Don’t Miss the ‘Micro Home’ Opportunity

[Jerry Lucker]

Everywhere you look you see articles raving about ‘Micro Homes’. 10,000 Baby Boomers retire every day in the US. There is a growing appetite to spurn the ‘McMansion’ and embrace tiny homes.

It’s big news when someone converts an old metal storage container into an efficiency dwelling. We’ve even seen logging yard sawdust ‘teepee’ burners converted into living space.

What is the missing opportunity? How about a 1200 sq. ft., 3 bedroom, 2 bath house built with Hardy plank siding, 2x6 walls, sheetrock interior, 4x12 pitch roof, premium carpet, granite and tile, stainless steel appliances – yes! The same materials a stick built house is constructed from – only for 75% LESS!

The only difference – this house is built in a factory, not on site. Ewwww! You say, but why? Look at your car. Look at Mercedes, Lexus, Infinity, BMW - - - - they’re all built in factories. If they were built on site that $60,000 car would cost you $400,000.

It’s ludicrous thinking the assembly line works fine for everything – cars, computers, and cranberries - but not for housing. That attitude is as antiquated as the Model T.

The manufactured home of today, especially one located in a planned community, will become a highly sought after commodity in the years to come. The people that realize this early on will be able to prosper immensely by providing nicely refurbished houses to the market place.

The people that don’t will be able to remember they read an article back in 2015 that ‘Told You So!’

[Joseph M.]

It seems that one issue is that the areas where these type of homes would be most beneficial are the areas where homes are very unaffordable. In Los Angeles right now there are a lot of people talking about the need for affordable housing, including the mayor of the city. But , at the same time there would be big resistance to these types of homes being placed in areas of the city. 

So while it's technically possible to build these homes. It seems like local laws and neighborhood opposition won't allow them in the high cost areas where they would help people most.