Big decisions ahead- need some advice

[[Fl...]]

Since my dad passed away last year my mom has been planning on selling the house. She wants to move out of the house soon and get into temporary living quarters while the house is on the market and while she looks for a smaller place to buy. As it stands now I am the only thing that is really preventing her from moving forward with her plans since I am not yet in a position to move out on my own and there won't be room for me at her new place.

 

In a way I am glad that I am being forced to move out. I get along with my mom (aside from a major issue with another family member, but that is another story altogether) and it is nice to be able to live for cheap, but I am sure you can imagine when you are in your 40's that living with your mom isn't an ideal situation. Quite honestly, it is causing me a lot of stress and it is holding me back from having hobbies and a social/dating life.

 

So here's my conundrum. I have a business that provides me with a basic income, but it isn't enough to allow me to move out on my own. At least not with the extra space that I need for my business.

 

What I really want to do is build a tiny house. That will allow me to have my own space (I really, really don't want to live with anyone) and allow me to cut my housing costs by at least 30-40%.

 

A few problems with that-

1) I probably need at least $8000 to build it

2) Even if I had the $8k (I have some of it and can possibly borrow the rest), I still have to build it and I don't currently have any place to do it and it would be a big challenge given my cognitive limitations

3) Im not sure if I will have enough space to effectively run my business AND live in a grand total of 200 sq ft.

4) Even if I could figure out how to get all of that to fall into place I still don't make enough with my business to pay my bills

 

That brings us to the business. I like what I do and I have been slowly expanding it as my health improves but I am not sure how much more I can grow it given my current state. In many ways this business is ideal for my personality and my health condition, but I don't know if it is feasible for me to continue running it (at least in its current capacity) given the fact that I need more income.

 

That's where I am at and I am not sure what to do. Borrow the money, build the tiny house and get a full or part time job to help pay the bills? Scrap the tiny house idea altogether and move into the cheapest place I can find? Sell the business and start a new chapter? Move to Siberia?

 

I honestly don't know what I am going to do. There are more details but I don't feel like writing any more of a novel than I already have. Maybe some of my benzo peeps have some ideas? This wouldn't even be a problem for me if I had full use of my brain, but as it stands the clock is ticking and this is overwhelming me to the point where I have analysis paralysis.

 

Any ideas BB's?

[[Be...]]

I do see your dilemma, FG, with what you've written:  needing an affordable place to live.  Look into buying a mobile home in a rented community or place it on a piece of land?  There are plenty of bank repossessed homes on the market.  Find out what bank or company in your area handles the repossessed homes and talk to them or visit their website.  There used to be one company in my area that handled all the banks' repossessed mobile homes.  The homes usually sit vacant in the rented mobile home parks until someone buys them.  Private sales can be cheap too.  There might be a website in your area which deals with all the mobile home parks and the homes for sale in them.  You'd have to pay lot rent, but some parks are lower rent than others.  I live by myself in my own mobile home which I own and in a rental park.  At least it would be your own home and some homes nowadays are well-built.  Maybe you could drive through a park and see if anything is for sell?  Property taxes and utilities are lower, too, if you get a single-wide which is about 1000 square feet.  I think that's about the cheapest living around.  There are some nice mobile home parks out there.  You'd want to talk to some of the tenants to see how the nabes and park owners are. 

[[Fl...]]

I do see your dilemma, FG, with what you've written:  needing an affordable place to live.  Look into buying a mobile home in a rented community or place it on a piece of land? 

 

I have thought about that, maybe even buying a fixer upper, living in it for awhile and flipping it after doing some improvements. My big issue is that I don't think that would work for me as a long term solution (I REALLY want to get into a custom built tiny house) and I am worried that if I don't go in the direction I want now I will end up getting stuck long term in another situation that is less than ideal. I realize that there will likely be some compromises involved but that's why I am trying to make smart decisions. I've been stuck in this rut for way too long and I think it will do really good things for me if I can figure out a situation that I will be happy with for awhile.

[[Be...]]

