Talk Me Out of It

[Y.A.G Si Ye Nots]

For a couple of years, I have been interested in getting a tiny house. I don't need much space. I don't entertain, live by myself, and only have a girl over to stay. In DC, I basically converted a one bedroom into a studio, and I loved it. I used the small enclosed bedroom as a walk-in closet and the main living area as my bedroom/living area. Of course, a tiny house will be much smaller, but I would have no problem with it other than needing more closet space.

Over the last year, I have spent $10,000 on rent. I will most likely end up doing the same thing for another year or two. That means $20,000 - $30,000 on rent. For about $35,000, I could buy one of these. The only problem is that this design doesn't have a washer/dryer in it. I can make the second bedroom into a walk-in closet and change the eating area into a storage couch.

https://84tinyliving.com/degsy/

I could buy or rent a small piece of land and move it whenever I ended up somewhere else. Moving it may be an issue. My tentative plan was to get a Hummer H3 with 50,000 miles on it for $15,000. The size of that would allow me to put more clothes in the back-trunk area. So, for $50,000 and cheap land cost, I would have the tiny house and Hummer; much better than spending half of that or more on rent for the couple of years. Of course, that plan didn't go well because the H3's tow capacity isn't enough, so I would have to hire somebody to move it with a bigger truck when I left (again, that shouldn't be a big expense).

Now, talk me out of it. Why would I want to rent like I have for this last year when I could live wherever and not have to deal with neighbors and their noise?

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

#1: a Hummer H3 is a piece of goddamn shit. Find a Land Cruiser or Lexus LX around 100k miles for the same money. Trust me on this. Or get a fvcking Tahoe or Suburban. You'll have similar parts prices with that shitty H3 and more reliability. What is it with you and shitty, unreliable cars? The Jag, the Rover....fvck all that shit.

#2: Tiny house my ass. Look, if you are going to buy a small piece of land the costs for utilities hook up and a driveway and that shit is all the same. By a pre-manufactured home. Yes, a trailer. You'll have the peace and solitude of not being in the city (because you are NOT hooking up that tiny house in the city with zoning and shit), and much more room. And W&D hookups. If you really want rent free and to leave in a couple of years, buy a used trailer on some land. You won't make money, but you won't lose money, either. The value is basically in the land. Do a little landscaping, put in a hot tub, the bitches will still like it.

#3: This is all stupid. Buy a condo in a part of town that is increasing in real estate value. Live there for a couple years, make a small profit. You know this already.

 

[GK4Herd]

Tiny house...Big living.

 

[ThunderCat98]

Chicks will hate it.

 

[sistersville]

Sounds awesome to me. You could buy one of those storage buildings that looks like a miniture house. You must have a good chunk of money.

 

[WV-FAN]

find a small fixer upper for a deal, put some money in it, live for however long, sell it, profit, move on, repeat. you're savy enough to determine where to buy around any given town so that in time after you've fixed it up, it won't be difficult to unload. and, you might even fall in love with a place and keep it, moving on to the next city knowing you can move back there or have a place to stay, maybe spend a period of time at each, whatever.

no way in hell i'd purchase something mobile with intentions of moving it more than once. 99% of mobile homes end up being mobile from the dealer's lot to the original/final spot where they're set and never moved again. and, there's a reason. moving them around from time to time would be hard on the structural integrity and you'll end up with more and more issues with each move. at some point, you'll hook to it and break it in half.

and, like RD indicated, i would think finding a spot with utility hookups - outside of a trailer park, which isn't your style - would be a hard find.

and, don't waste the money on a hummer, land cruiser, lexus, whatever. you're a flat lander, no slur intended. stay with your brand of choice sports/luxury car. save money with better fuel mileage and lower maintenance costs.

 

[GK4Herd]

I think what WVFan is saying is you're watching the wrong show on HGTV.

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

Rifle,

You can get a mansion in Oceana for that kind of dough. You'll fit in quite well with the locals.

 

[i am herdman]

Agree, stay away from the Hummer. Gas guzzler, obsolete, etc. Buy a quad cap truck or a good SUV, not a Hummer.


I don't even know what to say about that little house thing. F that. Get a damn double wide or a good Oakwood 14 x 70 if your a going down that road. maybe a new Clayton.
We West Virginian's know our damn mobile homes. F that littel trailer thing. You are not queer. Don't buy it

 

[herdfan429]

Hipsters do it. That should be enough to keep anyone from doing anything

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

 

[WV-FAN]

Hipsters do it. That should be enough to keep anyone from doing anything

then no point in trying to talk him out of it.

 

[Y.A.G Si Ye Nots]

#1: a Hummer H3 is a piece of goddamn shit. Find a Land Cruiser or Lexus LX around 100k miles for the same money. Trust me on this. Or get a fvcking Tahoe or Suburban. You'll have similar parts prices with that shitty H3 and more reliability. What is it with you and shitty, unreliable cars? The Jag, the Rover....fvck all that shit.

