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How to Find Parking for Your Tiny House


This post contains affiliate links.

You love the idea of living in a tiny house so you can have a maintenance free lifestyle with super low expenses.

I do too, but where are you going to park it?

If you’re like most people you prefer living in an environment where you can easily get to places like a park, grocery store, work, and neighbors.

It’s nice to be able to hop over to a coffee shop or something when you don’t feel like being home. After all, your house is tiny so you might as well be pretty close to the places you like to go to.

Those are my beliefs anyway and I am sure you have your own.

Finding your space to build and park

If you are buying your house ready made you really only have to worry about one spot which is where you are going to park it and live in it.

If you’re building it yourself you need to have another place where you’re allowed to construct it. Lots of times this might be the same place.

Here are some general ideas where you can start looking…

  • Backyards where RV’s or sheds are allowed
  • Renting your own piece of land (more on this later)
  • RV parks
  • Run a free Craigslist WANTED ad
  • Newspaper classified WANTED ad
When posting on Craigslist I highly recommend using a photo of a tiny house so that potential land owners see what you’re working with and understand that they will not be having to look at an eye sore beat up travel trailer, etc.

Renting land or bartering with business owners is a great way to find a solution. And don’t forget to ask whoever you talk to if they know anybody else who might be up for the idea. I’ve found the best and most honest people to do business with just by asking person to person.

You can also search your local craigslist and look in your newspaper but I recommend for you to explore areas of interest to get a feel for everything and talk to people about what you’re doing.

A profitable tiny house situation

I think that the smartest solution is buying a house where you can park your tiny house in the yard. Then you rent the big house while you live in your little one. If you can do this you might find yourself in a position where you make a monthly profit from your living situation.

Overcoming obstacles

Your own doubts

You’re trying to do something that’s completely different than the average person so of course you’re going to encounter doubts and fears.

When you are trying to build and live in your own tiny house you are going to face criticism. You are also going to inspire many as you build. And that’s when opportunities for parking your house usually manifest.

The most important thing you can do is keep a good attitude, ask the right questions to the right people and listen to your instincts. Avoid arguing about laws and instead focus on what you can get away with in your current situation. Generate that feeling within yourself where you know it’s all going to come together.

Whether that’s by focusing on the fact that it’s no different than an RV, small mother-in-law suite, or just a trailer with a valuable load on it that’s tucked away. Find your own spin for your situation and work through it.

Codes and zoning regulations

Arguing about stubborn code laws and regulations is not the right thing to do if you are trying to get your house built and lived in. These laws are the reason that the idea to build on a trailer has become so popular.

If you run into a situation where you literally must move, you can. And your next stop will be waiting for you.

Friends and family

Let’s face it some of your family and friends love your ideas for living simply while others think you have gone mad. This is expected.

If they are constantly bringing it up maybe they are a little bothered by the fact that you are doing something so drastically different and it has got them questioning themselves.

Bottom line is, don’t worry about it. It’s your life. They’ll live theirs and you’ll live yours.

Video Version

This is one of my first ever videos so take it easy on me! 😉

Learn More About How to Find Tiny House Parking

If you’d like to go more in-depth as to where to find parking for your tiny house, consider reading Ethan Waldman’s book on the subject.

Tiny House Parking will help you navigate the confusing legal landscape that surrounds tiny houses so you can find exactly the right place for your tiny home.

Tiny House Parking answers these questions and more:

  • Where can I put a tiny house?
  • Where can I legally build a tiny house in my jurisdiction?
  • Will it be legal to live in my tiny house?
  • How do I find landowners willing to let me rent a place for my tiny house?
  • How do I avoid brushes with the law or local authorities?

In Tiny House Parking, you also get:

  • A crash course in zoning basics so that you know how to find your town’s zoning bylaws and make important decisions about your tiny house.
  • Information about the legality of different types of tiny houses. Advice how to deal with the law (if you have to).
  • Exact requirements of what you’ll need on the land where you live.
  • General strategies (and a huge list of resources) for finding exactly the right place.

Get your copy of the book here.

What are your thoughts? And if you are building one where do you think you’ll keep it? Speak your mind in the comments.

This post contains affiliate links.

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Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
{ 147 comments… add one }
  • March 18, 2011, 7:44 pm

    We have our small cabin on our 6 acres outside Palestine TX and have 4 spots with utilities that would be perfect for the tiny houses if anyone is looking for a beautiful peaceful place to rent.

    • suzette smith
      March 29, 2012, 5:32 pm

      Hello! I have 2 questions; how much would the rent be, and what is the weather like in Palestine?

      Thank you, Suzette

      • April 1, 2012, 1:57 pm

        Suzette. The weather is up and down just like everywhere in TX. It has been a very mild winter. You may write me at msdawn @ msdawn dot com Rent is $350 including utilities and use of the bath house/laundry room if you need it. Make it your own home.

      • Daniel Elliott
        September 12, 2013, 12:44 pm

        I am looking for someone who might want to park their Tiny House on my property and perhaps help run the Hostel. I have gone back to school.
        The location is 400 yards from a River in the Ozark Mountains.
        Contact me for details.

        Daniel

        • Shelly
          December 21, 2013, 2:09 pm

          Daniel, my husband and I wanting to downsize in the very near future and weighing all our options. Could you tell me more about your property, location and your Hostel? I see that you are looking for someone to help run the Hostel and allowing someone to park a tiny home there. Would there be internet access, running water and electricity? It sounds very interesting to me. Where exactly are you located? Thanks so much for the info!

  • Davidrc
    March 18, 2011, 7:54 pm

    Well, if I were to take the time and my limited funding away from converting my 12’x24′ shed into my actually habitable cabin, I could probably find a place somewhere on my 4 acres to park it. I COULD even build a tiny house onto a barge type hull and ‘park’ it on my pond. I live in a heavily rural area (some would call it the woods) and we don’t have a lot of restrictions here. Drawback being not living in a heavily urbanized area where all those nifty conveniences you allude to are located. Oh well, I’m fairly happy where I’m at.

    • Misty
      April 3, 2016, 3:33 pm

      Where do you live? I don’t want to cause a mob in your community, but areas like yours are hard to find.

  • March 18, 2011, 7:54 pm

    I’m not in the process of building yet because I’m staying in a 600 SF apartment with my office in it too (for now).

    I’m happy here because of the location.

    But if I were doing it now I’d move, build and park the house on my in-law’s property that’s on 2 or so acres. Only issue is I’d be 20-25 miles away from where I’d rather be. Haven’t explored other closer, possible neighborhoods in my area yet. Could be possible to do it closer….

  • Davidrc
    March 18, 2011, 7:59 pm

    Oh, guess I should have added that my family already thinks I’m nuts. But that goes WAY back and for far better reasons than my housing choices. My friends have mostly been accomplices and some are ‘crazier’ (or at least more extreme in their views) than I’ve ever been.

  • Billy Wade Dalton
    March 18, 2011, 8:34 pm

    I am about to retire in a couple of months and my project will begin in ernest. I was fortunate to find approximately four acres of property in the Ozark hills in northern Arkansas bordering Missouri. The land had electricity, water and telephone aready in place. Thats where my tiny house is going to set right on the bank of White Horse Mountain Lake. Cheap land is out there if you scrounge around in all the hidden corners of the market.
    Billy Wade Dalton

  • gregor
    March 18, 2011, 8:49 pm

    Great to see this important issues being ignored less, so kudos on having the guts to try to face the harder issues. I hope you’ll keep doing it, and I’m sure you will find it rewarding. I don’t think this post is perfect, but everyone is learning here. I offer some constructive criticism.

    I have a post I put up recently “examples of people living in tinyhouses and how it is working out for them”(or something like that) which is something that anyone who is interested in this might want to look at.

    The problem is that the optimism you express in you post very much appears to be unfounded according to the evidence. For the 90% of us who cannot simply move to one of the few areas that permit tinyhouses, the legal and political barriers are unfortunately not overcome by the suggestions in this post.

    Look I’m sorry if this is harsh, but I don’t think it is fair to other people to give then advice that is unrealistic polyanna, especially asserting things like they are facts. What, for example, evidence do you have that the most important thing is to keep a good attitude? Where has that worked? Because it is in my opinion irresponsible to give out advice like that without any foundation. And who can afford to invest the sort of money we are talking about based on this sort of advice?

    Secondly, arguing about stubborn laws can help you understand them. You should know your enemy, or you are in for a nasty surprise. We should also be thinking about changing the laws, unless you just accept the second-class citizen status the predatory class are so keen to impose on you.