What about buying a sheriff's sale or bank repossessed house rather than a mobile home?  Renting an apt. or even living in a rented mobile home in a park until you get your business going more or are working and can save to build your own house?

[[Fl...]]

I am pretty sure that if I rent a place I will end up getting stuck there for a long, long time. Also, one of the reasons why I wanted to do the tiny house is because I will have a bit more privacy and if the spot I park it in doesn't work out I hook up and move somewhere else.

[[Be...]]

Around here, up north, they won't let you build or live in a house which is below a certain square footage.  I don't know why.  200 sq. ft. isn't allowed around here.  That's quite small.  Maybe you could add on additions then down the road?

[Guest [Le...]]

I think Beck's suggestion of a mobile home is a good one, especially if you can rent one for the short term.

 

It is likely to turn out to be self-limiting simply because it's not something you want for the long haul.

 

Can definitely relate to your quandary, as I'm considering selling my place in Manhattan to head for Boston. Like your mom, I'd have to move out so that I could finish fixing up the co-op and leave it beautifully furnished while I take myself and my junk to a temporary place while the apartment is shown. Considering a temporary mobile home myself, then I can buy a house once I sell the apartment.

[[Fl...]]

Unfortunately the mobile home idea wouldn't save me much money. The one thing it would do is allow me to run my business 100% from home as opposed to having my inventory stored off site and that would be very convenient. I will definitely keep that in mind.

[[...]]

My quick two cents.

 

I'd break it down.  Prioritize.  What is your Number One priority?  Mine, personally, would be $$$.  Earning/saving some money.  How?  Strategize how to expand your business, whether to supplement the income, or do something else.

 

What's your Number One priority?

 

My accommodation would come second.

 

 

I am pretty sure that if I rent a place I will end up getting stuck there for a long, long time. Also, one of the reasons why I wanted to do the tiny house is because I will have a bit more privacy and if the spot I park it in doesn't work out I hook up and move somewhere else.

 

Not necessarily, but it's possible.  Temporary one year often turns into two, three, five or more years.  I'd say certainly don't take the first "hole" you find for this reason.  You want to be comfortable, but it doesn't have to be perfect right now, does it?  Something very reasonable.  With some extra money in the bank, financial security, you can breathe and take your time when the time is right.

 

200 sq ft?!    And run your business there too?  Inventory?  My opinion?  You'll outgrow it in a heartbeat.

[[Fl...]]

I hate to complicate things even further but I forgot to mention that I am growing increasingly intolerant of Florida, especially the area I live in now. I despise the heat we have 7-8 months out of the year (nice cold snap the past few days but it is going to be back up in the 80's here this week), I don't get along well with a lot of the people and the traffic is getting worse every year.

 

If my family didn't live here I would probably move out of state. As it stand I am considering moving about an hour and a half north of here close to where a buddy of mine lives. Better people, less congestion and crime and it's even a few degrees cooler on average.

 

There is a small chance that my mom might move up north. If that happens it will complicate things even more cause I will have less tying me down to this area.

[[Fl...]]

My quick two cents.

 

I'd break it down.  Prioritize.  What is your Number One priority?  Mine, personally, would be $$$.  Earning/saving some money.  How?  Strategize how to expand your business, whether to supplement the income, or do something else.

 

What's your Number One priority?

 

My accommodation would come second.

 

You are right. A quick solution would be to get a part time job in addition to the business. The only problem with that is that if I do build my tiny house that would make it a lot harder. As it stands I only absolutely have to do about an hour of work per day and the rest I am free to write my own schedule. It would be really hard to tackle a big project like that trying to juggle the business and a job. Ideally I would start the job right after finishing the build. Too bad it's hard to get everything to line up perfectly.

 

Not necessarily, but it's possible.  Temporary one year often turns into two, three, five or more years.  I'd say certainly don't take the first "hole" you find for this reason.  You want to be comfortable, but it doesn't have to be perfect right now, does it?

  I would absolutely consider a temporary arrangement. My situation now is less than ideal so chances are it would already be an upgrade in some ways. My fear is that if I have to start paying too much in monthly bills it will be hard to dig myself out of that hole, and that's what will keep me from being able to get into a better situation.

