Tiny Homes, or at least small homes that are well under 1,000 square feet, are becoming more and more popular. A handful of builders in Brunswick County have added their version of a tiny home to their repertoire of construction plans. One builder has so many under construction right now, he has had to stop writing up new contracts for the rest of 2021!
840 SF Tiny Home by Drake Construction
They are certainly more affordable to build than a traditional sized home. The square footage and smaller footprint also make them lower maintenance. I can clean 600-850 square feet in a lot less time than 1,200 to 1,800 square feet, right? And, I don’t think it’s just Millennials who are transitioning from the 20th Century mindset of “he who dies with the most toys wins” to a more simplistic 21st Century lifestyle. Retirees are also downsizing to these budget friendly, easy-to-care-for homes so they can relax and enjoy their golden years without shelling out all their gold.
Tiny homes are no longer confined to the size of a pull-behind camper. They have expanded in size to better accommodate full time residency as well as offering a choice of styles. There is the cute craftsman/farmhouse style and the more modern cargo style. The edgier, industrial trend is expanding in the Wilmington market known as The Cargo District. The approximately 600 square foot homes made of shipping containers make up a uniquely styled community of nine units. Commercial buildings are also expanding their retail or office space by adding cargo containers to their existing buildings.
Wilmington Cargo District
Open concept interior of Drake Construction’s tiny home
In the 2021 Commercial Real Estate Issue of Wilmington Biz Magazine, Rob Romero, the Cargo District architect, linked his design inspiration to Wilmington’s shipping history. A little further south on the Cape Fear River, Southport shares this same history. I wonder if there is room for a Cargo District community in Southport amongst the treasured, historic homes? With the cost of lumber, this may be an economical option!
If you would like to discover more about tiny homes, visit the following links,
https://www.wect.com/2020/08/26/project-hotdog-plans-expansion-cargo-district-submitted-wilmington/
https://issuu.com/wilmbiz/docs/biz-mag-re21-commercial
About Nolan Formalarie
Nolan Formalarie has been in the North Carolina Real Estate Industry for over 8 years and enjoys every minute of it. He is involved in every aspect of the industry including selling and purchasing residential property, home watch services, property management, association management and construction.