    I suspect that your outlook while writing this post was heavily influenced by the fact you had not seriously actually gone to try and do this. If you had you would understand that when push comes to shove it is not this simple, as explained above and on my blog in several posts.

    I may try to find some examples of people living in RVs in the city and what happens to them up on my blog to try to provide a dose of reality here when I get the chance.

    • LLB
      June 10, 2014, 1:00 pm

      *APPLAUSE*

    • Tonita
      June 13, 2014, 7:03 pm

      Gregor, I have to agree with you on many points that you make, as a tiny home owner myself. So here is a dose of reality. It is not just RV’s in the city but RV’s in very rural country areas as well as my tiny home parked on my acreage where I own another home and mind you, I pay almost FIVE THOUSAND dollars a year in property taxes. Next door is 35 acres with cattle living on the land and I own horse property out in the country in an unincorporated area down a gravel road. Even at that all it takes is ONE complaint. Just ONE phone call to the county for them to follow up and come to your property time and time again just to in force codes and ck up on violations, such as inhabiting your tiny home or 5th wheel _even for ONE night. Yep,, against the law here in King County WA, same county as Seattle. Finding a place to park a tiny house can become a HUGE issue. Some people might consider securing a spot to hide their tiny home before they build it. Hopefully city and county ordinances will change rapidly but in the meantime being a tiny home owner has it’s own set of challenges. One thing you can do to stall such issues is to surround your land if you own it, with Constitutional no trespasser signs. They will have to make assumptions from afar or get a warrant to be on your land.

      • Elizabeth
        July 31, 2014, 11:39 am

        Thanks for sharing. Great information.

      • Misty
        April 3, 2016, 4:07 pm

        I agree, with Gregor. Wanting things to be different and even working hard toward that end does not change the reality of what is very much an issue. I haven’t bought or built one because of the cost involved, if I were to find out I could not do this anywhere near where I live. Moving is an option, but I want to have a better idea of what I am getting into before I cut my ties here. As I learn more about the legal issues, I am not confident of my tiny home dreams, at least without moving. I called a local zoning person in an area of interest and was told bluntly by someone who is supposed to be a lawyer, no zoning variance would be given because if I did something like this maybe everyone would want to. I believe in equality and do I recall something about a Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other things we hold dear, in reality they are trumped by those who have the power. In talking to a retired home builder, I was told that minimum square footage requirements of roughly 900 sq have gone nation wide. So, if that is true how can any thing seen on this blog be legally allowed outside of some special enclave? Mobile home communities might be an option elsewhere but here those have a 900 sq minimum, also. I have heard that some locals get away with this hidden away on acreage, but I don’t know anyone who would hide me and can’t afford land and a home too. I want to do things legally and do benefit from living in the area, so paying my share is my responsibility. My tiny home dreams will have to wait or go underground. There are people who are good at working through legal issues, I am not. I have learned that living in a Walmart parking lot might be an option, but that might be apocryphal. Does anyone have more information as to whether it is true? RV parks might work, but so many local ones are not open year round. My plans might have to wait until I retire.
        On Tonita’s comment, now with hover craft and digital imaging technology-no warrant necessary to actually look, ethics and legality are different issues.

    • Kelly C
      February 10, 2015, 4:52 pm

      it’s good to hear a dose of reality amongst this idealistic movement. i am building a tiny house to park at the beach and stay in while i work out there 10 days a month. um, you can’t just “park” it anywhere. i optimistically took the same approach as gregor, receiving a lot of interest and options from landowners who were willing to let me rent space on their land. however, whether you are on county land or in any number of small towns along the oregon coast, you must comply with zoning ordinances and building codes. this is a harsh reality. my new reality is building a foundation on a piece of land i will only be renting… to anchor down the structure. this actually feels safer to me, knowing i won’t be swept away in a flood, being along a river near the beach. all these photos of people “living” in the tiny homes on wheels… i don’t believe they are doing it legally and there are fines and consequences for approaching this with gregor’s naivety.

    • Kelly C
      February 10, 2015, 5:03 pm

      whoops, i wrote gregor, i think i meant alex, the original poster… i was glad to see gregor’s post pointing out the actual complexities of going tiny.

      • May 26, 2015, 12:25 pm

        It would be wonderful to actually have an ongoing place where people dealt with or talked about the many headaches associated with tiny home ownership. When you mention the realities of tiny home life, people think you are a bummer and they want to stay in that dream land that once you build or own a tiny home with no mortgage then life will be wonderful. Often times it is not even better than paying a mortgage, but few are interested in hearing of or talking about ‘the other side’ of the story or dream of living tiny.

    • Noelle A
      November 4, 2015, 2:03 pm

      Hello, thank you for being realistic. My husband and I are wanting to buy a tiny house but we have no clue where we could park it. We are in Snohomish County, WA. I have been reading ADU zoning laws for hours and about to start with RV’s and it is so overwhelming.

      Will you please post a link to your blog post you mentioned above? I would really love to see how Tiny house owners are actually doing it.

      Thank you!

      • Misty
        April 3, 2016, 4:13 pm

        Yes, please post that link. I don’t want to invest so much to find out it is all wasted. I have searched tiny home listings and some are really inexpensive. Maybe they are cheaply built, but it seems likely some took the leap before they should have.

      • Donna Crosland
        June 24, 2016, 3:58 pm

        I am in King county right now and looking both north and south for a place for my new tiny home (should be in November). In Shoreline WA you can’t even put a storage/shipping container in your yard – very strict. I am think the best way might be to get several tiny home owners together and buy a parcel of land, do the necessary zoning and put in utilities and even at some point a communal area and shared garden. Very much like the intentional communities that are spring up here.

    • June 25, 2016, 1:25 pm

      I agree w/ much of what you are saying Gregor. I used to love the show “Tiny House Nation”. I still do, bu my perspective has changed. Every time they introduce a couple who is going to downsize to save money and be dept free, the words “Next Sucker” come into my mind. Why? You can’t live a Monte Carlo life on a fixed income and be debt free. Those maxed out credit cards take a lifetime to pay and the bills just increase. Most space rent is more per month than renting a house. There are a lot of expenses that go with living on wheels that you do not have in a house and additional maintence, so you can ad that to your rental costs.

      It looked great from the outside looking in. Now to reality. I am disabled and have been living off grid in a 5th wheel for 6 months. In order to make this livable for my health conditions, my credit is maxed out. Before I had a section 8 house rental, that the landlords were selling out from under me and nowhere takes sec 8 vouchers any more. So really this seemed to be the best option. things cost more than you expect, many times more. Not to mention all the !K purchases for things like a propane tank, as they don’t rent, but need that for heat, fridge, cooking. Space rent is not cheap. There are SO many fees too, just for maintence. That alone comes to more every month than the total rent [before section 8 paid] on my own place. Think of all the things like water hose insulation, constant replacement of sewer hose and support and so so much more. It is going to cost me over $30 alone to get the dangerous screw removed from my ceiling and the sinking side of my bed re-supported. Then there is the price of propane each month and solar battery maintence. All so sky high. Of course the 200 watts that I am so much in dept for is not enough a lot of times to get buy especially in the summer.

      Being disabled means you do not DIY and that is a lot of where the expenses come in. But in a rental house I did not see them. Also it means entitlement to a lot of extra services. BUT I do not get those services anymore, as I have fore-fitted my basic rights as a human being. The way I fore-fitted those rights was moving into a home that is on wheels. My expenses far outweigh the amount of my SS check and no there is no extras. Batteries, lights, cleaning items and food are extras!

      I am in this life now and no turning back. I need for health reasons to be off grid anyway. If I had it to do over again I would have stayed renting and moved to this town I do not care for, where I could have used my section 8. Oh do I wish I could turn back time.

      I just hate to see all the marketing about the TH/RV lifestyle being debt free and allowing one to save money, when in fact it has become a very pricey lifestyle. I think that is something that one needs to know before going in. Had I known that I would have made another choice. Not to say I would never have made this jump, just not this soon. I would have saved saved saved for many more years lots of money. Probably would not have gone this path.

      I do find parking a really costly issue! I think people that are new here and thinking about this lifestyle need to know it is not cheap and a very expensive one. If you are disabled, even more so.