 

200 sq ft?!    And run your business there too?  Inventory?  My opinion?  You'll outgrow it in a heartbeat.

 

I know it sounds impossible and it might be next to impossible for me since I have a very hard time keeping things organized, but the plan is to build this 200sq ft so that more than half of it can be converted to use for different purposes at different times of the day.

 

I would have to keep my inventory off site regardless but I have a full sized van and the idea is that at least half of the tiny house will be a (mostly) wide open room. In the daytime I use the room as an office, in the evening it's a living room, and at night it's a bedroom. I sleep in a hammock so I won't have a big, bulky bed in the way during the day.

[[Ce...]]

Sorry FG, no ideas. But I want to follow this thread, because I have similar issues....

[[Ch...]]

What about getting a truck and fifth wheel or a motorhome? I'd enable you to move around and you wouldn't feel tied down.

 

Some of them are really nice and have all the comforts and some. 

[Guest [mu...]]

Hi FG,

 

How to live as cheaply as possible is a subject that I think about often, both due to necessity and interest.

 

Some questions to start:

 

1. What is your business and how much space does your inventory take up? How important is it for you to keep this business going? Would you be willing to do something else for money?

2. How familiar are you with house building? Do you have any experience with carpentry, plumbing, electrical wiring, etc?

3. Can you move wherever you want, or do you need to stay near your family? How far are you willing to drive to get to a grocery store, a social scene, etc?

4. How much money do you have to spend on moving and a place to live?

5. When do you have to move by?

 

Some ideas:

 

1. I agree with Chinookwind - an RV is an excellent idea. Tiny houses are really cool but they often take a LOT of time to build - even for those with fully functioning brains and bodies. With your cognitive limitations it will likely be even more costly and time-consuming than you are anticipating (especially if these skills are new to you). That doesn't mean you should give up the dream, but it might need to be postponed for now. A used RV is bigger, cheaper, and has the advantage of being already finished and move-in ready. Plus, it's easier to move it when you need to.

 

2. Get creative on Craigslist and other sites. Often there are people willing to rent you a home in exchange for light care-taking duties (farm work, lawn care, home repairs, etc). You could also see if someone with land is willing to let you park on it for a small monthly rent.

 

3. Buy a small plot of land in a cheap town with no zoning restrictions, and park yourself there. You could use this land for your home and business (buy some 8' x 8' sheds for your inventory, or even convert them into office / living quarters). I don't know where you are in Florida or where you're willing to move to, but I'm willing to bet there are towns down there that fulfill the requirements of a) having very cheap tiny land plots (a few thousand at most), and b) no zoning restrictions. Living in a warm climate means you can get away with some pretty simple and small indoor-outdoor dwellings without worrying about insulation or heating costs - this is a huge plus, even if it's too hot where you are right now. Could you perhaps move a bit further north while still staying in a warm climate?

 

4. I'd pass on the fixer-uppers. They often have mold issues (drywall causes a lot of health issues too), and your brain is unlikely to be happy with that right now.

 

Good luck and I hope that helps! I think this move could be really good for you, even if it's not ideal.

 

 

 

[[Fl...]]

Thanks for all the great replies everyone. Keep 'em coming!

 

Sorry FG, no ideas. But I want to follow this thread, because I have similar issues....

 

Hope you are able to get something from this discussion then. It's already starting to help me look at things from different perspectives 

 

What about getting a truck and fifth wheel or a motorhome? I'd enable you to move around and you wouldn't feel tied down.

 

Some of them are really nice and have all the comforts and some. 

 

That's why I want to do the tiny house. Actually, it isn't a true tiny house, it is more of a hybrid between and RV and a tiny house because I want to start with a cargo trailer that already has walls and a ceiling, that way I only have to put in some windows and finish the interior. To me it's the best of both worlds- it allows me to create the kind of space that works for me but it is much more portable than a framed tiny house that would likely weigh about twice as much.

 

1. What is your business and how much space does your inventory take up? How important is it for you to keep this business going? Would you be willing to do something else for money?

