By Brynna Williamson
According to United Tiny Homes, “Tiny homes aren’t just a passing trend; they’re a revolution in how we think about space, sustainability, and community,” says the company’s website.
It is estimated that the United States alone has more than 10,000 tiny houses in 2024. According to a study done by Technavio, the worldwide tiny home market “is forecast to increase by USD 4.82 billion by 2028.” 56% of Americans indicated that they would live in a tiny house if given the opportunity. So yeah, realtors, statisticians, homebuyers, and many others are realizing that the next big thing is tiny houses.
To some, the concept may seem strange. Why live in less space when you can live in—well—more?
But to others, the fun and efficiency of living in a tiny home far outweigh any negatives.
Let’s Explore
Tiny houses range in size. While the average size of a tiny house are those measuring a tiny 225 square feet, tiny houses can be defined as those under 400 square feet, according to Data Bridge Market Research.
They can be any size, shape, or have any sort of amenities inside, too—and therein lies the magic.
Some of the tiny houses around the world are attracting international attention for their uber-cool features, which include things like photovoltaic cells and solar modules for self-sustaining power, a “mushroom” roof for blending into the forest, ceiling-to-floor windows, or even hidden sliding panels to create more space than meets the eye.
Some tiny houses even have 13-foot ceilings or luxury furniture. When you’re thinking creatively, almost anything is possible with a tiny house.
Are you starting to get why someone would want to live in a tiny house?
Wood County, TX and Tiny Homes
Peter Williamson, a local resident of Mineola, certainly understood. In fact, when he came to the area with his family, he, his wife, and his 4 kids were all going to move into a tiny house.
However, as with most other real estate options today, even tiny houses can be expensive to buy prefabricated. According to RubyHome Luxury Real Estate, the average price of a tiny house in the United States is $67,000. So Williamson just decided to build his own.
All told, the process of building the tiny house—which, aside from a few features here and there, Williamson did with his own two hands—took him about a thousand hours of labor.
He and his family had a proper “Little House on the Prairie” experience building the tiny house. Together, they chose the spot for the building, cleared the land (by hand, we might mention), dug holes, cut wood for the foundational posts, put in the flooring, built the structure’s shell, and installed the roof.
That was just in the first year.
“The Shire”
In fact, years of research and experimentation went into building the house, which the family affectionately calls “The Shire” for its homely nature and its natural brown-and-green coloring. When Williamson started construction on the building in 2019, he had never done anything similar before; however, his dedication to the project and to his family kept him going on it.
So what does this have to do with Wood County? Well, Wood County, Texas is growing quickly in population. You may see more tiny houses being built, or you may hear of someone needing a quick, affordable, or efficient option for a new living space. The concept of small living might come up in conversation, or you may even find yourself lying awake at night thinking about the most space-saving ways to get things done. It’s fun. Think about it. Now you know.