      I do love the comments here about staying positive and things will fall into place. I keep thinking it has to get better. I am doing everything I can to get the bills slowly paid and maybe they will over the years. I have been told too that choosing AZ was not wise, but then I have seen them more open to allowing TH/RVs than anywhere, but yet they allow it but make your life miserable for doing so. About being positive there are a lot of pluses of this costly lifestyle that have been noted time and again here. I love having that closeness to nature, that pretty country parking spot. I feel like I have the trees in my living room. I like living tiny and have done so off and on in different places. NYC area is the queen of tiny places and so are most trendy art towns, though I have to say none is this costly. I also know it takes time for things to fall into place. After all it’s only been 6 months and it’s all still new and maybe I can figure out a better system that does not cost so much.

      But be warned it is not the stress free inexpensive life that everyone claims and usually not dept free. If you missed the warning, then try to make the best of it and enjoy the good things about it.

      • Ms. Fonda P.
        October 12, 2019, 1:01 am

        I’m so very grateful to have come across your post today. (10-11-2019)
        We have a lot in common and I’m praying that the tiny house movement would allow myself and my grandson to live a bit better financially, freely to save more money and to travel a bit! Yet when I was reading your post I didn’t get doubtful I just started to think a bit more clearer. As you stated earlier if you could do it over you would have saved more money then maybe still took this path. YES! land is hard to find and even if you have your own land more cities now are saying NO to Tiny House living and I REALLY find that disturbing! I pray to Jesus Christ that your situation will get better for you and you continue to do the best you can for YOU!
        I’m weighing all OPTIONS! Because at the end of the day I have to PAY every bill in my household! I live within my means and simple is GOOD! I agree the tv shows show all of the good stuff but they never show the real stuff! Yes we have an apartment as well and I’m not trying to jump out of the frying pan into the FIRE and be BURNED!!!! The cost of most tiny houses are ridiculous!!!!!
        God Bless You.
        Romans 16:16
        Ms. Fonda P.

  • March 18, 2011, 10:08 pm

    When I was first introduced to the tiny house movement I thought it was a god save. I’m disabled and on a fixed income who could never in my wildest dreams afford to live on my own piece of land where I would have to improve it, set up utilities (septic and electricity), build large upon it, be taxed because of it and finance all of it. My family is dying off (I’m the youngest and 58) and will not be here to save me. Therefore, it became obvious that it was a tiny house or die on the streets.

    Some have told me that I could rent an efficiency, but by the time I did that on my income, I would be doing little more than surviving. I really don’t want to survive. I want to live. I want to really live while I still have a little time. Besides, even an efficiency that is affordable would be in an area that I could never feel save in.

    Anyway, Before I took the time to research the laws, codes and options, I took a giant leap and began building my own little house. I sold what little I had which was of any value and maxed out my only credit card. It’s getting near to being finished and looks great. So far I’m very proud of how it is turning out. You can view it at http://www.jeremystinyhouse.com .

    I love it so much but a few people told me that I should sell it to pay off my debt and have the money to build the next one for me. I don’t even have a truck sufficient to haul it yet. But I knew that if I didn’t jump right in and build it, someone or something would talk me out of it. I felt building was the only option that I have to offer any feeling of security in my last years.

    When it’s all said and done… I have no idea where I will go with it. I know I can’t afford the gas to do a national tour of America’s Walmarts. I am trying to just do one thing at a time. I hope there will be somewhere for me to go when the time comes. There’s a lot of unsettled land out there in the wilderness but I think I could never survive total seclusion. I guess I’m waiting for that miracle post or invitation to paradise where people like me can go and live in peace where flowers grow and the sun shines in a world of our own 🙂 (sigh)

    • Jody
      July 6, 2013, 12:20 am

      Good for you for just doing it! I’ve been really looking into this too. I do have the problem with the land part too though like so many others. I do beleive that this is the way to go. I think it’s great that you are doing what you are doing. You will be debt free and rent free when everyone else is still paying rent and not really ‘living’. I haven’t checked out your link yet, but I will. Thanks for sharing your comment and your home with everyone 🙂
      Jody

    • Jody
      July 6, 2013, 12:59 am

      Hey Jeremy, I went to the link but I couldn’t find anything that show’s what you have done. It’s just random links to stuff. :/

      • October 28, 2013, 11:56 pm

        Sorry about the link. I couldn’t afford to pull out the extra $100 at the time to maintain the domain name. The link is now mytinyhouse.webs.com . Also you can watch my You Tube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI8iO53xBFM . It has over 2 million views so far..

    • deanna
      July 23, 2014, 3:15 pm

      If you ever get that spectacular invitation – please let me know ’cause I sure as heck would love to watch those flowers grow in the sunshine!

      • Cris
        March 17, 2015, 5:42 am

        how romantic!-power to the movement right-on!

      • Cris
        March 17, 2015, 5:53 am

        I meant-yes,good luck.

    • Misty
      April 3, 2016, 4:21 pm

      Please post where you live, if you do that might solve the lonliness problem, and give you a different one. I prefer acreage for my tiny home dreams, but people of good will are going to have to band together on this issue, regardless.

  • March 18, 2011, 11:14 pm

    I’m not so sure whether my future lies in a tiny house or just a small apartment down the road, but the future will reveal itself in due time. I nearly bought a small house in a city I’d like to live in a year ago. At around 1,000 square feet, not tiny, but if you took in a room-mate, then it becomes an okay use of space. At any rate, I decided to pass for now (and seeing what housing prices continue to do, I’m not regretting it!).

    I’m hoping Jay’s comment in a recent TV interview about Tiny House communities is a clue to some neat project coming, and hopefully the first of many Tiny House communities. In some places you could slip in through “mobile home park” zoning. That usually raises a grim image in a lot of people’s minds but under the right leadership, it could be much different. Imagine a Co-op situation where everyone had equal ownership in the park? If I’m really dreaming big, imagine a network of them kind of like Thousand Trails and other similar RV passes where you can go from park to park in the network in your RV. But apply it to Tiny Houses. You decide to move to another state, just move into the next Tiny House community in the network. Who knows, could happen!

    For every person who desires to set up their tiny house in the woods, there’s another who doesn’t set their sights there. There’s a part of me that likes the idea of being off on my own, but I also think that our future energy situation, I’d favor being nearer public transit and not driving 50 miles round trip all the time.

    • smiley
      January 11, 2014, 8:21 pm

      hello , i just bought an rv park and 11 rv’s. im trying to spread the word for people that might need a place to park a tiny home. im very new to computers so dont know how to go about it only a little luck thru replying to peoples post. i need advise from anyone as to how i go about spreading the word. [email protected]

      • Misty
        April 3, 2016, 4:27 pm

        I used that link in Google and it was not recognized.

    • LLB
      June 10, 2014, 1:07 pm

      I don’t know, have you seen what mobile home lot rents are like? For that you really aren’t saving any money at all compared to an apartment, considering you have to buy the RV. Something like this would work IF Big For-Profit Business didn’t enter into it, and rents remained LOW and REASONABLE.

      If all housing in the country continues to skyrocket, and homeless people aren’t allowed to build anything to live in and aren’t allowed to be anywhere, what exactly are most of us supposed to do once we get priced out??

      • Misty
        April 3, 2016, 4:38 pm

        I like a lot of these questions, no idea about an intelligent answer that hasn’t been mentioned though. Homelessness and many other chronic issues would probably be less severe if tiny homes were allowed more widely. It seems to me that the rich and powerful don’t want any such issues actually solved. They can profit from the hardships of others without having to actually experience the reality any closer to them than watching the news.

      • Dawn
        June 24, 2016, 10:03 pm

        Check out Occupy Madison. It is a tiny house community for the homeless. Some people are starting to catch on. Let’s hope for more!

        • Vicki
          June 25, 2016, 9:17 am

          Yours is the most recent comment here, going back 4 years or so. Wondering about more recent developments and offers. Wouldn’t it be nice to get an update? Most of the links are obsolete by now?!

        • June 25, 2016, 9:30 am

          I would love to have THs in my mobile home community, but there seems to be a reluctance on the part of TH owners to live in parks. Some parks are awful and some parks are beautiful. Mine is the latter. You can live both legally and inexpensively in many communities and it is an option worth checking out.
          Rolf
          Wheat Hill Mobile Home Community
          E. Palestine, OH

        • Dawn
          June 25, 2016, 9:57 am

          http://occupymadisoninc.com/

          Also on facebook. this I just looked up now!

  • Gene Wallen
    March 19, 2011, 12:00 am

    There are a few places you can park your home legally,most of them are in the Ozarks,that`s why Scott Stewart is probably the only tiny home builder that is successful,you could build it to NFPA standard 1192 and park it in a campground, but very few of them will allow you to live there more than six months of the year and they are not cheap. That leaves illegal, you must hide it and that probably means off the grid. The only way to make it happen is to get the building codes and zoning laws changed.