 

I do internet retail. I buy and sell anything I can make a profit on but I concentrate on a few key items, most of which are small and easy to process and ship. Inventory currently can be squeezed into about 100sq ft, but that would increase some if I expand the business. I would definitely consider doing something else for money but I really like what I do now, maybe better than anything I have ever done, and I don't want to regret giving up this business down the road. I could always pick it up again later but it takes a long time to build up a significant inventory to where you can make a real income doing it so it would be a real hassle if I changed my mind down the road.

 

2. How familiar are you with house building? Do you have any experience with carpentry, plumbing, electrical wiring, etc?

 

Since I will be starting with something that has existing walls and ceiling it is a lot less involved. I have woodworking experience, I used to do custom work on cars and I have owned rental properties and remodeled houses in the past so I do have a starting point for most of this. I will probably have to get some help with the electrical, at least doing the layout, but this will be a very basic setup so I don't think it will be much of an issue.

 

3. Can you move wherever you want, or do you need to stay near your family? How far are you willing to drive to get to a grocery store, a social scene, etc?

 

I can move wherever I want but I am trying to stay close to family. I don't mind living off the beaten path, matter of fact I would like that a lot in some ways but my big issue with that is that it will limit my social and dating life, and those are two things that I feel like I really need to work on in order to start putting the pieces of my life back together.

 

4. How much money do you have to spend on moving and a place to live?

 

I have a few thousand in cash. I also have the ability to borrow more and I have a few projects in the works that would greatly increase my available cash resources, although I don't know how long any of them will take to come to fruition.

 

5. When do you have to move by?

 

Right now there is no set time but my mom wanted to move out at the first of the year so as far as I am concerned I am holding things up. My sisters and I are trying to stall this process for other reasons but I hate feeling like I am holding someone up and costing them money.

 

1. I agree with Chinookwind - an RV is an excellent idea. Tiny houses are really cool but they often take a LOT of time to build - even for those with fully functioning brains and bodies. With your cognitive limitations it will likely be even more costly and time-consuming than you are anticipating (especially if these skills are new to you). That doesn't mean you should give up the dream, but it might need to be postponed for now. A used RV is bigger, cheaper, and has the advantage of being already finished and move-in ready. Plus, it's easier to move it when you need to.

 

The main issue with an RV is that they are set up to mimic traditional living spaces and to accommodate many people. In other words, they have a lot of stuff in them that I don't want or need (a bunch of beds, dining room table) and I really need a big, wide open area to be able to work in during the day. The build that I want to do will also be pretty much as portable as any rv. I could probably find a decent rv for less that what it will cost me for my build but honestly it wouldn't save me a ton of money and I will definitely have more usable space if I do a custom build.

 

2. Get creative on Craigslist and other sites. Often there are people willing to rent you a home in exchange for light care-taking duties (farm work, lawn care, home repairs, etc). You could also see if someone with land is willing to let you park on it for a small monthly rent.

 

I am all about getting creative and I will probably incorporate that into my plan in some way.

 

3. Buy a small plot of land in a cheap town with no zoning restrictions, and park yourself there. You could use this land for your home and business (buy some 8' x 8' sheds for your inventory, or even convert them into office / living quarters). I don't know where you are in Florida or where you're willing to move to, but I'm willing to bet there are towns down there that fulfill the requirements of a) having very cheap tiny land plots (a few thousand at most), and b) no zoning restrictions. Living in a warm climate means you can get away with some pretty simple and small indoor-outdoor dwellings without worrying about insulation or heating costs - this is a huge plus, even if it's too hot where you are right now. Could you perhaps move a bit further north while still staying in a warm climate?

 

The big issue with moving to somewhere that has few restrictions is that those places tend to be far away from urban areas, and even if I live in a smaller town I need access to a large city to be able to effectively source my inventory for the business. I would love to live in a less populated area and I would probably do that in a heartbeat if it weren't for the business and the fact that I want to get back into dating again.

 

 

[Guest [mu...]]

