It’s the Aussie dream to own your own property and now that fantasy is closer than ever. You can go online to buy your clothes, weekly groceries and while you’re there, you can also add a Tiny House to your shopping cart.

A tiny house is, as its name suggests, a smaller version of a regular house. A tiny house is defined as a property less than 37 square metres – compared to a standard home that is on average around 230 square metres.

These mini-homes are often built on wheels and can be easily placed on a trailer so it can be portable. As a result, a tiny house is generally classed as a caravan so wouldn’t need any specific council approval.

Demand For A Tiny House

In Australia, there is a growing demand for smaller, more efficient living. People are looking for a more minimalistic lifestyle with a reduced carbon footprint. The tiny house is also a more affordable housing option, as the price of property skyrockets all around us.

Sarah Rohdich, Co-Founder & Operations Manager of Häuslein Tiny House Co, which has recently entered the Australian market spoke to savings.com.au saying:

“You can buy a “very nice” tiny house for less than $100,000,” which is roughly 10 times cheaper than the median house price in Sydney and seven times cheaper than the median unit.

“A tiny house is in many ways a ‘common sense’ investment, especially with the Australian housing market as it currently is, and particularly for those looking to break into property ownership without bearing the burden of a draining 30 year mortgage,” she told the publication.

Debt-Free

“To begin with, a tiny house has a much smaller overall price tag, enabling owners to become debt free in as little as three-five years.

“And in a short space of time, a large percentage of their income will be freed up to pursue other things.”

Buy Your Tiny House Online

And now you can buy your very own tiny home with a few clicks. Aussie Tiny House, has recently started selling their mini properties on Amazon Australia.

“Aussies are looking for more affordable and sustainable ways to get on the property ladder and since setting up our business over 3 years ago, sales have doubled every year and the interest in Tiny Houses and alternative living has been growing exponentially,” said Fabio Paulucci, Managing Director of Aussie Tiny Houses.

What’s Inside A Tiny House?

There are currently four tiny homes on offer online – ranging from the COOLUM 6.0, which costs an economical $67,088 (plus $3,500 in shipping).

The cute home comes with a kitchen complete with generous bench space and full height pantry storage. There’s a robe cupboard, washing machine insert and space for a full-height fridge.

The 1-meter wide bathroom has a shower, vanity and toilet and there is a day bed in the living space which converts into a single or pull-out King Bed option with 2 large storage drawers under.

The most expensive tiny house option on Amazon is the COOGEE 7.2 which is priced at $88,638 plus shipping.

This is a bit of mansion of a tiny house, in that it offers access to the loft via a storage stair in the living space. It has high ceilings and plenty of windows. The bathroom has a shower, toilet, vanity and a space for a washing machine under the vanity benchtop.

The kitchen has a 3.2-meter-long benchtop and plenty of storage. There is a lounge area with space for a couch and coffee table as well as a king bed in the loft.

A Tiny House may not be right for you

But life is not all cupcakes and rainbows with a tiny house. In fact, living in a tiny house would be a nightmare for many and that before you jump into the purchase, buyers need to seriously consider the reality of downsizing.

“Many of us do crave a simpler life and a tiny house can definitely help with that but it’s important to think through the practicalities,” Ms Rohdich said.

Another issue to consider is that when you buy a tiny house, it doesn’t come bundled with attached land.

But because tiny homes are legally classed as caravans, owners can ‘park’ a tiny house in the backyard of an existing property or even in a holiday park, without gaining council approval.

Restrictions

However, in some states, there are rules as to how long occupants can live in a tiny home. For example, in Queensland, there are restrictions around who lives in them – it needs to be members associated with people in the main dwelling. You can’t just rent it out to people who aren’t related to you.

A tiny house “can also be placed on a vacant block if it is used no more than 60 days per year and no more than 48 hours at a time, without any council approval required,” added Ms Rohdich.

Would you downsize to a tiny house? Tell us in the comments below.