  • Gina
    March 19, 2011, 4:38 pm

    Sense becoming disabled and widowed I have been in a travel trailer and spent time in several great RV parks. Most of them have had tiny houses come through and love them they “make the RV park nicer ” and bring in people who are more “up scale” I have found if you talk to the owner/manager they will work with you on any projects you want to work on (and I have had some strange projects).You can also get some really reasonable monthly rates. Depending on where and who owns it you might get them to let you build a tiny house there if you agree to let them show it to others.
    Its all about talking to the people around where you want to be. Be creative!! and up beat don’t go in expecting them to say no.

    • Misty
      April 3, 2016, 5:01 pm

      These are good suggestions, esp if you don’t mind being mobile. No parks near me are year round. Owning one on acreage would be nice. I want to be “far from the madding crowd”. Things don’t happen overnight, though. We have to keep up the pressure.

  • klynn
    March 19, 2011, 8:00 pm

    I LOVE THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT BUT!!!
    Gregor, previously is very on. Have to look @ his blog yet, but living in a College town, traveling fairly in my life, and being in Real Estate brings real life to the picture in America. Even if you find a piece of paradise somewhere in the “plains” area, just for example, even if the Zoning & Codes haven’t been invented yet, you will always want to get to know the people in the area before you are moving to. Most (Sub)urban areas may allow you to build & park your tiny house, but unless you want to always believe your neigbors won’t turn you in, ususally you can’t LIVE in it. Most have to be unoccupied. These codes are there for a reason, they were put there by people who moved there first, mostly to keep housing prices (which affect also tax base and needed amenities paid) up.
    In very rural farm communities, definetly talk to the locals, depending on where you are. They can be suspicious of strangers, and MAY not want what they envision as whole movement of people where they are “to enjoy life” more, when they work from morning to night to eek out a living. Their families have been there for generations, and you will be the “new people” for 20yrs or more! If they choose not to like you, be ready to feel what prejudice is like, they won’t help you, and you may need it in some rural localities, won’t have pleasantries with you at the local little store, etc. They may not mind you, but anything that threatens scares people. Plus while it’s mostly “nice white middle class” (just to put a bigoted description to it) america that is embracing this, THEY are envisioning what may & probably will come, the even more bigoted “white not-so middle class” tiny house people & what they will bring, if they change the codes. EVERYONE I FEEL, deserves to do & live how they want, but unfortunetly most of America is Zoned, etc., & if it isn’t you may start it. Be ready for a fight in most places. It’s unfair I feel this is a great option for homeless problem & others, but American’s like an Idea as long as it’s not in THEIR back yard to bring community or housing prices down (new prison or waste treatment plant for example). If you can find a more progressive attitude in the community, & explain even tiny houses can have their own zoning, codes, and regulations, you may get somewhere. Buyer Beware, or I should say Builder Beware, Real Estate 101. Also you may get further building them & moving it to a permenant foundation (building Size codes beware). Also building on muliti-family (unit) land will usually be much easier, and others could join, finding a piece, that larger complexes, etc. don’t want because it IS a small site.
    Plus I’m gonna put my own plug in for the “Pyramodule” as a permanant dwelling, the roof would be great for off-grid also, with doors reversed out instead of in-set personally.

  • Meg
    March 19, 2011, 9:11 pm

    I took an early retirement. The tiny houses are very intriguing. But I too wonder where I would put one. So, I have decided to live and wander full-time in a small motorhome. While traveling the country I will be scouting for a community I would like to live in…in my tiny house. I won’t be starting this for about a year, but that’s the plan.
    I also could enjoy living in a community of tiny houses, maybe a coop. I’m just staying open to possibilities.

    • Becky
      September 4, 2014, 3:27 pm

      Meg I am also looking at retiring early. I also want to build a tiny house and would love to be in a coop. There has to be a way to have a tiny house coop. I would like somewhere to live permantely I don’t expect to travel unless I split up 6 months at a time. I might have to do what u did buy a small motorhome until I find somewhere to put my tiny house.
      I did not realize finding somewhere to put a tiny would be so difficult.

  • March 21, 2011, 1:29 pm

    I keep hearing more about the Ozarks.

    Thank you guys for the comments here so far.

    @Gregor I agree with some of your statements. You have your thoughts and I have mine. I like to go about life in an optimistic way because it works for me. You can do as you wish for yours. I’m not advising anyone to do anything here, just giving you ideas.

  • March 21, 2011, 1:37 pm

    @Gregor One more thing… not to be harsh either, Gregor… If “I were actually doing this” I would go and buy the trailer, lumber, etc, and start. Knowing that everything else will come together after others see that I am serious about doing it.

    If you are just talking about it, focusing on all of the obstacles you have to go through… How are you ever going to get started? Do you even have the funds/resources to start yet? If not, maybe you need to focus on that first??

    I don’t have the $25,000 to go get a trailer, all the materials, tools, etc to do it all. DO YOU? Otherwise I might. Right now I’m better off paying rent while having enough room to work out of my house. BUT IF I HAD THE $$$, I’d just do it

    • Cedar
      June 24, 2016, 3:16 pm

      I am a land owner in Northern NY, 30 minutes from the Canadian Border, less than 2 hours to Ottawa, Ontario… not near NY City! I hae built one small house on a foundation already, with a building permit, 12x 30 with a 12×6 porch, on an anchored metal frame on a cement foundation, with septic and well water. I saw a person interested in finding a home for a Tin y House they want to build, (she listed a want add on Craigslist), and said I would rent a spot by a year round old fashion pump well – for $50/month – I rent the tiny house out so already pay insurance to have tenants on my property, so don’t feel I need to charge more…. She will be 8 miles from a nice college town, but will be on 150 acres… seems ideal to me… We are building another 14x 20 with a 6×20 porch this summer… I hope we can find local people like many of you that will want to live in it!

  • March 21, 2011, 1:40 pm

    Jeremy you are a perfect example of what I am talking about… Someone who just started and believes that it will all work out in the end. Kudos to you man. And I KNOW it will work out for you.

    Check out Jeremy’s build on his site…

    http://www.jeremystinyhouse.com/

  • March 21, 2011, 1:43 pm

    Mark I think most of the people who come here share that dream of another version of a mobile home park but with beautiful well kept tiny houses instead.

    I think it’s certainly possible it’s just a matter of time before it’s done. I guess it has to make business sense for whoever puts the $$ in. Or make it easy to accomplish as a larger co-op of some kind.

    I believe it’s certainly something that’s coming in the near future.

  • November 4, 2011, 2:15 pm

    That’s great! You’re welcome. Talk to you later!

  • mike
    July 29, 2012, 7:52 pm

    How would one move a tiny house trailer into or out of a backyard without big points of access? It seems sad to build something on a trailer bed that can’t go anywhere. 🙁

    • Misty
      April 25, 2016, 1:34 pm

      Every property is different. Some are more workable, than others. I see properties with alleys in the back, some that have space beside or behind the house that is within many setback limits, etc. I live in an area that would be great for a tiny, maybe that is part of the reason so many of the zoning rules that I know about have minimums of about 900 sq ft, with no additional dwelling structures allowed. Some of those minimums are in mobile home parks, as well. The powers that be know once people have a home like 900 sq ft placed, they will be less likely to move it. Some say the homeless are parasites, maybe so. I think zoning and tax authorities are pretty parasitic, too.

  • November 1, 2012, 12:23 pm

    I’m curious about where people park their TH’s and if there is a movement to establish TH’s villages or communities around the country?
    Twenty five percent of the population move every year, so that’s about 75 million people moving somewhere, (even if it’s across town) in the U.S.
    I think a TH village/community would be feasible where there is a community garden, common room or community center with tools, maybe a pool or school or some sort of educational facility.
    I have a unique parcel of property where and I might be interested in setting up a TH space

    • Holly Cunningham
      March 19, 2014, 3:02 am

      I am interested in initiating a tiny house co-housing community as you described. I have motivation but no land. Getting one of these up and running will require different skills and contributions from lots of different people- email me at [email protected] if you’d like to chat!

      • deanna carra
        July 23, 2014, 3:25 pm

        I am looking for a place. Keep me posted. Where are you?

        • D F
          September 3, 2015, 3:33 pm

          We own over 22 acres and are acquiring the 34 acres next to us. I’m open to the idea of the Tiny House community on our land.