I'm not buying a used car with 100,000 miles on it.

I have had the Jag for 12 years. Other than human error (fvcking the oil change), it has been really good. It has nearly 180,000 miles on it and (again, excluding the human error) has only needed coils, plugs, water pump, brake pads, and some other minor things. I had the Range for two years and it didn't have a single issue in that time. With a Hummer at 50,000 miles, I can easily get four years out of it (and only drive it 50% of the time) without a major issue.

Not going with a trailer. Not buying a condo, as that takes away the whole point of me wanting out. I have lived in condos and apartments since I was 18 years old. The place in Florida is great because the building is made of concrete- you can't hear a single thing any neighbors on any side of you do. Most apartments/condos, especially in college towns, are cheaply made and allow you to hear your neighbor sneeze. Plus, the two-five rule for cap. gains taxes aren't always easy to avoid even if I did make a profit on selling a condo.

Chicks will hate it.

Absolutely not. They will love it. The one I linked has a queen sized bed. They are forced to be in bed or the kitchen all day. Perfect.

You must have a good chunk of money.

Tiny houses are cheap. Even the nicer ones I am looking at are around $35,000 - $40,000. Throw in a $15,000 Hummer for extra storage and you are only paying about $800/month if you don't pay cash for it. Throw in another $200/month for land/utilities and it will be around how much I spend in rent, except I get to keep these things and not have to constantly pack and move. It all comes with me.

find a small fixer upper for a deal, put some money in it, live for however long, sell it, profit, move on, repeat. you're savy enough to determine where to buy around any given town so that in time after you've fixed it up, it won't be difficult to unload. and, you might even fall in love with a place and keep it, moving on to the next city knowing you can move back there or have a place to stay, maybe spend a period of time at each, whatever.

When I work, I am working 14+ hours a day. I don't have the time to be a house-flipper.

I think you guys are missing a lot of the big picture. Much of this has to do with convenience. It is far easier to just lock the door and send it hitched to a truck compared to having to pack everything, get a truck to move it, find a place to live, pay $12,000/year on something you don't own, etc. I paid way too much in DC in rent which is why I refused to rent in Florida any longer. Why would I continue spending $12,000/year for the next three years with nothing for it when I could avoid all of the headaches of moving and entirely own the place?

Tiny houses are built on trailers. That is the actual structure they are built on. They are intended to move numerous times. They are far different than a trailer, so them splitting or being damaged during moves is very unlikely.

Look at these things. The one with the garage door is great:

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/for/6173836256.html

https://austin.craigslist.org/rew/6197712609.html

https://austin.craigslist.org/reo/6146669698.html

https://houston.craigslist.org/rvs/6188399053.html

 

[-CarlHungus-]

A few questions:

- What type of property taxes do you pay on this thing?
- Can you take out a mortgage on this thing and deduct the mortgage interest?
- Do you love light roasted single origin Ethiopian coffee, the music of Beach House, and IPA's? Well I do, but if you get this house your Hipster trump card will dominate mine.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

I know it sucks to pay rent and feel like you're not developing equity, but a lot of very smart personal finance gurus don't grow their wealth with property and choose to rent.

With your profession and moving around as much as you do, it may just be teh "cost" of your profession that renting is a way of life. On the bright side you don't have property taxes, PMI, or the headaches/hassles of maintenance on your property. I have a love/hate with my house and if it weren't for my wife/family I absolutely would either rent a place or buy a condo with homeowner's fees. I have a 1920's home that has "character" but stuff goes wrong every single month. Such a PITA.

 

[C.K. Ocsevol-Evad]

There is no property tax, PMI, etc. on the tiny houses. They are basically classified as mobile homes. Most also come with a home warranty of some variety for a few years, so I won't have major headaches to deal with.

The throwing away rent money is just one aspect. That's just my way of justifying wanting to get one because of the convenience factor.

It makes as much or more sense financially to get one assuming I'll be moving multiple times within the next 5 years. Even more of a factor is the convenience.

 

[mlblack16.]

The tiny home business is a fad. Like condos, you would struggle to sell, especially if you do so after the fad fizzles out.

I don't blame anyone for wanting a new home that is truly turn key, but you could end up losing money on the deal if you're not careful.

 

[C.K. Ocsevol-Evad]

The tiny home business is a fad. Like condos, you would struggle to sell, especially if you do so after the fad fizzles out.

I don't blame anyone for wanting a new home that is truly turn key, but you could end up losing money on the deal if you're not careful.

If I buy it for $35,000 and sell it for $10,000 four years later, I still make money plenty of money on it.

 

[GK4Herd]

I'm thinking if you cashed a few of those checks laying around you could just pay cash for it...Ty.

