Found the Perfect Tiny House? Here's What I'd Check Before You Buy It

You know that feeling when you walk into a tiny house and think, "Yep. This is the one!"

I see it all the time, especially at Tiny House Expos.

You've walked through a few homes, found a layout you love, opened all the cupboards (because apparently that's what we all do 😂), and you're already imagining where your furniture will go.

And I get it!

After more than 10 years in the tiny house industry, I still get excited walking through a beautifully designed little home.

But there's something I'd want you to think about before you put down a deposit.

Finding the right tiny house doesn't necessarily mean you've found the right tiny living solution.

And that distinction can save you a LOT of money.

The house is only one part of the project

Here's something I've learned after years of building tiny houses and now helping people plan their tiny living journeys.

People naturally start with the building.

It's the exciting bit! You can see it, touch it, walk through it and imagine yourself living there.

But the building is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

There's the land, Council requirements, access, services, transport, foundations, finance and all those other things that aren't nearly as exciting as choosing your kitchen benchtop.

And sometimes, one of those other pieces changes everything.

I worked with a client who was investigating a property for their project.

As part of that process, a geotechnical report identified potential ground stability issues and retaining work that could cost at least $100,000.

An extra $100,000 before we'd even got to the house!

That information changed the whole conversation, and the client decided to put the project on hold.

Now, you might look at that and think, "Oh, that's disappointing."

And of course it was.

But I'd argue that report did exactly what it was supposed to do.

It gave them information they needed before committing significant money to a project that might not stack up financially.

That's not a failed project. That's a potentially very expensive mistake avoided.

And that's why I get so passionate about helping people work through the bigger decisions first.

Not because I want to take the excitement out of going tiny.

Quite the opposite.

I want you to enjoy that excitement knowing the rest of the project actually has a reasonable chance of working.

So what would I check before buying?

There are four areas I'd want to understand before making a significant financial commitment.

1. Where is the tiny house actually going?

This sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how often it's still an unanswered question.

Do you already own land? Are you planning to buy a section? Put the house on family property? Or perhaps lease somewhere?

Each of those options comes with different considerations.

And even if you already own the land, that doesn't automatically mean you can put whatever you like on it.

I'd want to understand things like access, ground conditions, services, property restrictions and what the relevant Council requirements might mean for your plans.

For example, I've had people looking at beautiful tiny houses who haven't yet considered whether a transport truck could physically get the home onto their property.

Or whether the land has covenants restricting what they can put there.

The question isn't just whether the house will fit. It's whether the whole arrangement will work.

2. What will it actually cost to live in it?

This is a big one.

Let's say you've found a tiny house for $180,000.

Great!

But is that the cost of your project?

Probably not.

You might still need to allow for transport, foundations or anchoring, site preparation, power, water, wastewater, Council or professional fees, access improvements and perhaps a deck or two.

And that's before we start looking at what is and isn't included in the builder's quote.

I've seen how differently builders can package their pricing.

One might include something another charges extra for. Delivery might be included up to a certain distance. Appliances, specifications and site requirements can all vary.

So a $20,000 difference between two quotes doesn't automatically mean one builder is offering better value.

You need to understand what you're actually comparing.

There's a big difference between "How much does the tiny house cost?" and "How much will it cost me to actually live in it?"

And I'd want you to have a reasonable understanding of that second number before committing to the first.

3. Is this actually the right solution for what you're trying to achieve?

This is probably my favourite question.

Because sometimes someone comes to me absolutely convinced they need a particular tiny house.

But when we start talking about why they want it, the conversation changes.

Maybe they're trying to get out of renting.

Create a home for Mum.

Reduce their mortgage.

Have more security in retirement.

Or live closer to family.

And those are the things that really matter.

The tiny house is one possible way to achieve them.

But it isn't necessarily the only way.

I've had conversations where someone starts out thinking they need a granny flat, and we end up exploring several different ways they could achieve the same outcome.

Sometimes the original idea is absolutely the right one.

Sometimes there's a better option they hadn't considered.

And sometimes we realise the immediate housing problem and the longer-term goal don't actually need to be solved by the same decision.

Don't choose the building first. Choose the outcome first.

Then we can work out which type of home, land arrangement and pathway makes the most sense.

4. What do you actually know, and what are you assuming?

This is where I'd get out a piece of paper.

On one side, write down what you've confirmed.

On the other, write down what you still need to find out.

And be a little ruthless with yourself here. 😂

"My friend said Council doesn't worry about tiny houses" isn't confirmation.

"Someone in a Facebook group has one just like this" isn't confirmation either.

You might need to check the relevant planning or building requirements, understand the property title, confirm finance, get a transport quote or find out what connecting services will actually cost.

You don't necessarily need every single answer before taking another step.

But you do need to understand which unanswered questions could change your decision.

That's the important bit.

Because once you know that, you can work out what needs investigating first.

And sometimes the next good decision isn't buying the house.

It's checking the land.

Or getting the budget right.

Or finding out whether the pathway you're considering is realistic.

The display home isn't the problem. The order is.

I don't want anyone walking away from a Tiny House Expo thinking they shouldn't get excited about the homes.

Please do!

Walk through them. Ask questions. Talk to the builders. Get a feel for what you like and don't like.

That's all valuable.

Just be careful not to let falling in love with a particular home make the bigger decisions for you.

Because once you've paid a deposit, signed a contract or committed to a design, some of your options may become harder or more expensive to change.

And I'd much rather help someone work that out beforehand.

Buying the house should be the result of clarity, not the thing you do hoping everything else will work out afterwards.

That's really what I want people to take away from this.

You don't need to have your entire tiny living journey figured out today.

You just need enough clarity to make the next good decision.

Then the next one.

And eventually, when you're ready to commit to that beautiful tiny house, you'll know why it's the right choice for you.

Not sure what your next decision should be?

That's exactly why I offer a free 15-minute Discovery Session.

We'll have a chat about what you're trying to achieve, where you're currently at and what's getting in the way.

You don't need to know which of my services you need, or even whether you need one at all.

Sometimes working together makes sense. Sometimes it doesn't.

But we can start by figuring out what your next good decision should be.

>>> Book your Free Discovery Session <<<

Rebecca McLean
Founder, Tiny House Mastery™