  • Wendy
    December 31, 2012, 11:18 pm

    I haven’t built my tiny house yet, but when I do, I am planning on parking it at my all-time *favorite* place — Alamo River RV resort. It’s a little bit south of San Antonio (Texas). I’ve stayed there in my RV many times, and the people who own it are always very friendly. I am going to park my house down below by the river. Each of their camping spaces has water and an electrical supply (if you stay long-term, you pay your electric bill each month; water was included in the fee for staying there.) And Alamo River RV resort has a place where you can dump your septic tank. When I stayed there last time, I was there for three months. I loved that they let me have my dogs there…

    Here’s a website, if you want to check it out:
    http://www.alamoriver.com/

    I cannot WAIT to get there full time.

    • Alice
      May 5, 2013, 9:34 pm

      Hi, Alex. I’m a disbled senior (?58) with a disabilility; your advice to keep a positive attitude really helped me. Such a process is a scary and multi-faceted adventure, so much harder than merely consulting the real estate ads. Pep talk like yours keep me from trashing this dream as impractical, given my constraints. So, thanks for all you do.
      Alice

    • Jeb
      September 11, 2013, 3:33 am

      Hi Wendy,
      My name is Jeb and I’m new to this site. I read you post and was wondering if you knew for sure if Alamo River resort accepts tiny homes on their property (and if so, how long will they allow you to stay there). I emailed them yesterday and am waiting on a response. I live in Austin and am looking to have a tiny home built within the next 6 months. Have you had your home built yet?
      Thanks,
      Jeb

    • Jeb
      September 11, 2013, 3:37 am

      Hi Wendy,
      My name is Jeb and I am new to this site. I read your post and was wondering if you knew for sure if the Alamo River resort accepted tiny homes on their property (and if so, how long will they allow you to stay). I live in Austin and am looking to build a tiny home within the next 6 months. I would definitely move to San Antonio if long term parking were available there. Did you ever get your tiny home built?
      Thanks!
      Jeb

  • Barb
    June 5, 2013, 12:19 am

    Hi everyone. I am new to the tiny newsletter and blog life, but I’ve been in love with tiny houses since I was a child (53 years ago!). There’s something uniquely quaint about cozy wooden cabins, calming and refreshing escape from the rat race, almost as comforting as being coddled in mama’s arms after you fall off your bicycle with a skinned knee.

    I am a mother of 4 teen/young adults and I have 13 Papillons and a husband of 27 years in a 2100 square foot home in Florida. (Wanna get away???)

    For my midlife crisis resolution, I decided to take my life savings and buy a piece of land on a mountain in North Carolina. I also designed and purchased the materials for a 12x12x12 log cabin to stay under permitting regulations there. I’ve been trying to get back up there since December, but weather and finances have been obstacles.

    I come from a family of do-it-yourself-ers and I’m almost done working on enclosing a 6×10 trailer I bought in January to help bring supplies to the mountain in the clouds. Rather than have it look like a plywood landscape trailer (which it is, basically) I designed it to LOOK like a tiny house, but it will remain a utility trailer. Being my car can only tow 3000 lbs, it is only a single axle and I need to reserve capacity for hauling furnishings & tools so cheap (or free!) and ultra-lightweight are essential. You may view my progress photos here: https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=cfe8a81d15311ac5&page=browse&resid=CFE8A81D15311AC5!191&parid=CFE8A81D15311AC5!103&authkey=!ApCzhmFWL43zy7g&Bpub=SDX.SkyDrive&Bsrc=Share&sc=Photos&type=5

    As for the land I found, it started with the concept of returning to a more simplified life, a homestead, as it were. Someplace where one can unwind, roll up your sleeves & get back to nature. I come from a large family (not only the one I created with my husband, but also my roots) and we’ve all dreamed about ‘some day’ having a large piece of land and all living in our own cabins. Well, with my parents in their 80’s, my siblings scattered across the USA with lives/families of their own, I don’t see the family dream coming to fruition as such…enter my mid-life crisis mountain cabin solution…..After I get the first 12×12 built, I plan on building an outhouse, a workshop, a garden/greenhouse, a spring house (we found a natural spring!). Ultimately, I’d like to grow it into a homestead where tiny housers could come & rent & work with me. Just a dream at this point, but hey, last summer, I had no land, no trailer, no building materials, so ALOT can happen in a couple of seasons if you put your mind to it!

    As for building codes, the land I have is unincorporated (outside city limits) and therefore if a building is under 12′ in any direction, it is outside of permit requirements. Also, the only restriction I know of is no mobile homes. But with our own spring water, and a few solar panels & batteries, and a gazebo by the creek, or an outdoor kitchen pavilion, who needs restrictions???

    Anyway, I’ve been much encouraged by your discussions and I hope that if I can get my slope of mountain tamed enough, I can invite tiny house dwellers to come visit/stay off-grid a while! (At least until the Rapture!)

    Just puttin’ it out there…any ideas?

    • Jeb
      September 11, 2013, 3:46 am

      Barb,
      I love your dream! It inspires me to dream as well!
      I currently live in Austin TX and am looking to have my tiny home built within the next 6 months (the good Lord willing : )
      I lived in NC for 5 years in the mid 90’s near the coast and it sure was beautiful. I’m a chicken when it comes to the cold weather so in my mind, you are very brave to rough it in those NC mountains!
      Many wishes that your dreams come true : )
      Jeb

      • Barb D
        September 12, 2013, 8:40 am

        Aww, shucks, thanks, Jeb. Once I get it up & running, everyone’s invited.
        I arrived in NC in mid-June 2013 and despite the rainiest July on record, I’ve made some great progress. I built all the walls & flooring foundation at my brother’s house on the same road as my cabin site. We had a friend carry the walls down the road on his tractor & trailer. Then he used his tractor to push the walls up into vertical & we secured them into place. That was back on Aug 16th.
        It is really coming along. Yesterday, Sept 11, we finished the roof! All tin panels installed & now we’re concentrating on finishing installing the windows/doors I’d collected from Habitat for Humanity’s Re-Store and then we’re on to mounting the log siding. After it’s all enclosed, I’m heading back to Florida to catch up on reality. Then I’ll come back up in a month or so to do some interior work like wiring, insulation & wall paneling.

        For some REALLY great photos and tutorial videos of the entire progress, you can go here: http://sdrv.ms/14ItE2h
        I will also pretty-up the photo collection and post it all in order with comments at my blog site: http://www.in-the-clouds.net

        Thanks for dreaming with me!
        ~~Barb

        • Alex
          September 12, 2013, 11:30 am

          Hey Barb, cool project. Thanks a bunch of sharing. Congrats on getting roof done yesterday too! Looking really good. Keep us updated. I’m in FL too. Wouldn’t mind getting some land in NC for a tiny house either. Dreamy set up! 😀

        • Bab
          September 13, 2013, 9:00 pm

          Hey Alex,
          THANKS for the congrats! Coming from you, that means something to me! I’ve been meaning to enter my progress photo link on tinyhousetalk.com for others to follow, want to re-post my 2 descriptions above to another thread rather than the “where to park” category? I don’t know how to do it, but I’d sure like some comments from your readers as to how I’m doing or what improvements they may suggest.

          My ‘real’ residence is in Boynton Beach, with 4 grown children, 13 papillon dogs, 3 puppy papillons & my husband of 27 years. Where are you in Fla?

          Feel free to contact me via email if it gets ‘too personal’ to post here.

          Looking forward to ‘talking’ with you more.

          ~~Barb

        • Alex
          September 14, 2013, 12:35 pm

          Sure I’d love to repost some of your progress/descriptions. Maybe in a new post.

          Boynton Beach, that’s great. I’m not far on the other coast in Naples FL.

    • Holly
      March 19, 2014, 3:10 am

      Fantastic idea, and I believe that the groundwork is already in place for you to do it! There is a network of homesteads/organic farms that create a chain of locations across the country for people to come and work in exchange for room and board. It’s called WWOOFing (World Wide Organization of Organic Farmers, visit http://www.wwoofusa.org/), and it’s already well established. I’m about to embark on my first wwoofing experience in the summer, because I too am very interested in homesteading. In fact, my ideal situation is exactly what you’re proposing- the wwoofing system of trading labor for room and board, but instead being put up in their home/barn/campsite, I’d love to find a place to park my tiny house for the 2-6 months I apprentice there! Then, together, we create a beautiful homestead!