 

[ohio herd]

pay the rent. Easy to move when your next coaching gig turns up.

 

[C.K. Ocsevol-Evad]

pay the rent. Easy to move when your next coaching gig turns up.

That's the thing. It is harder to move now. To move now, I have to get a truck, hire movers, wait for the truck, unload, find an apartment, go through that process, repeat; pay to break leases, deal with neighbors and their dogs, etc.

With a tiny house, I cut out just about all of those steps. I hire a truck and tell him where to move my tiny house and when I need it. I find a sliver of land to buy or rent a spot month to month. Ready to move? Hire a truck.

It's far easier, and at the very worst, break even financially.

You sons-a-bitches are doing a shitty job talking me out of it. At least Cunnilingus thought about it and asked about PMI, etc.

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

It's pretty simple: You purchase a used RV, and pull your ride behind it.
You park your RV in a lot. Most places have these. If you can't find one, you live in a Walmart parking lot.

 

[Walden Pond]

Sounds good to me.

If that doesn't talk you out of it, nothing will.

It really does. I even understand the dynamic of picking this thing over a trailer. A trailer is tacky garbage. This thing can be sold to the chicks as being sophisticated and elegant, even if it's really just an overpriced cardboard box.

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

Took me a while, but I found you good one here. Note the side window. During down times, you could sell corn dogs and chicken fingers from the window, and bums could sit out there on the bench around the corner from the window.

 

[ThunderCat98]

If you are all-in on the tiny house thing, have at it. I don't really have any advice or thoughts on that. I will, however, echo what several on here have said about the Hummer. Complete garbage. Spend the same amount and get a used Expedition or Tahoe with slightly more miles (think 70,000 range). 4-5 years from now, you'll be happy you did.

 

[Walden Pond]

Expedition or a Tahoe would be my choice.

That'll talk him out of that.

 

[-CarlHungus-]

Right now I assume location is important to you with regard to your apartment, no? I assume you're close to things like restaurants, grocery, ?work? , etc. Do you walk to places now or drive?

Where will you park it? How close will you be to amenities where you park your tiny house? Will it increase your commute? Will you have wifi/Ethernet? What will your neighbors be like?

 

[-CarlHungus-]

If you do the "small piece of land" thing then you may have to run utilities out to the tiny house. That could get pricey .

 

[herdfan06]

I have had the Jag for 12 years. Other than human error (fvcking the oil change), it has been really good. It has nearly 180,000 miles on it and (again, excluding the human error) has only needed coils, plugs, water pump, brake pads, and some other minor things.

Have you ever returned to Jiffy Lube?

 

[Walden Pond]

That's the worst part about thinking so much. You think of lots of ideas. Some of them are really good. Some of them are real shitty. The worst ones are the shitty ones that take you a while to realize how shitty it was.

And that's what we have here.

None of this will or should happen. This kind of thinking is for people about to retire and go die somewhere.

This thread was pretty much a kick ass job of MichiganHerding.

 

[19MU88]

I don't care where he lives ---as long as he has time to step away from banging super models, counting money and world travels to write novels on a low volume message board and correct spelling and grammar for us.

Hey fix that run on sentence for me bitch

 

[Rock98Dog]

Buy a Class C RV like this.

http://rv.campingworld.com/rvdetail...or-freedom-elite-23h-rear-bath-50k-LOH1417749

 

[sistersville]

Took me a while, but I found you good one here. Note the side window. During down times, you could sell corn dogs and chicken fingers from the window, and bums could sit out there on the bench around the corner from the window.
This is what Im talking about rifke.

 

[Dreh_Nagi_HC_IM]

This thread was pretty much a kick ass job of MichiganHerding.

I always thought he was one of these 'smarter than everyone else' type New Yorkers, but yet, he's asking the hill people how to live his life.

 

[Raoul Duke MU]

You are the only person in modern history to have a Range Rover with zero issues. There's an auto blogger I follow who bought one at CarMax with the CarMax warranty for the sole reason to see how much money in warranty claims it would get. Let's just say CarMax lost money on that one lol.

 

[Y.A.G Si Ye Nots]

Spend the same amount and get a used Expedition or Tahoe with slightly more miles (think 70,000 range). 4-5 years from now, you'll be happy you did.

Tahoes are far more even with more mileage than Hummers. If I am going to pay $25,000+ on an SUV that I want just to store extra close/belongings in the back, I may as well buy just spend a little more and get a new vehicle.

Have you ever returned to Jiffy Lube?

It's a Jag, not a Rolls-Royce. Jiffy Lube and any other normal oil change place shouldn't have a problem doing a basic oil change. I usually just go to Walmart since it is the most convenient with the shortest wait. A guy at Jiffy Lube or Walmart is just as likely to fvck up an oil change than a guy making $15/hour at a dealership doing it.

