The American Dream has always rotated around several keystone factors, namely home ownership. However, with a national average 30-year fixed mortgage payment above $2,000, skeptics would argue this scenario is dead for many.
Thankfully, the emerging tiny house market has something to say about that — the American homeownership dream is still alive, albeit in a smaller package. Here are some choice tiny house picks for those who don’t need a mansion to live theirs. Some are complete builds, while others are self-assembly projects — all are available online.
1. Amazon’s Wood Art Supply Range
Of course, Amazon has cornered the market on just about everything. The retail behemoth can offer free delivery on many products. One such abode is a “Modern Prefab” double-story house made by Wood Art Supply.
The design is modern brown wood and charcoal gray stainless steel, with shipping containers providing the 20-square-foot body. For a cool $49,899, buyers can expect a sleek bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room, and generous decking space on both levels.
2. Expandable Container Home by Elite Nest
Elite Nest has many different specs for its container home models, going from one-bedroom to four-bedroom plans. These builds go for $49,000 up to $52,500. Buyers can customize them with the fittings they desire to complement the fitted bathroom, kitchen, and other features.
What’s more, the quality of design is apparent with double-glazed aluminum sliding doors and SPC-type flooring, which has 15 color choices.
3. Duro Steel’s Home Barn Workshop
The DuroSPAN “Home Barn Workshop” by Duro Steel is made from corrugated steel and has a convex shape, like a mini air hangar. Don’t let its appearance fool you, though. With measurements of 51’x45’x17′, one could easily turn this into a home.
Available on eBay for a tidy $13,888, the DuroSPAN might be the answer to your tiny house needs. The sales listing explains how each end of the building can be “customized to fit your home’s decor.” It may also appeal as a workshop, business location, or guesthouse for those just looking for extra living space.
4. Supersized Nova by Off-Grid Dwellings
The next entry comes from Off Grid Dwellings out of Palm Springs, Florida. The firm provides several choices in the container home and home kits market. Right now, it has a sale offer of $67,995 for a “Supersized 24′ Tiny Home on Wheels with Loft Area.”
The treated wood and black steel unit comes with a fully furnished bathroom, RV and water connections, and over 10 electrical outlets. The sleeping area is a mezzanine floor in the upper reaches of the 120-square-foot living space. The selling point of this smart nest is the portability — this means, you can choose any tiny home community you wish.
5. The Elm by Tumbleweed
Tumbleweed has a unique marketing experience, putting the Colorado Springs company at the next level. Who can think of a better marketing idea than “tiny home” hotels across America, giving customers a chance to test its range?
With a mantra, “Dream Big, Go Tiny!” Tumbleweed’s models include wheeled gothic wooden cabins like the Elm, the Farallon, or the Aspen. Each comes with a different-style exterior; the interior is like an Ikea brochure. Meanwhile, Tumbleweed’s designs are all certified green.
6. Deep Blue’s Smarthouse
Those with a wanderlust and a penchant for tiny homes could do much worse than a DeepBlue Smarthouse. For $25,960, the “Orlando Tiny House” could be yours. This ingeniously tall design even has a rooftop balcony, making the most of its already generous space.
Coming from Ningbo, China, shipping isn’t exactly free. However, you can offset any delivery costs with the savings made on the home.
7. The Aria Pod House by Titan Tiny Homes
Using a chrome-black shipping container aesthetic, Titan Tiny Homes’ list of Craftsman models features an “Aria Pod House” design by Pin-Up Houses. Imagine owning a self-contained container home for $23,000; it’s no longer a fantasy. Still, there is a catch: you will need to construct it yourself.
The Aria Pod is a convex, shingle-covered home with a bathroom, sleeping corner, and spacious living diner. At 20 feet long, this DIY design could be the answer to many people’s home-owning wishes.
8. Home Depot’s Desert Skillion
Home Depot has dozens of tiny DIY assembly kits to choose from. The product comes with a steel-frame kit, offering “excellent protection from severe weather and seismic conditions.”
Like many home kits, this one comes with all the support documents, including plumbing, engineering, and framing calculation plans. Buyers with the money can easily submit everything they need in any construction application. A good place to start would be a $67,999 Desert Skillion with three bedrooms and bathrooms. Delivery fees are low, just as with household appliances.
9. Triangular Container House by AliExpress
Of course, no tiny house list would be complete without the AliExpress offering. The chosen tiny house comes with a dark steel, shipping container-style triangle roof sloping low to the ground. Two skylight windows and a floor-to-ceiling front bring light into this sleek living space.
It appears customizable to include a balcony or retractable decking area. Furthermore, this model comes with (apparent) free shipping. At $13,840, it might be worth a roll of the dice.
10. Tiny Chalet on Wheels by Villa Novus
There is a spectrum for tiny houses — at the smaller end, we have the Villa Novus “Tiny Chalet on Wheels.” This funky cabin comes with structural insulated panels (SIP) and makes a great small home for minimalist living enthusiasts.
The cabin has a “traditional timber frame” and is replete with air conditioning, PEX plumbing, and ABS sewage ready to go. At a reduced price of $59,499, the tiny chalet could be a perfect small-house solution for many.
11. Bastone by Cheryl Industrial
It’s remarkable how simple buying a house is now. Some might say it is like Ikea on steroids, and Cheryl Industrial’s 380-square-foot “Bastone Mobile Expandable Prefabricated House” fits this moniker. For a mere $29,999, you can have one delivered to your designated living space.
It comes as an unfurnished one-bedroom studio design needing electricity and furnishings, though it has a fitted restroom. “This Bastone Mobile house is easy to set up and quick to assemble and comfortable to live in,” reads the website’s sale entry.