      Please connect with me at [email protected] if you’d like to chat. I’d love to help you see your dream to fruition!
      Holly

      • Alex
        March 19, 2014, 1:01 pm

        Thanks Holly

        • Vicki
          June 25, 2016, 9:30 am

          It is pretty hard to communicate with people on these posts over a 4 year span. Links don’t go anyplace. It is a waste of time to have all these dates mixed up, and looking for the most recent for needed info. So I give up because I’m out of time.

    • Dawn
      August 20, 2014, 1:19 am

      Barb,

      How is the build going? I am interested in simplifying my life so that I can focus on things that matter like my son, family and friends. I am not in a position to buy or build anything. I am interested in starting my simplification process by paring down my material possessions. Do you have any other ideas? God Bless!

      Dawn

  • Jerilyn Atkinson
    September 29, 2013, 5:51 pm

    Good evening I have purchased several of the books on building my Tiny house whether its on wheels or land doesn’t really matter to me. But everybody I talk to here in Indiana think I’m crazy the bank won’t loan me less than $40000 for a house , the realtor keeps finding mee some good some choices but it’s to low for a loan. I really want to be debt free so if I can find a house 600ft for little less than $20000 why would I want to go more. I’m alone and can’t do stairs but wouldn’t mind a loft for visitors (grandsons). I live in apartments but it’s getting worse for elderly and health issues when it gets raided @7:30pm. Any advice on how to get free stuff or land just a couple acres I’d be happy I have a job and want to get everything pd before I retire. Thanks for any help

  • Blondell Lehocki
    October 28, 2013, 1:04 pm

    I am purchasing land in New Mexico and I am very willing to share it. You will need an incinerating toilet as composting is not an option. Here is the link http://incinolet.com/. You will need to create a grey water system. They are very easy. You will need solar. http://www.altestore.com/store/Packaged-Systems/c447/?campaign=SolarPanels&gclid=COTpscKAuroCFc-Y4AodnBsA7A. There will be a community Garden involved. It is better to live in a small group rather than alone. You never know when you may need help. The idea is to look out for each other and still have your own space. Will be very happy to chat with you about the possibilities here. Have been told lots are about 17 to 18 miles from town. Will be going to Taos New Mexico area to look at the lots.

    • Alex Pino
      October 28, 2013, 5:33 pm

      Thanks!

    • March 15, 2014, 9:14 pm

      Blondell, I’ll keep you in mind. I did some researching some years ago on weather patterns. Where you’re going, is ideal temperature for summer. I was looking at Questa. When it’s hot as the dickens all around in the Southwest, it’s always cooler in Questa, New Mexico. It’s the valley it’s in. This valley which extends up into Colorado is somehow protected from the heat. I mean summer after summer. I watched it on The Weather Channel for 8 years straight. ” It’s Always Cool in Questa.” I’m thinking about a tiny house, but I’d need permanent land to rent on; unless I bought my own land. And I don’t want the landowner deciding to up and sell one day or croaking on me. I ain’t stupid. I’ll think about it. A tiny house is a great idea when you’re single and alone. Bye for now. Rudy

    • Kathy
      July 28, 2014, 9:24 pm

      Have you found property?

  • Barbara
    February 3, 2014, 9:34 am

    I am currently gathering information/ideas for owning a tiny home. I will want my tiny home located in central Florida somewhere near/around the west coast. Do you know of a place in/near this area where I can place my tiny home. I’ve thought of purchasing a small lot, say <.25 acres or finding a place that is not too expensive to rent. Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

    • D F
      September 3, 2015, 3:30 pm

      Lease available for secluded acreage with power and water available in Hawthorne, Fl. It’s 20 minutes to Gainesville and 30 minutes to Ocala.

      • Mountain Girl
        June 24, 2016, 3:57 pm

        DF, curious about the duration, cost and is there sewer in the lease? Tiny has been built, now looking to move to north FL and need somewhere to put the Rose Tree Tiny while we look. Please let me know. Thanks!

  • Maria
    February 5, 2014, 8:47 pm

    Buying a piece of land is expensive. You have to pay property taxes on it every year.. You have to have money to put in water,electric and a septic tank. You need to have insurance on your tiny home. living in a rv park is expensive too. you really have to weigh things out before you build or buy a tiny house.

    • Tonita
      August 20, 2014, 12:03 pm

      Maria,
      Your point is well taken. There are always costs involved. If you own your own land like I do you still may not be able to live in your tiny house on your land. Bringing in utilities to undeveloped land is also costly but can vary hugely in different parts of the country. Then there is the option of just buying and already built very small stick built home in a state with low property taxes. No headaches trying to find legal parking, no rent to pay for parking and just a small mortgage if that. By the time someone builds a decent tiny house they seem to be spending in the ballpark of $20-30K for it. For about 50K ish give or take, you can find lots of little homes across America, near or in town and in rural areas for sale where you can own your own home and the land. Land /property taxes would potentially cost you less than renting a spot for a mobile tiny house. Lots of advantages to this like not having to move if your landlord sells the property you are parked on, no need to worry about a neighbor complaining. Work towards paying your mortgage off quickly and sleep in peace at night.

      • May 26, 2015, 1:32 pm

        Maria your comment makes SO MUCH SENSE. And after owning a tiny home and not being able to use it on my unincorporated land in King County WA (same county as Seattle) that is a very private dead end gravel road with minimal traffic in the country which backed up to the woods at the base of Mt Rainer. Never mind me paying up to 5K a year in property taxes some years. Sounds like a perfect spot for a tiny home right? NOT- Not only a state that rapes you for property tax , but illegal to sleep in my tiny home even one night on my land. SIGH. I am not as big of fan of tiny homes mostly due to the headaches of finding a legal peaceable place to live in them that is NOT in a tiny house or mobile home community. They might work well for those that are not concerned about having to move once a neighbor or county official is on to you. Unless one wants to move their tiny home to different locations and start the looking for legal parking over and over then I agree with you that it makes way more sense to buy an already built small home on your own land. Or find a place that will allow you to build your own tiny or small cottage on your own land. I am shocked at the prices of some of the current tiny homes – you can buy a home on land for less than many of the tiny homes cost these days. Oh, and just because you buy un restricted land it in NO WAY means you can park and live in your tiny home on that land. Do your research before your tiny home dream is a headache.

  • Ryan
    April 22, 2014, 3:17 pm

    I know posting here is a long shot, but I’m trying everything to find a place at least for building my tiny house around Rochester NY (though I’ll eventually need a place to park it for living, too). Living in an apartment currently so I don’t have the land to set the trailer on.

    If anyone out there has some land that could work, give me a shout via my craigslist posting about this: http://rochester.craigslist.org/wan/4434886363.html

    • Judie
      May 7, 2014, 10:40 pm

      Ryan,

      I sure hope that you find something! Let me know if you do – I need some home that this can be done in NY! I’d love to find a spot myself.

  • JC
    June 8, 2014, 6:04 pm

    I dont own a home but I rent ( everyone I know with a house are up to their eyeballs with debt and are basically mortgage poor) I’m totally in love with the tiny homes and the ultra low maintenance on one. I’m planning on buying/building one in the near future – I hope!
    The biggest obstacle is – no doubt – where to put one and I think that’s the reason I see so many tiny homes for sale. I’m 51 and doing everything possible to retire early. So far RV parks are the only places I can fine that will accept one of these homes (on wheels classified RV’s)…these RV parks have monthly leases and some are outrageous (here in South Florida a whopping $700 a month average but you have access to all the RV parks perks such as a pool, community house, full laundry facilities, etc)
    I read here people wanting to live in remote areas, its a wonderful dream, but as you get older you need to be near doctors, hospitals and the like – this is something you have to seriously consider and A LOT of people dont add that to their equation.

  • Charlie
    June 23, 2014, 4:38 pm

    Would and 1 acre or 1 1/2 acre plot of land big enought for a 12×24 tiny house
    Thanks charlie

  • bstein
    July 17, 2014, 7:57 pm

    First you have to build a tiny home on a trailer to get around home size laws. Then for the most part it sounds like you can’t even live in it on your own land in most places.

    And one commenter was offering space for $350 a month.

    No seeing the appeal anymore. It sounds near impossible to find a place to park it.

    If you ask me maybe the movement can change to a tree house movement.

  • Stacy B
    July 21, 2014, 5:46 pm

    Thanks everyone for your thoughts!
    Does anyone have land between Gaviota and Ventura California? This is where I’d like to put my tiny house, but I’m not getting a tiny house until I hae secured a space for it. This is a new concept for most people and it’s frustrating as hell because it’s such a simple easy way to live and I’m surprised more people haven’t jumped on board but I have faith it will happen! If you have land available, Please keep posting it thanks!!

