Tiny houses, big living: Demand soars for low cost, high flexibility real estate
Searching for your dream home on a budget? Take a sneak peek inside some of southeast Queensland’s most unusual and beautiful tiny houses.
Local
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tiny house hunters are on the rise in southeast Queensland where surging house prices and rental scarcity have created an “overwhelming demand” for alternative housing.
Co-owner of Stay Tiny Co Mitch van der Werf said the company sold its first pre-built tiny home, the beautiful Nagasaka 5.4 model, in under 19 hours, and had over 50 inquiries in a single day.
“The demand has increased because of the pandemic and because people are starting to see them more online,” Mr van der Werf said.
“We have since built another Nagasaka model, which became available this week, because of the strong interest we had in the first build.”
Another local tiny house enthusiast, Lu Parry, has constructed and sold several tiny homes in the region and said she was surprised by how much interest she recently received from prospective buyers.
Her container unit, pictured below, is a prime example of how a 20ft shipping container can be repurposed into a modern and stylish living space, without the trappings of a set location or mortgage repayments.
Tiny houses typically sell for between $15,000 and $150,000 in southeast Queensland, depending on the size and complexity of the build.
“When you see the level of quality in some of these homes you realise you aren’t giving up on the luxuries and you’re (able to) tread lightly on our beautiful world,” Mrs Parry said.
“Of course, one of the cons is (the lack of) space, so you need to keep the area tidy … but I think it’s good to be organised and to understand that generally we don’t use many of the things we have in larger homes.
“Downsizing, perhaps, isn’t as painful as we think it might be!”
For those looking to make the switch, the following homes provide a small window into a different way of living.
SOLD IN LESS THAN A DAY, MORE ON THE WAY
PRICE: $25,000
SIZE: 5400 x 2400
LOCATION: Sunshine Coast
The Nagasaka 5.4 is the brainchild of family construction company Stay Tiny Co.
It was built with non-toxic, cruelty-free materials and set out with a reverse loft to save on space.
The home features a 900x2260 bathroom with kitchen and storage and external cladding made from woodland grey corrugated iron and Western red cedar weatherboards.
The first model was sold to a not-for-profit company on the Sunshine Coast, but due to overwhelming demand there are plans for more.
DRIVE-AWAY POTENTIAL
PRICE: $31,900
SIZE: 6000 X 2500
LOCATION: Nambour
One person’s unfinished project could be another person’s home sweet home.
This six metre shell is super strong aluminium, welded by a professional boilermaker to ensure the house could “withstand anything”, and well-insulated with 8mm reflective foam.
In addition to the potential for total customisation, this tiny house has the added advantage of being legal road width, which means it can be moved around with considerable ease.
A ROSE AMONG THORNS
PRICE: $28,000
SIZE: 6000 X 3000
LOCATION: Caboolture
For a tiny home with big character, this portable cabin could be just the ticket.
It features a studio apartment layout with laminate timber flooring, brand new airconditioning, fully-equipped kitchen and a full size shower.
The buyer may have to sort out transport, but this home is ready to go and certified with complete electrical safety and smoke alarm certificates.
THREE BEDROOM CONTAINER HOME
PRICE: $45,000
SIZE: Not listed
LOCATION: Samford Valley
This three bedroom, two storey container home sold within a week on Facebook Marketplace, and isn’t difficult to see why.
With a stylish charcoal exterior, a second-storey wood deck and total airconditioned comfort, this stack of former shipping containers makes for an accessible entry-point to tiny home living.
The home was fully fitted with gas hot water, plumbing, electrical, and easily able to be moved to a property of choice.
ROOFTOP RETREAT
PRICE: $22,500
SIZE: 6000 X 2800
LOCATION: Samford Valley
This tiny home sold incredibly quickly as its wooden exterior, rooftop deck and light-filled interior captured the imagination of homebuyers.
Originally constructed from a six metre cube container, the house features bamboo flooring, double-glazed glass and a full-length, demountable veranda with its own built-in kitchenette.
This one scaled large for the traditional tiny house, requiring a crane on each end to transport it.
BLANK SLATE FOR A BARGAIN
PRICE: $15,900
SIZE: 6000 x 3500
LOCATION: Loganholme
For the price of a mid-range car a person could purchase a stylish tiny home.
Though there’s not a whole lot inside just yet, its brimming with possibility and for a small additional fee, the builder has even offered to construct it directly onto the desired property.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
PRICE: $23,900
SIZE: Not listed
LOCATION: Coominya
This container home is one-of-a-kind, created by local builder Lu Parry.
Each of her builds boasts features a little different from the last, and this one offers quite a lot in terms of amenities.
There is a built-in wardrobe, designer kitchen with bespoke marble handles, induction cooktop and a full height fridge.
It’s smart, too, featuring LED lighting, plenty of USB charging points and able to be moved to a location of choice easily with a tilt tray.
Push for swimming enclosure at Suttons Beach after near-drowning
With summer less than two weeks away, one family is calling for a beach enclosure to be built north of Brisbane after an NDIS provider refused a request for a lifejacket for their autistic son.
Toll road uncertainty looms over second M1 at Loganholme
Motorists are being kept in the dark about whether there will be tolls on a new planned state road at Loganholme linking the Coomera Connector to the Logan Motorway.