Viable market with tiny houses in Austin?

Question

Thomas S. · Answer

Tiny homes are the wild west in both ownership and investing. They are a specialty market that could go either way and are a risk. They depreciate immediately upon completion as there is a poor resale market for "specialty" housing. Most buyers generally do not last very long as it is a dreamers concept only.

The general condenses is NIMBY.

If you are in a area that already accepts and has communities OK otherwise let someone else take the risk and fail.

Tom Mendez · Answer

Most tiny and park model homes are rated rv, and so can be placed into a mobile home park. There are numerous property owners moving with this idea already.

I have a number of relationships already with owners. Happy to share their details to help you understand the concept/plans.

Best!

Tom

Jeffrey H. · Answer

RV's are rated to ANSI and Fire Code standards.  I am not aware of any tiny homes that do this in any material figures - the best I have seen is that they meet local building code when on a slab.

There are some municipalities that have lax code enforcement regulations, and others that are "normal."  Normal cities require that mobile homes on the land be HUD code.  RV Parks will require that the RV not be on the Park premises longer than 30 days.  On the lax side you will see little enforcement of these, or no requirement to these standards.

Understand these up front so that you're not put in a position to move all your homes out of the Park if someone complains.  This business model to me is like putting a square peg through a round hole - I understand there can be some success in very specific markets with lax regulations once off, but the broader success and sustainability isn't there yet.

Rich Ferradino · Answer

I've seen I think it's called Swingline (70s all metal RV) on vrbo in downtown San Antonio wherr they put it in there backyad.  RVs usually come with a toilet and you just pay to have a waste management company pump it out or tie it into the existing sewage. For showers they made a deck where the shower was outside, but made it in a way that it was still private. For electrical you'd have to call an electician. Worse case you'd have to get a seperate electrical panel just for the RV/ tiny house. @lynn currie did a VRBO video on YouTube for the REIA in Austin. It's also on her website lynncurriebuilds.com Definitely check thay out. Big thing I learned was about taxes and that you have to get the VRBO accepted by the city. Apparently they only allow so many per area.

Gabriel Esparza · Answer

@Rich Ferradino

Great idea. I was looking into properties with back garage apartments, and posting it up on Airbnb to make some side cash. But buying a manufactured tiny home and putting that on wheels in a backyard would be an easier route.

I do wonder how electricity and plumbing would work though.

Rich Ferradino · Answer

The only way for the city to allow a tiny home in the city limits is if it is deemed a modular home. You could possibly put tiny home or rv in your backyard and get away with it as an air bnb/vrbo. The problem I also see is some tiny homes are permanently placed on wheels where the axles and wheels won't come off. If you want to invest in mobile homes drive out to Austin 360 race track. Lots of mobile homes on land out there.

Kevin Wong · Answer

I've also been thinking the same idea. Instead of mobile home communities, is there a way to develop a Tiny Home community? I think a nice "high end" tiny home community for millennials in Los Angeles would be a killer idea. Affordable housing without being "affordable housing" and become real starter homes while forming different living communities.

Dave Mack · Answer

Hi shay..My name is Dave..I'm located in southern calif....hit me up and tell me what you are interested in..Thanks

Viable market with tiny houses in Austin?

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