    • Barbara Kvi
      September 3, 2014, 10:45 pm

      Stacy B:
      I am looking for parking in the Carpinteria area. Have you had any luck in your search? If you come across some place that doesn’t fit your needs, I’d really appreciate you passing along any leads to me. I will of course reciprocate. My email is [email protected].

      If anyone else reading the comments knows about land for rent or a few acres for sale just south of Santa Barbara, I’ll appreciate your effort in getting that information to me.

      Thanks , Barbara

  • Kathy
    July 28, 2014, 9:00 pm

    I. have recently been introduced to the Tiny Home movement due to an article I read in the newspaper here in Toronto. Since then I have been steadily looking at photos and articles to gather more information for howI can manage going this route.

    From what I have read its almost like you are an outlaw and may have to pick up an leave in the middle of the night as municipalities, townships, city’s and states do not allow ‘off the grid’ housing.

    I am fully aware that this would. not be an option for Toronto and never permitted and actually my goal would be to have a retirement property i. a hot climate, i.e. Florida, CA, etc and also safety would be of issue. I understand Florida does not allow off grid housing. I am looking to purchase the land and looking not to be in a trailer park situation, sandwiched between others. A beautiful setting is a must. I am open to anything safe, beautiful and though a tiny home would work, also interested in small with hydro hook up and hooked to well/sewage. I realize this is a more expensive route to go.

    It would be gratefully appreciated any advice that can be given by those who have gone this route? I will need to find someone to build a home that would be affordable and usable. Camping cabin is not what I can realistically live in for 5 or 6 months of the year.

    I loved this home and would be thrilled to have a tiny home like this one(though cant figure out how you save these homes from hurricanes)!!
    http://tinyhouseswoon.com/st-george-island-tiny-house/#more-7927

    this type is wonderful as well

    http://www.idesignarch.com/rustic-modern-tiny-house-for-tall-people/

    any advice or referrals for how to buy land, build a tiny home, maybe on grid to make life a whole lot easier with the ‘law’ would be so helpful.

    • D F
      September 3, 2015, 3:27 pm

      Long term lease available for acreage with power and water in Hawthorne, Fl. It’s 20 minutes to Gainesville and 30 minutes to Ocala.

  • Don Deane
    August 31, 2014, 12:36 am

    We have a beautiful 20 acre campground and Rv park in the Tahoe National Forest in Camptonville California and would like to rent some spaces to tiny houses. If you are interested please email me at
    [email protected]

  • Elise
    February 27, 2015, 3:19 pm

    If everyone is having similar problems finding somewhere to “park” their tiny home, perhaps we could all try solving this problem together? My idea is not complete, and is probably quite naive, but maybe we could begin establishing tiny house communities where tiny house owners can live legally?
    It’s essentially the same idea as a trailer park, but tiny house people don’t strike me as the stereotypical trailer park type. One property, ideally situated, multiple tiny houses “parked” as well within the law as possible, and the only fee is to cover a share of the property tax (and water/electricity, etc.)
    The benefits are that house owners can share building ideas, maintenance tricks, and spread the word of other tiny-house-friendly areas. As well as watch for one another as neighbors do, protecting against break-ins or, God forbid, fires.
    I’m sure there are problems I haven’t thought of yet, but I think communities like this could make tiny house living a little more practical.

    • June 27, 2015, 6:56 am

      I agree…let’s establish tiny house communities. Please let me know what I can do to assist with this movement.

    • D F
      September 3, 2015, 3:24 pm

      We own 22 acres and are acquiring the 34 acres next to us. I’m open to the idea of providing the land for a tiny house community. We are between Gainesville and Ocala, Florida.

      • Frank Berry
        November 13, 2015, 8:16 am

        I’m getting serious about tinyhomes now…have an opportunity to work with a mature TH builder perhaps fairly close to FL in TN.

        I am trying to be “a marketing arm” for this gentleman..who builds really nice TH’s…and I’ve seen them all.

        Let’s communicate. Have you gone though your township to see how “many hurdles must be jumped over” as yet for tiny living?

      • Keri
        August 30, 2017, 2:17 pm

        Hello,
        I know this is two years later – but did you ever buy that 34 acres and start to provide land for tiny houses? I am buying one next month and planning on moving to Florida.

  • Jennifer
    June 4, 2015, 9:03 pm

    Hi, guys! Building a tiny house is something I’ve seriously considered the last year or so and I’m hopeful but not quite sure if it’s possible for me. Can anyone point me in the right direction and who I could speak with to see if it’s a possible solution for me? I would be doing it mostly by myself with some help from a family member who is a contractor and realize it may take me quite some time to finish it. Thanks!
    Jennifer

  • andrea
    June 14, 2015, 8:35 pm

    Great idea!

  • Kat Harmeyer
    June 30, 2015, 9:33 am

    Hello Im new here-Im 52 and lost my home due to job loss a year ago (held a fed gov job since 2004) Beings its just me I’m avidly looking at the tiny home movement many questions as to where in OH IN or KY to park it? Toilets ones that flush or compost? I considered eventually buying a condo but if I can live cheaper with just the basics and eliminate luxury I’m fine with that too. You find out after loss you don’t need luxury! And Im frugal so Id recycle old items to my needs I have also considered the metal shipping containers to make into a tiny home as well……..or an old silo as I like the round look inside and out.Any feedback is greatly appreciated on any tiny home subject!

    • September 4, 2015, 10:56 pm

      I own a trailer park in NE Ohio and I would love to have Tiny Homes in my park. These are classified as RVs and I am allowed to have 4 of them in the Community. Many parks have no restrictions on the number of Tiny Homes/RVs they can have. For those of you who think trailer parks are awful places to live, don’t paint the industry with the same brush. Some really are terrible and others are quite nice. Mine is the latter. As for lot rents, they reflect prices in the area. If rents and property prices are high, so are lot rents. Lot rent, if you own your home free and clear, should be easily affordable for most any budget. One advantage that trailer parks have over RV parks is that we operate all year with winterized utilities. Also, many of us have full concrete pads which is great for people with mobility problems. If you are interested in low-cost living in a small and well-run Community, check out http://www.wheathill.net. You would be welcome to live there.

    • September 4, 2015, 10:59 pm

      Kat,
      My Community is in OH and I would love to have Tiny Homes in it. We operate year-round and THs are legal to park and live in. Check out http://www.wheathill.net and contact me if you have questions.
      Rolf

    • Misty
      April 25, 2016, 1:57 pm

      Check tinyhouselistings.com and ebay, if only for ideas. I like some of what I have seen.

  • regina
    July 15, 2015, 8:49 pm

    Helloo, been planning for a year. Went from a 3bdr,3b 2700 sq ft home to a 2 bdr apt. Now I am going to remodel a trailer. I am a general contractor, had 8 homes as rental property. The trailer has 2 bdr but on wheels. I start this weekend 07/18/15. I am so excited that I could scream. Rent free. And then in one year I will build my own home on a trailer. If I can build a garage with ac/heat/bathroom. This is going to be great. Yes, I am a single female and I cant wait to do this.

  • Sonja
    July 28, 2015, 2:09 pm

    At the end of this week, I am closing on 7.6 acres in rural West Virginia with a creek! Unrestricted zoning, off of a black top road, surrounded by tall trees.
    My partner and I absolutely love the idea of a tiny house.
    I am looking for a *property host*, one tiny house owner who would temporarily (up to 6 months –depends on person, haven’t worked that thought out completely) lease a space on my property for only $250/month + work on the property.
    Utilities: Electric only at first !!!
    Permit for well and septic already obtained but will take a while.

    • Doree
      September 4, 2015, 5:57 pm

      Hello. We would love to hear more about your land. Looking for a space to put a cabin wall tent.
      Thank you
      J&D

      • DF
        September 5, 2015, 10:44 am

        Contact me by sending an email to friendde AT gmail dot com
        I will then provide my phone number.

        Thx

  • D F
    September 3, 2015, 3:18 pm

    We have over 20 secluded acres available for rent with power and water in Hawthorne, Florida. It’s approximately 20 minutes to Gainesville and 30 minutes to Ocala. Horse trails, bike trail, etc. Adjacent to wildlife management area with 30,000 acres of deer, turkey, rabbits etc.

    • Joe & Doree
      September 4, 2015, 5:08 pm

      We a are interested. Please contact us with more info.

