Is it possible to substantially downsize without sacrificing beauty or luxury? I think it is, but it takes planning and deliberate execution. A year and a half ago I decided to put that question to the test. I did it at substantial financial risk, but I believed in it strongly enough to put my money where my mouth is. I had purchased about 34 acres just 10 miles outside Blue Ridge, Ga and developed it with the necessary infrastructure: roads, underground utilities, and a gate for privacy and security.
I sized the lots in various sizes from 1.2 to 2.5 acres. I avoided clear-cutting the beautiful trees. I’ve always thought it was absurd to clear cut trees, solely for the convenience of builders who would never live in the homes anyway. I also kept the roads as gravel, not as a cost-saving measure, but to maintain an element of southern, rural charm.
I ended up with twenty-one beautiful lots. Then I had to decide what kind of homes I wanted in this small, but intimate sub-division. The real estate market in the Blue Ridge area was booming. I knew I would have to compete with every other developer in the area, so I wanted to carve out a niche. The niche had to be something innovative so I began exploring the idea of downsized living. At first I was tempted to hop on the tiny-home bandwagon, but in my gut, it just didn’t seem practical for most people.
I wanted to embrace the idea of tiny-home living, but I couldn’t imagine living in a small box that required me to climb a ladder to get to my bed, turn sideways to move from one area to another, and using a tiny toilet requiring me to manage my own waste. I came up with the following list to guide me as we decided to move forward with the development:
- Keep the prices for combined lots/homes below $250,000
- Build no two homes exactly alike
- Make them attractive
- Make them functionally optimized
- Insist on high quality
- Every home should appear harmonious with its setting.
- Minimize the removal of trees to only what is necessary for the dwelling
I finally arrived at a new concept. I decided to try to build the smallest home I could without sacrificing function, beauty, or luxury. I also wanted it to fit with the theme of the beautiful surrounding area and the culture but not be a stereotype either. It was a tall order but I was determined to see it through. There are plenty of log cabins in the area, so I saw no need to just build yet another Lincoln log house.
Combining a few plans I found online, I came up with a plan I thought would meet those requirements and I jumped in and built one as proof of concept. The final product was amazing. It was approximately 850 square feet, was beautiful to look at, had two full bedrooms, two full bathrooms, an open kitchen and living area, a working wood-burning fireplace, an amazing deck, and a covered porch with a natural stone floor.
When it was finished, it looked like a fairly-tale home, with gorgeous natural stone on the exterior and large and uncluttered picture windows to embrace and enhance the beauty of the setting. The home sold before it was finished.
We now have five completed homes and several others in the beginning of the process. Two of our residents are full-time and some of the ones in development will also be full-time. Our average home size is 1,000 square feet, although there is no upper limit in size.
So, what is my obsession with small homes all about? First, it was an economic decision. Yes, I wanted a niche, but I would only embrace such a thing if I strongly believed in it. There are plenty of reasons to downsize, but I’ll highlight a three of them below:
- Reduce Cost of Living. Not only is a smaller home less expensive to build, it can substantially lower the cost of upkeep, maintenance, and utilities.
- Reduce Clutter. Nothing is better at helping you weed out the clutter in your life than downsizing. You quickly discover the things that have a higher priority. Its actually refreshing and liberating to discover what you can live without.
- Managing Time. The average homeowner claims it takes a full day to clean their home. Those with larger homes report it takes even longer. With a 1,000 square foot home, it’s possible to clean your entire home, top to bottom in an hour. Think about that. Does it really make sense spending one seventh of your week just cleaning or paying someone else to do it? Wouldn’t you rather spend your weekend sitting by a fire reading a good book or enjoying some outdoor recreation?
If you want to know more about what small home living is about, I encourage you to read this interview or this one with two of our full-residents at The Enclave. Also, I invite you to look take a tour of two of our current homes.
