Small Houses Are In Trend. Why You Should Downsize ASAP…
In 2020 small houses are the new trend. This is great news because it means the market is now leaning to smaller more affordable housing. Many celebrities, such as Robert Patterson and Jennifer Lawrence are moving into more modest properties, relative to their income.
People are starting to realise that bigger doesn’t necessarily equals better and are cutting costs dramatically by downsizing their homes. Here are some reasons you should look to downsize as soon as possible;
Upkeep
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When you see these majestic celebrity properties, such as Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s huge Los Angeles Mansion, you can’t help but wonder how much upkeep that kind of house requires. It is true that a bigger house means more cleaning, more maintenance and more repairs.
Although your house might not be comparable in size to these super sized mansions the point still stands, the more space, the more upkeep required. By downsizing the house you will save both time and money in reduced upkeep costs and will have a more limited space to maintain.
Lower Cost
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Although not always the case, a smaller house can often cost less on the market. This is extremely beneficial if you have already been paying a mortgage.
This means your mortgage will be lower and any money you have paid off your current mortgage will go towards the cost of the new home. If you can pay off your mortgage at a younger age you will have a better chance of an earlier retirement.
Better Location
With smaller houses often costing less it also means the value can be made up for in other ways. One of the key advantages of having a smaller house is being able to get a house in a much better location for a similar price.
If you want to be a short distance from your town or city centre then you can do so for a reasonable price by embracing a smaller property. Or you may want to relocate to another town, you may be able to find a property in a more desirable location for a reasonable price by accepting a smaller property.
Smarter Living
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Adapting to living in a smaller property can mean living smarter. By saving money on gas and electricity you can add things such as insulation and higher quality doors which will reduce the need for gas usage and installing new appliances that are more energy efficient.
This is a smarter long term strategy to being a more economical home owner and will increase your quality of living significantly.
Small Space Ideas;
Deciding to downsize is a bold decision and can be a worthwhile one. Some people are now looking at alternative solutions to living in smaller spaces, contributing to a more minimalist lifestyle. Here are some ideas for living in a smaller space;
Super Functional Apartment
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https://www.idesignarch.com/tiny-apartment-with-functional-design-that-feels-open-yet-private/
Using a modular design system we are starting to see super functional small apartments become a modern trend. For a lot of young homeowners sometimes the option for bigger homes with space to work and live isn’t an option. Some young people are beginning to accept this and make the most of the situation by making their space more versatile and functional through interior design.
By using the height and the width of a small apartment they are able to almost double the space that is available to them. Of course this in itself can be a fairly expensive and difficult process but it is a worthwhile long term way of making the most of a space.
Container Home
https://www.econtainersmod.com/shipping-container-homes-what-is-it-how-does-it-work/
A huge trend in recent years has been the introduction of shipping container homes. These homes can be a cost effective solution to alternative living and offer a forward thinking homeowner a lot of flexibility. By combining shipping containers you are able to create homes of all different sizes and shapes.
Introduced by the Dutch, the container home is a huge trend right now and is surely only going to gain more popularity in the coming years.Cities such as London are using container homes as a solution to solve the homeless crisis, offering them up as council housing alternatives, housing thousands of people throughout the city.
Barge
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https://www.gumtree.com/p/property-for-sale/beautiful-dutch-barge-house-boat-for-sale/1319031578
Living on the water, stripping your home back to its bare essentials. Living on a barge can be a lot of fun. Making the small space work for you can be really fulfilling and can be actually a really nice way to live.
However as well as having very little space, things such as electrics, heating and gas can be really hard to manage. Also when living by the docks you want to be wary of rats, they are attracted to canals.
Motorhome
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This one isn’t exactly a new idea but living in a motorhome has become a trend that was unexpected in 2020. Specifically with young people looking to cut back on costs and become more efficient motorhomes have become very appealing. Some of the advantages of motorhomes are being able to travel with your home, so if you fancy a holiday you can simply take your home to a caravan park.
However the upkeep of a motorhome is perhaps more than a house. On top of the difficulty of cleaning clothes, showering, using the toilet and finding a good permanent location there are many more disadvantages to living in a motorhome.
If living in a motorhome interests you, you might want to check out Jenelle Eliana on YouTube where she gives insight into living inside a motorhome.
Yurt
https://www.theyurtretreat.co.uk/the-yurts/willow-yurt/
These Asian originating tent style homes are making their way west and can offer an incredibly flexible lifestyle. They are incredibly versatile and can be set up however you like and with the right interior design you will not have to cut back on your belongings.
However this does require you to buy a Yurt and buy land, which although it can be much cheaper than buying a house or an apartment, can be a risky proposition.
