Why is the Tiny House Movement Growing?

“A funny thing happened on the way to my retirement…and it doesn’t feel right.”

That comment was made just last week when a woman and I were talking about the economy and how she saw her fast approaching retirement. We were talking  about the tiny house movement, energy costs, inflation at the grocery store, and how to stretch a buck….all things that matter to retirees.

Lifestyles going down for most people

There are many reasons why people choose a simpler lifestyle but the graph above shows one of the main drivers in making a choice about retirement and even month to month budgeting.

According to Pew Research, Since the recovery started, people are more and more uneasy about their futures. Although the data points are for two years the trend for the 93% of households is not good.

Bottom line is that there is less wealth to retire on while at the same time, over the last several years we are spending more at the store, the gas pump, and on ordinary, everyday products. In other words, hardworking Americans are being pinched from both sides.

There seems to be more and more month with less and less money to get to the end of the month. Oh, and one more thing that is unsettling to most people.

Employment…or should I say unemployment? Take a look at the actual trend in total employment as a percentage of US population in the chart below. There aren’t as many people working and the trend is unmistakable. Outsourcing, productivity, the economy, educational deficit, fear…you name the reasons but bottom line, there are more and more people not working and the trend is not showing signs of improving.

Fewer people have jobs today

I’ve said many times that “jobs drive housing”. Without jobs, regardless of how low interest rates go, people won’t (can’t) buy a house…at least in a middle class neighborhood. And that brings me back to tiny houses and the tiny house movement that we all like to talk about.

Tiny houses are an affordable option for people concerned about their future, especially as it relates to wealth and income.

• No mortgage payments
• Tiny utility bills
• Less maintenance expense
• Free to travel to be near family or friends
• Job mobility – to go where there are jobs
• Sustainability – to make less of an impact on the earth
• Reliability – Built  tough and  durable, (at least the Sunconomy^TM way)
• Less stress with a simpler lifestyle
• Recyclable – Can reuse good products
• Affordable – lower first cost and even lower with sweat equity and reusable materials.

There are other reasons but you get the point. Baby Boomers worried about retirement and college grads without work still want and need a place to stay, live their dreams, and pursue their passions.

Maybe it’s time more people “got small” the smart way…

Sunconomy^TM Super Smart Small Houses (SSSSH….the best kept secret in Tiny Houses)