      • DF
        September 5, 2015, 10:46 am

        Send your email address to friendde AT gmail dot com. I will respond with my phone number.

  • Aguirre
    September 4, 2015, 5:04 pm

    Thank you for this site it has helped us tremendously !!!!!!

    Hello we are looking for a property to place and live in a wall tent. Any ideas would be greatly appreciate. Has anyone considered Mexico or other countries. Wondering how hard that might be to find.

  • Kim Semeniuk
    September 5, 2015, 5:56 am

    I’m on the side of moving forward and working out the details asking the way. I’m not afraid of blazing the trail. If there is a need to solve a problem, then work on it. Here is a great example of an entrepreneur that is building a tiny home community in Kingston Ontario. I’m interested because this is where my mother lives. Maybe we can learn from them. In then mean time, I’m meeting with Tampa Tiny Homes to build my tiny house. I pan to start in an RV park and go from there. If you don’t start, then gotta can you ever accomplish your dream.

  • Madeline
    September 8, 2015, 8:57 am

    I am a single woman looking to retire in a few years. I love the tiny houses however; I want to be in the city. I have lived out in the country before and it is not for me. I need independent film, museums, international cuisine, etc. In addition, I am starting to look at micro apartments. They will have a better resale value. I for one could not live under the shadow of officials coming to give me sitations.

  • Rhiannon
    September 17, 2015, 11:08 pm

    I live in Columbus, Ohio and I am looking for a place to park a camper (building a tiny house right now isn’t feasible but I want to live tiny) obviously I would need an electric outlet and water spicket to hook up to. I would prefer a backyard or something rather than a trailer park and obviously I would pay rent, so if anyone lives in my are or has friends here please get back to me! Thanks All!!

    • Misty
      April 3, 2016, 8:38 pm

      There are tiny living vacation options on this site and elsewhere that you can rent to find out if it’s for you. A free option, recommended on this site is to measure and mark off a space, using tiny home dimensions in your home and move the items into it that you would want/need in your home. Anything that can’t fit must be gotten rid of or adapted to fit it in the “home”, like using vertical space as much as possible, and cutting out wasted space.

  • Jonathan
    October 24, 2015, 5:11 pm

    I’m building a off the grid tiny house and I need a place to park, build and live in in Detroit, Michigan area contact me at [email protected] willing to pay $200 a month with no utility’s thanks

    Jon

    • Misty
      April 3, 2016, 8:06 pm

      I wish you luck, unfortunately, Michigan seems to be one of the most regulated states, based on my experience. I have heard that there are areas in Michigan, where if one has an agreement with a traditional homeowner, one can rent a space on the property. Maybe posting on Craigslist or in the paper would help open up options beyond your own networking. Some have suggested Walmart parking lots as free viable options, although not ideal. I would like to learn how things work out for you, to help with my own search for a spot to park a tiny home in Michigan. I am in Muskegon and there aren’t a lot of option around here, so far.

      • April 3, 2016, 8:17 pm

        Check out mobile home communities in your area and not just RV parks. Many communities are beautiful places to live and can accept Tiny Homes. I own a park in NE Ohio and am allowed to have up to 4 RVs or THs and I’d love to have them in my community.

      • Misty
        April 3, 2016, 8:26 pm

        I forgot to include campgrounds. I have a listing for them that can be found at MichCampgrounds.com. I found nothing in Detroit and nothing in the surrounding areas is year round. Leasing space on a commercial property may be an option, but neither of these ideas is likely to fit within your price point.

  • June 24, 2016, 3:16 pm

    I’d like to do this, in America everything is positive you can do, but I have too many obstacles to overcome even here in Italy where everyting is difficult. But I am positive and I know that one day I could even realize what is on paper.!!??

  • Rhonda Hallet
    June 25, 2016, 2:13 am

    I have property that I own and I am trying to establish a Tiny House community. I have septic, water and electric hookup for 3 houses and water and electric for 3 more; They would have to use a composting toilet. There is room for a community garden, community composting, etc. The property is beautifully wooded with dogwood trees and azaleas. I am located 12 miles from the Atlantic Ocean with many miles of beaches a short distance away. Currently we have one Tiny home and we want to add more. We are located in rural Eastern NC. If you are interested in looking at a space, please contact me by email at [email protected]. The land is zoned for livestock so chickens, goats, horses are not a problem. It may be just what you are looking for.

  • Kay
    August 20, 2016, 4:15 pm

    Your Tiny home My property- I have 65 acres halfway between Austin and Houston Texas. There are nice Live oak trees and a large pond 8 to 15 acres depending on rain.
    I have water and electric hook up (no septic). US- looking for a couple who might want to park on our property in exchange for help
    around the farm. Tell us what you are good at. Organic gardening and/or cooking would be a plus. Jewish would be a plus as we keep the Biblical Sabbath and do not work or allow work (on the property) on Saturdays. You- must be on wheels so our property taxes don’t increase. It’s beautiful and quiet. For a great match some salary can
    be negotiated. [email protected]

  • Old Bates Campground
    September 15, 2016, 9:35 am

    We love the tiny house movment and welcome them to our RV park. Their are areas that are great for gardens and we allow chickens (hens only) We are located near Rend Lake in Sesser IL. All of our spots include water, sewer, trash and a few select spots include cable and your own 50Mb internet. Rates range from $125-$350 per month plus electric. So give us a call
    (618) 625-6250

  • Denise Azbill
    July 19, 2017, 3:12 pm

    Hi! Your houses look so awesome! Except, I live in Las Vegas, NV, and I want to move to southern Utah and am having difficulty finding a place to put it. I’ve tried several mobile home parks and they don’t want them there. Help! Thanks!

  • Lani
    August 20, 2017, 4:46 pm

    I’m looking for a place to park and live in a tiny home. New to this and look forward to any advice. I’m outside of Park City, UT

  • September 3, 2017, 4:54 am

    Nice response in return of this matter with real arguments and describing all about that.

  • nikki tanzer
    September 18, 2017, 7:24 pm

    Hi
    I am searching for a location to keep a tiny house in San Antonio, Texas.

    Thank you for your help
    Nikki

  • gregory schmidt
    February 16, 2019, 3:10 pm

    looking for a place to park our tiny home. east Tennessee preferred. we are very clean and organized.we have a service dog also.thanks greg

  • Mia Ballard
    October 17, 2019, 4:42 pm

    My situation is very unique compared to many of you. I am not looking for myself, though in my line of work here in Georgia I come across many people that (some) other agents turn away. I am an Army Veteran which after I served, was employed as a Family Readiness Support Coordinator for close to a decade while my husband served. I love helping others and found my calling to do so by helping others that need it. I met a sweet lady that is disabled with amazing credit, however she is unable to work due to her disability. She was approved for a very small amount to purchase a home and it isn’t much here in the state of Georgia. I am racking my brain on how I can help her achieve her dream of homeownership before her lease is up in a couple of months.

    Her approved amount will barely cover the tiny house but qualifies for down payment assistance. The next hurdle is to find a piece of land in which she will be able to live on with paying lot/community fees! This may be a long shot but does anyone know of a company or other ways to be able to do this. I know this is a long shot but I am not leaving any stones unturned.

    Do any of you know places in the Georgia Counties: Fulton, Dekalb, Clayton, or Douglas that have assistance or knowledgeable humans that could point me in the right direction before the holidays? If not thank you for tuning in thus far! God Bless.

    Mia Ballard
    [email protected]
    404-617-7347

  • July 13, 2021, 12:39 pm

    Thank you for the useful information! I would like to start building a house on a large plot, because I want to have a horse. This information is very relevant to me. I’m weighing all the pros and cons of tiny houses. Thank you again!

  • Kathy
    May 9, 2022, 11:24 am

    Looking for spot to park tiny house in Ft Collins, La Porte area

    • Cad
      June 6, 2022, 11:36 pm

      I am also looking for a spot around Ft Collins area for tiny home. Anywhere along the front range.

  • January 18, 2023, 9:48 pm

    Do you have to buy the land or rent it every time? is there any time where i can just find a open field and park?

    • James D.
      January 18, 2023, 11:49 pm

      Vehicle rest stops work for overnight and BLM land allows you to park for up to 2 weeks at a time but can just move to another spot to reset for another 2 weeks… There’s also parks where you can get permits to camp at for up to the whole year, as long as you can live off-grid…

  • Otto Classen
    April 5, 2023, 6:02 pm

    Your advice on finding a reputable garage door repair company has saved me a lot of time and frustration. Thank you!

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