Ah, I see. Starting with a cargo trailer is a great idea... I've seen some really livable shipping container houses too. You could also gut out an RV to suit your needs (remove the table and chairs, etc), but I'm not sure what's involved in that and it might be even more work in the end (although having the plumbing and electrical already set up would be a big help). And while it's probably not your style, yurts are a good option to look into for a non-permanent dwelling with plenty of open space.

 

Towns with cheap land are generally pretty rural. Finding somewhere outside of a more rural college town might be a good thing to look for, as they often feature the best of both worlds (social stuff and basic shopping needs plus rural living).

 

I love this topic BTW... small / unconventional houses and DIY are two of my favorite things, and I do lots of real estate / land searches for fun these days. I'm sure you'll find something, FG.

[[Fl...]]

You could also gut out an RV to suit your needs (remove the table and chairs, etc), but I'm not sure what's involved in that and it might be even more work in the end (although having the plumbing and electrical already set up would be a big help).

 

Yea I thought about that as well. I don't think I would be able to save much money though, especially if I run into any surprises in the remodel. I scan craigslist rv section every day and if I run across the right one I still might consider it.

 

Another thing that makes me want to start with a cargo trailer is that I can have it custom built with higher ceilings (makes the space feel a lot bigger than it is) and the fact that I can utilize the ramp in the back to make a porch. I have seen a bunch of smaller trailers converted into campers but haven't seen anything on the scale that I want to do. This thing will probably get a lot of attention in the tiny community if I am able to pull it off.

[[...]]

This is an off the wall suggestion FloridaGuy so please excuse me if you think it crazy but might you consider a flatpack or kit house. I'm not sure they sell them in the US but they are available in Europe and they are usually cheaper than the conventional home. One downside I can think of, you will probably need someone to help put it together given the less than optimum level of your cognitive abilities. Good luck anyway.

[Guest [Le...]]

If I were to buy a mobile setup it would have to be detachable. If there's engine trouble it's great if the home/business does not have to go to the repair shop. Plus there's the need for an extra motor vehicle for shopping, etc. - double insurance and registration costs. Easier to shop and move around if there's only a single detached motor vehicle that can pull a trailer when needed.

[[Ch...]]

Quick idea FG ...

 

Did you know you can buy those shipping containers that they use to ship cargo in from overseas?

 

Quite a few people convert them into homes, even restuarants, they're actually kinda cool!

 

I don't know where you'd get them down there, but up here you can buy them from private companies.

 

I'll see what I can dig up. 

 

Chin

[[Ch...]]

These are awesome! It's from Organics.org "24 Breathtaking Homes Made From 1800 Dollar Shipping Containers."

 

http://organics.org/24-breathtaking-homes-made-from-1800-dollar-shipping-containers/

[[...]]

Chin, I've see those before, on FB, I LOVE them!  And the fact that you can move them too, nice!  Wow, lots of great ideas here.

 

Can't type much now (story of my bleeping life  ) but, FG, this here caught my eye ...

 

 

 

I do internet retail. I buy and sell anything I can make a profit on but I concentrate on a few key items, most of which are small and easy to process and ship. Inventory currently can be squeezed into about 100sq ft, but that would increase some if I expand the business. I would definitely consider doing something else for money but I really like what I do now, maybe better than anything I have ever done, and I don't want to regret giving up this business down the road. I could always pick it up again later but it takes a long time to build up a significant inventory to where you can make a real income doing it so it would be a real hassle if I changed my mind down the road.

 

 

That's HUGE, don't give that up.  And why should you?  If it's presently only requiring one hour of work a day?  You can have your cake and eat it too.  I don't know your business model (disposable items/repeat customers?) but as you know it takes time to build a reputation/following, etc., just to get in the groove.  With internet (good social media campaign, etc.) it could still all snowball.  I'd say really try not to give up your business even if you take something else in the meantime and let the business be the supplementary income.

 

Sorry again for the choppy writing, just spitting it out. 

[[Fl...]]

