The idea of this cozy, less expensive housing solution has caught on in the last decade. The term “tiny home” seems to be used as a catch all for these types of homes. The range of prices for the structures themselves generally seems to be between $30,000 to $85,000 for basics models in Washington state. Add features and, of course, the land to put them on, and that price rises exponentially.
These homes can be a good solution for many, however, the point of this blog is that the idea of a tiny home should be explored with caution. There is nothing magic about them – they need the same infrastructure as any other housing: a legitimate water source, a legitimate electrical source and a septic or sewer system to manage waste. From my experience as a real estate broker, I have heard (especially from sellers of hard to develop parcels) – oh, just install one of those tiny homes.
My first stop when considering if a tiny home is a good fit would be the county or city permitting office. This will be the first of many stops, but be prepared with your parcel number, address, the specs on the structure you wish to build or bring onto the property and any other information you think is relevant. If it is a structure that was built anywhere but the site, WA State department of Labor and Industries are involved in the inspection process. Here is a link to some useful information: https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/manufactured-modular-mobile-structures/tiny-homes/#building-a-tiny-house
Some areas that historically would never consider this type of structure are embracing them due to a shortage of affordable housing. Seattle comes to mind – there has been a push toward ADUs and DADUs in just the last few years.
Olympia Real Estate Blog 