All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

The really awesome thing is... a tiny house community development(s) is VERY timely. The current state of affairs will drive BOAT loads of people to look for ways to pair down their expenses. Tiny houses offer such an option for people who just dont need a lot of space, want to downsize or whichever reason makes sense to them.

@Bethany Virago - Are you just looking down in the Tucson area? Or just looking to be involved in general? I do need to add a third person to my team, preferably someone with development/financial experience. I've dont a lot of the legwork here in the Denver/Front Range area. My SVP of Govt Affairs works on other jurisdictions all the time. If I had a big sack of money right now, we could make something happen in the Denver AND Colorado Springs areas.

@Paul Leavitt - Full-time RVing can be awesome! I know a lot of people who do that. Many of them start looking toward something a bit more durable, i.e. a tiny house as the RV starts falling apart. They're not really designed to stand full-time living. Hopefully yours is doing well. So... here's the thing about CO and tiny houses. There are some RV parks/mobile home communities that allow them. There's a community in Durango and a small one in Fairplay. I've heard rumor of one in Pueblo, but not sure yet. I launched my company (http://lifesizetc.com - currently being renovated), to build a template community then DUPLICATE it in every city, every county, every state where there is a need for tiny houses and the missing middle. I actually have a handful of jurisdictions that know me personally, my company and are willing to work with us to bring about a community in the Denver metro/CO Springs markets. The biggest hiccup right now... CAPITAL. I'll need a few million dollars to pull it all together. 

I'm deeply connected to the movement, as I am a tiny house person myself. I'm currently building my own. I know MANY other tiny house people in the region and the state. I have connections throughout the nation with other tiny house people and organizations. The movement is quickly becoming an industry and we NEED to do it right. In fact, my whole mission, from the beginning of my research and launch of the company was founded on doing things right.

@Colby Fryar - I am not familiar with the Tucson area, in terms of tiny house goings on. I know Taos had stirrings, but am not sure of its current state of being. My focus has mainly been Colorado's front range region. 

@BarbieSteele - Just looked up Incredible Tiny Homes. It doesn't appear to be in operation yet. The YT video I found is for an "off-grid" set up. 
https://www.incredibletinyhomes.com/incredible-properties/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoGYHRdGs0c&feature=share

@Bryan Hancock - I have been dabbling in the local Angel markets. I am currently redoing my website and having my financials evaluated by a local CFO firm. The next steps I'll be taking is a formal review of my business plan and possibly my pitch deck. We cannot offer multiples of return. Only percentages. The whole mission of tiny houses is to retain affordability. If we go and charge $1200+/month, then people may as well just go rent an apartment somewhere. My mission and vision is to create a template community that is turn-key for any city/county that needs help in updating zoning/planning regulation (which is the primary barrier of entry for tiny houses). I have partnered with a REIT management company that just launched a crowdfunded REIT, but they kinda floundered on the launch and they're sitting idle. Alternative housing has been growing since 2008. The aftermath of our current plandemic will drive even more people to look for ways to recession proof their lives. Tiny houses offer such a solution. I can't wait until I can move into mine. I'll look you up on LinkedIn and we can chat further.

@Anthony Dadlani - The team hasn't really been on my radar until recently. The CFO firm I've contracted highly suggested that investors want a dynamic team to ensure the success of their investment. Which I get. I have one person I've contracted currently who's expressed her interest in being a member of the executive team of the company. I want to bring her onboard and am currently working on the details of that. She's a former County Commissioner and, in fact, was the first public official I approached about my concept. She's since become one of my biggest supporters. She knows the government and speaks their language. Which is vital when you're working to get jurisdictions on board to something that's a little unorthodox. I've worked over the last couple of years to get a handful of cities/counties willing to work with me. The conceptual design has been completed with a local engineering firm, who's chomping at the bit to be able to get this project rolling. Real Estate and Legal teams are ready. I also have 60 people (myself included) willing to be a founding resident in the Denver community. I am working on a "letter of interest" with my attorney so I can have signed documents in hand from those people. I'll also look you up on LinkedIn for us to chat further.

My biggest hurdle right now is capital. Land isn't cheap. I even have a couple of options available to me for the development costs, once I have something under contract and working through the entitlement process.

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions.

@Bryan Hancock - It was brought to my attention recently that most investors look for a team. People that have a diversified set of experience that compliment each other to accomplish the goal. Having a team has always been in the back of my mind, but it seems I've gone as far as I can go solo. For starters, I am very much the "face" of the company. The visionary. I do lack the experience and knowledge in the actual development side of things. Finding someone who can see the vision of tiny houses and how they can be a part of the solution in the "missing middle" in the housing market AND has some real estate development experience.

I've made significant traction over the last couple of years but need to get to the next level so we can pull all of it together and get the concept community underway.

Hello all!

I've been working on the "next generation" of mobile homes using tiny houses. Even though small living is not new and mobile living structures are not new, tiny houses create some confusion with cities and counties. I launched my company in late 2018 as a means and method to help educate jurisdictions to what tiny houses are and what they are not. Simply put, they are a viable means to getting home ownership within reach of those who choose this type of living. As a tiny house person myself, I understand the marketplace and am deeply connected with them.

I'm working to create a template community to serve as a platinum example to then scale nationwide, wherever there is a need and demand for tiny houses and/or attainable housing options. However, I'm running into a wall in raising capital. It's currently just me and from what I've seen and have been told, investors want to see a team of at least 2 people. Preferably 2 people who complement each other.

So, my question is... would any of you have recommendations on potential place to find a co-founder? Preferably one with mobile home community development experience?

With humble gratitude,

Joe

@Isabela Montalvo Thank you. I'd love to hear more.

@Bela Fishbeyn - That is fantastic!! Tiny houses are truly a solution for many people and for a multitude of reasons! Looking up your blog now. 

@Nupur Patel

I've been toying with the ownership structure for some time now. It looks like it'll start out a lease type of scenario to later condominiumize them. Ownership is a hot button for a lot of places.

Hello Bigger Pockets! Happy Monday!

So, in the name of full transparency, I am a complete novice to real estate development and have learned a massive amount about starting a business, real estate in general and a whole lot more about how cities/counties and government works in the world of zoning and planning.

Over the last two years, I've gained some significant traction with several jurisdictions in terms of a tiny house community development and the triumphant return of the "missing middle". Which as it turns out, went missing back in the 1940's. One of the jurisdictions has even rolled out the RED CARPET for my company, Life Size: Tiny Communities.

The whole goal and mission of this is to retain attainability for people starting out or just anyone looking to live a life with less stuff, less debt and less worry. These people also, coincidentally live lives of more adventure, more freedom and more life!

I've put together a business plan, my best thought on financial estimates, pitch deck, etc. etc. I've participated in accelerators, obtained a seed "loan" of $250k, hired a consultant and attorney. I have a commercial real estate agent and engineering firm at the ready for all of this.

The biggest wall I've hit is rounding up the remaining capital that will be needed to pull all of this together. We're looking in the neighborhood of $4M +/-. Ideally, I could have a couple of these going in a couple of the cities I have on board.

I almost feel like I need to find a mentor type of person who can see what I see and be altruistic enough to help me expand and grow this vision.

Thoughts?

With humble gratitude,

Joe