There are literally hundreds of creative designs and floor plans for micro homes that maximize storage space and offer a surprising amount of usable living space. Thanks to innovations such as space saving appliances, creative storage, hide away beds and dining room tables that tuck away, a micro home can feel much bigger than it actually is. One interesting micro home that I once saw had a queen sized bed that folded away into the wall, as a table appeared below where the bed had been. The chairs in this clever Swedish home could all be stacked neatly away, and fit under the rear of the sofa!

A smaller home will cost you less to insure, less to maintain and will cost you less in property taxes. By choosing a micro home, you will spend less of your money on maintenance costs, pest control, septic system expenses, yard care, and almost every other home expense that you can think of.

All of this money that is saved can be spend on quality of life choices such as traveling, hobbies or spoiling your grandchildren.

Micro Homes Come In All Price Ranges

Because of the amount of detail that is often put into a typical micro home in order to maximize space, such as designing more complex storage and cabinet systems, the cost per square foot of a typical micro home will be slightly higher than a conventional home. Micro homes can be of the "plain Jane" variety, such as a simple wood framed cabin, or can be highly complex, utilizing high tech materials. Complex designs may include mechanized bed frames that automatically retract into the wall, or even roll-away roofs for nighttime star gazing. Almost any kind of home, from adobe to insulated concrete form homes, can be built smaller and more intelligently when it comes to maximizing living space.

In choosing a smaller home you will be doing your wallet and the environment a favor.

Below is a YouTube video of micro homes in Japan. There the concept was been widely adopted by the public, due in part to the high cost of real estate.