A 51-YEAR-old woman was ready to downsize her living situation after her marriage ended.
Her desire for a "change of scenery" brought her to look into the tiny house movement, which ultimately pushed the mother-of-two to make a major lifestyle change.
Jen Gressett recalled the transition from living in a four-bedroom, 3000-square-foot home to purchasing a 520-square-foot miniature farmhouse, in a piece for CNBC.
"The houses for sale in my area were out of my budget, so I had to get creative. When I saw a trend of tiny houses on social media, I was immediately intrigued and decided to go for it," explained Gressett.
The fearless mom shelled out $45,000 to purchase a tiny home shell from a local builder.
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She then headed to Facebook to secure a covered parking space in someone's backyard to place her new home.
After progress stalled on construction, she decided to reach out to another builder to take over the project.
"Due to the pandemic, there were supply chain delays and increased cost of materials. And the shell needed a lot of exterior repair work before the builders could finish the inside," Gressett added.
Finally, in January 2021, her new home was move-in ready.
After all the labor and material costs, the final bill came out a bit higher than she expected at $175,000. She pays only $725 a month in housing costs.
"I could honestly live here forever. It has given me the affordable housing option I needed, plus the luxury I always wanted — a fireplace, soaker tub, quartz countertops, and a massive bed," Gressett boasted.
In order to bring life to the intimate space, Gressett used her design skills to add cozy touches, such as potted plants and decorative throws.
She says that the natural light and white finishes help make the space feel much bigger.