I always thought he was one of these 'smarter than everyone else' type New Yorkers, but yet, he's asking the hill people how to live his life.

Asking? I wasn't asking anything. I was seeing if anyone could come up with logical reasons not to get a tiny house.

You are the only person in modern history to have a Range Rover with zero issues.

I only had it for two years. I don't know of anyone who has had a new Range that had issues within two years. I also leased a Land Rover for year- they, too, have bad reps, but I had no issues with it.

 

[herdfan06]

Tahoes are far more even with more mileage than Hummers. If I am going to pay $25,000+ on an SUV that I want just to store extra close/belongings in the back, I may as well buy just spend a little more and get a new vehicle.

It's a Jag, not a Rolls-Royce. Jiffy Lube and any other normal oil change place shouldn't have a problem doing a basic oil change. I usually just go to Walmart since it is the most convenient with the shortest wait. A guy at Jiffy Lube or Walmart is just as likely to fvck up an oil change than a guy making $15/hour at a dealership doing it.

Uhh oh, BigC is going to call you out for your typo.
I remember people on here giving you a hard time a few years back for going to Jiffy Lube (I am pretty sure it was Jiffy Lube) after you wrote about all of your troubles.

 

[Y.A.G Si Ye Nots]

I should know in less than a week if they can deliver my new tiny house by the deadline I need for it to make sense for me this year.

I have looked at over 1000 tiny houses all over the country to 1) see if I wanted to buy any 2) get ideas. Some of the really high-end tiny houses look like they were designed and decorated by Chip and Joanna Gaines. Something I noticed with many of them was that they put a high value on bigger kitchens/bathrooms and having smaller living/bedroom areas. I am just the opposite- I don't need a big kitchen (I very rarely cook anything other than warming something up) or a big bathroom. Importance to me was on the aesthetics, quality, and big closet/storage space. I don't even need a big living area. As long as I have a decent sized bed/TV, I am good. I've had a three bedroom/three bathroom place for years in Florida and for the last year in Texas, and I am almost never out of my bedroom when I am home. I just need good closet/storage space, which is why I was looking at Hummers (for the extra space their storage area provided).

But I have found my baby now without needing a big SUV for backup. The company is the mecca of tiny house builders. There are a ton of tiny houses with all wood interiors, and I am not a fan of that. It gives me too much of a cabin feeling. This one looks different to me than the others do, as it is more of a Japanese style. I prefer clean lines, modern, etc.

On my purchase order, I have upgraded a few things: keyless lock system, frosted glass bathroom door (to alleviate a little of the all wood look), blinds package (blinds for the top level windows are blackout blinds, the bottom blinds allow some light through), and customizing a combo washer/dryer spot. Initially, they were going to install the W/D in that big closet, but I told them that was a huge selling point of the unit for me. So, they are now investigating if they can put the W/D to the left of the kitchen sink which will reduce the landing at the bottom of the staircase.

The video doesn't show it, but there is also a sliding, built-in ladder to go up to the attic opposite the bedroom and a protective rail they have in the attic. The three slide-out drawers under the stairs should be good for my shoes. The closet should hold a lot of clothes (even though the hanging area is lacking). I am not sure if I will put a dresser in that closet for better clothes storage or put another hanging rack in there. If I don't get a dresser for inside of the closet, I will get one for either the attic, bedroom, or living room. I had originally planned on making the attic an extra sleeping area, but I am going to go with an L shaped couch in the living room that can double as a bed if need be for a guest. The attic will be strictly storage.

The ceilings are 11'4. In the living room, they are 6'5, I believe. In the bedroom, they are 5' I believe. There are a ton of options I am not going with (outdoor shower, sealed wood interior, etc.). The other two "flaws" I would change in it are the living room window and the metal railing to the bedroom. The living room window just seems too small to me. The second video is of a customer who had customized and gone with a big window in that spot, but I decided against it (even though I like the look better) because I didn't think it was worth it financially and the security/privacy of having a smaller window for that room considering a lot of the rest of the unit is easy to be seen into. The metal railing is white leading up to the bedroom. I think it would look better being black or a silver-metal look. I also think I like the sealed look of the wood instead of the raw look, but I think they were charging $3500 to have it sealed before hand, so I decided to see what it looked like raw first before doing that.

The link below takes you to two videos of the unit. Also, go to the "models" tab and check out the "Vista Go." It is a lot smaller, and I love the design and windows. It would have saved me about $15,000, and I love how small it is, but it just didn't have the storage space and washer/dryer that I would need:

 

[i am herdman]

I don't know what to think. First that old comedian woman and now a tiny house.

I may have to bring back the Vaginification of American threads.

The only reason I could see getting that tiny house thing would be maybe to take it to deer camp or a fishing camp. Something like that. Or just maybe to be a hermit up in the national forest/

There is just something queer about it for your purpose.