House

The housing drama continues. I haven't been actively looking, mostly because I'm just lazy, but yesterday I was on Zillow because there's this odd shaped piece of property one street over that was for sale. It's too small for a house, but it's clear there was something there before they put the road in behind the property because there's a dip in the curb where the driveway was and because it's triangle shape, the property where the driveway would be is more than long enough for a car and I was seriously considering buying it just so I'd have my own off street parking. The lot is 800 square feet (more like triangle feet...) and only 500 bucks. I pay 300 a year to rent the space I have and it's only because the neighbor whose driveway I park in bought the house with us already renting the spaces from the previous owner. If she decided she wants to get rid of the extra spaces, or if the city puts in a sidewalk, which would make my space too short for a car, I'm out of luck. Anyhow, while I was on the site trying to figure out what to do I saw a house in the next town over in a decent location that's up for sale, foreclosure. So I contacted an agent about it. I think I'm gonna ask to see it. Even if it needs work, and it probably does because the prior owner was there 15 years and if they couldn't afford mortgage payments, they probably couldn't afford the upkeep, it still might be worth it. It's got space for my car, cute neighborhood, just down the block is access to a hiking trail, super close to the grocery store, not that much farther a drive to work, right on a bus line that would take me to the city center if I decided to go to festivals in the park and not want to deal with parking my car... and I'd be in the town I grew up in, and have access to a lot of things I kind of miss, like that town park and some of my favorite parks by the river. PLUS I'd still be able to get from all my favorite take-out places. (I know, that's not much of a reason, but whatever. It's just another in the plus column.)

I've been looking at land on Zillow in places where they're friendly to tiny houses (the versions that are sans wheels, of which I am not a fan). I'm looking at this one lot that actually has a half finished house on it, 40K, and I'm trying to figure out if there's a road that leads to it. There are a load of houses around it, and they all have driveways, but some of those driveways go off into the trees and just seem to... end.

I don't think the Tiny House movement is huge enough for such a simple search. There are cities in the country (about five) that are really friendly to tiny houses, simply because their minimum sq foot requirement is flexible or really low or non-existant. And I don't what a house on wheels.

EDIT: And get your shit together so you can jump on a house ASAP.

Also, a buddy of mine who used to be in real estate said when you call a broker, don't expect to get the house that's advertised for pretty much the reason you're talking about.

What's wrong with a tiny house on wheels?

youtu.be/zmN14UyJKuU


youtu.be/RA2BOd2CrK4

Rob some banks. Then you'll have the cash.

Or!

You can hook up with some flippers with a tiny bit of cash, and then invest with them and make it grow over time.

A tiny house would probably fit on that triangle lot. But it's literally next to the Thruway.