This is an off the wall suggestion FloridaGuy so please excuse me if you think it crazy but might you consider a flatpack or kit house. I'm not sure they sell them in the US but they are available in Europe and they are usually cheaper than the conventional home. One downside I can think of, you will probably need someone to help put it together given the less than optimum level of your cognitive abilities. Good luck anyway.

 

I would have more options if I were in a rural area but around here I have to have something that is on wheels so I can rent space in an RV park. Even being on a trailer it is sometimes a gray area (although people don't seem to have problems here- there are several tiny houses, someone is even converting an RV park into a tiny house community) but when you get into something that is free standing there are all kinds of screwed up zoning issues you have to deal with.

 

If I were to buy a mobile setup it would have to be detachable. If there's engine trouble it's great if the home/business does not have to go to the repair shop. Plus there's the need for an extra motor vehicle for shopping, etc. - double insurance and registration costs. Easier to shop and move around if there's only a single detached motor vehicle that can pull a trailer when needed.

 

Yea, my first thought was to convert a box truck into a living space. After weighing all options I realized that it just isn't practical and decided to go with the cargo trailer instead. Already purchased a van that is capable of pulling it and the van gives me a lot more space to work with. It's a full sized van so it adds an extra 50 square feet or so to my total area.

 

Quick idea FG ...

 

Did you know you can buy those shipping containers that they use to ship cargo in from overseas?

 

Quite a few people convert them into homes, even restuarants, they're actually kinda cool!

 

I don't know where you'd get them down there, but up here you can buy them from private companies.

 

I'll see what I can dig up. 

 

Chin

 

If I had land I would probably look into that. You can buy them for a couple thousand and they should last forever. Hard to find a place where you can put one though. US zoning laws are not friendly for alternative living.

 

That's HUGE, don't give that up.  And why should you?  If it's presently only requiring one hour of work a day?  You can have your cake and eat it too.  I don't know your business model (disposable items/repeat customers?) but as you know it takes time to build a reputation/following, etc., just to get in the groove.  With internet (good social media campaign, etc.) it could still all snowball.  I'd say really try not to give up your business even if you take something else in the meantime and let the business be the supplementary income.

 

Sorry again for the choppy writing, just spitting it out. 

 

One hour per day is just the minimum that I have to do on a daily basis to keep it from imploding. The reality is that I have to put probably at least 20 hours per week into it just to keep it afloat and more than that to keep it growing. The good thing about it is that I can pretty much write my own schedule for these other hours.

 

I was thinking about this more today. I like what I do but there are a few downsides and I feel like in a way it might be holding me back.

 

1) 1/3 of what I have to do I absolutely love, 1/3 is "meh" and the other 1/3 is a mind numbing slog.

2) The flip side to having all of this freedom (when you suffer from severe lack of motivation anyway) is that it is very easy to get distracted and put things off for later.

3) I am sure I can continue to grow the business but can I really make enough doing it? The things I have to do aren't extremely cognitively taxing but I do sell about 100-150 items per month, and I have to source, process and list more than that in order to grow. All of these small things add up and I feel like it takes all of the cognitive energy I have to run the business. I feel like the energy I expend keeping up with all of this prevents me from having hobbies or a social life.

4) It takes up space. If I didn't have the business I could EASILY and HAPPILY live in 200 square feet, maybe for the rest of my life.

 

It just seems like this business causes as many issues as it solves. Not sure what else I would do though, and I would probably have to work a full time minimum wage job to be able to make the same amount of money, so there's that.

 

Why does all of this have to be so complicated? 

[[Ge...]]

I don't know what part of Florida you live in but working outside most of the year is warm to brutal..  Are you sure you are physically up to building a house in the Florida sun?  Personally, I would just rent something about the same size as the tiny house to make sure that's what I wanted before I had a big investment of $$ and energy into it.  I thought the RV was a good idea.

[[Te...]]

The underlying thread in your posts is that you want to build a tiny house. I've seen some programs about it, and I think it would be great! Keep your eye on that, and the other things will fall into place. Somehow you'll be able to get the money together, and your business will do well, too. It's a big decision, but if it's something you want to do, I say do it!