12. The L Combo by Kingdom Tiny Homes
The L Combo is one of Kingdom Tiny Homes’ three flagship products, though it transcends the usual one-unit format. A spacious square wooden decking links two units, making the L Combo a unique living opportunity.
You can mix and match the two buildings for your needs. For example, a living quarters and office space or studio combination would suit a young couple. Meanwhile, a dual living area can sleep a small family. These unique abodes start at $110,000, according to the company website.
13. Grande by Pratt Homes
Anyone who has always wanted to own a colonial-style house but couldn’t afford the mortgage now has an option. Pratt Homes’ “Grande” is a 399-square-foot tiny home with a stunning painted wood exterior and luxury interior.
The living area is wide and open, with a kitchen, bathroom, and large master bedroom on the ground floor. Above, a mezzanine floor opens up to reveal an office space or another sleeping area. This tiny home is listed at $88,500, and delivery from the factory in Texas is free.
14. The Walmart Well Done 1 Home
Anyone can own a tiny house, though how many buyers have ever thought about constructing one themselves? For $25,895, Walmart offers a DIY tiny home construction pack on a home 12’x16′ — even with roof decking. It’s also convenient for those looking to build on private land. “Units are below the size threshold for most city planning permit requirements,” reads the sales copy.
The product can best be described as an adult Wendy’s house, though it might work for minimalists who can find a small piece of land. What’s more, the steel frames will give far more resistance than a typical wooden frame.
15. The Deschutes by DC Structures
Oregon company DC Structures’ range is impressive, though a standout tiny house is the 776-square-foot Deschutes design. With a traditional timber exterior and steel framed siding, the house blends into an urban or rural setting.
While clients will have to construct this design, the cost is appealing. At $68,803, the two-bedroom Deschutes could make a realistic home option for a small family.
16. Pinecrest Cabin by Backyard Oasis
Some of us are lucky enough to have a mountain cabin as a holiday retreat, while others fantasize about living in one. You needn’t fantasize anymore; Oasis Tiny Estates has the Pinecrest Cabin on the market for $73,099.
It’s move-in ready with full amenities like heating and cooling systems, plus a huge loft space for a supplemental function area. Coming in a finished pine aesthetic, the Pinecrest can make rustic outdoor living a way of life.
17. MyRare Double Story Prefab Container Home
It’s hard to believe what is achievable for living spaces these days. Imagine buying a 50’x40′ home with a balcony hugging the entire building. What’s more, at under $19,000 for the self-constructed version, it’s more viable than you would imagine.
MyRare is an Amazon affiliate producer offering free next-day delivery. Curiously, the offer has a 30-day money-back guarantee, though it’s highly unlikely anyone will take advantage. This one is super cool, and nobody will return it.
18. The Space Capsule Cabin House Hotel
The Amazon connection continues, though this time with a whimsical science-fiction-based design. The Space Capsule Cabin Hotel features on the WoodArt Supply listing at $69,335 at the time of research.
You can place this design in a natural environment, meaning you can live like an astronaut in the wild. The steel-framed façade contains a complete unit with a GREE ducted air conditioner and all the mod cons necessary for modern living.
19. The Getaway Pad by Home Depot
Another Home Depot DIY home assembly (it just sounds wrong, doesn’t it?) is the Getaway Pad. This 594-square-foot Mediterranean-style building has a master bedroom, living room-kitchen, and bathroom, all within a steel-framed facade.
Of course, the buyer needs to customize the interior with the fittings and appliances of their choice. However, this reality is canceled out by the huge rooftop balcony and room, covering most of the 36’x17′ living area.
20. The Sage Grouse by True Log Cabins
The Sage Grouse is a tiny house, though it looks like a normal-sized house by many countries’ standards. In authentic log cabin style, this two-story cabin is the most expensive of True Log Cabins’ range.
The company doesn’t cover customization or assembly but will deliver free to states, including Washington, Utah, and Idaho. For a total of $35,388, you can assemble 1100 square feet of rustic charm.
21. The Maywood by Pacific Modern Homes
In stock right now is The Maywood, described as a panelized kit home “Granny Flat.” It would be a perfect abode for an older couple or single dweller. Within The Maywood’s 600-square-foot dimensions, you will find all the space for a simple life.
A generous-sized bedroom comes with two walk-through closets and a sizable bathroom with extra storage. A cozy front porch finishes off this neo-colonial wood shingle-covered unit. At the time of research, this comes in at $37,417, according to the Pacific Modern Homes website.
22. The Deluxe Cabin by Texas Backyard Structures
Put simply, the Deluxe Cabin would suit fans of Little House on the Prairie. This wooden paneled shed-like tiny house comes with a sloped, corrugated roof and a raised front porch.
The models can be as large as 18’x60′, priced at $32,395. The Deluxe Cabin might be a good solution for a great hunting or backyard cabin — even a small family home. Surely, it would beat renting an apartment.
23. The Ezra by Backcountry Containers
At the pricier end of the shipping container home spectrum is Backcountry Containers. The firm’s range of bespoke home designs offers a classy overhaul of the humble shipping container.
One such example is the Ezra, an all-in-one container-home studio apartment for solo dwellers, complete with a fenced-in roof and front patios. Each unit comes with a fitted kitchen, bathroom, and air-conditioning unit.
24. The Vermont Cabin by Jamaica Cottage Shop
The Vermont Cabin must be one of the coolest wooden tiny homes on the market. Uniquely, it is available for frame-only kits or pre-cut kits. The latter comes with a shell, three-season, and four-season insulation choice, which affects its pricing. For example, a four-season insulated pre-cut kit costs $106,413.
What sets this cabin apart is the pleasing design: an open-plan lodge with a roomy bedroom nook at the top. According to the Jamaica Cottage Shop website, the Vermont Cabin is “by far” the most popular tiny house model it sells.