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A comment on Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On. Parent comment

Re:Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On by someguydave on Sunday October 02, 2016 @07:47PM (#12624856)
Since houses are viewed as bank accounts and not as dwellings by most US folk, it is going to be difficult to convince them not to value marketability over efficiency. Especially since the energy cost is small compared to the finance fees and property taxes paid.

Eliminating zoning rules and "voluntary" homeowners associations and eliminating property taxes would help.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On by internaut on Sunday October 02, 2016 @09:26PM (#12625128)
> Since houses are viewed as bank accounts and not as dwellings by most US folk, it is going to be difficult to convince them not to value marketability over efficiency.

Not worried about that.

The costs of heating and cooling a dwelling + the maintenance and upkeep are actually way in excess (1x - 2x) of the original house price adjusted for inflation. You get... dis-economies of scale the more you go up.

Housing markets are cyclical over long periods with nil capital gain.

Put the two together and you see a dismal end as entropy catches up. Not even to mention that this process shall accelerate if economic growth falters.

> Especially since the energy cost is small compared to the finance fees and property taxes paid.

Energy costs at first appear to be a small encroachment, but they really mount up over time in the most astounding way. I don't have a graph to hand but I remember being very impressed by it.

What is called THOWs or Tiny Houses on Wheels do not pay taxes or association fees. They are classified as vehicles and hence do not need to pay property taxes. They are also not very likely to encounter HOAs since complaints drive them away on their wheels to greener pastures. Sometimes they visit RV parks and pay those fees but those aren't very much.

> Eliminating zoning rules and "voluntary" homeowners associations and eliminating property taxes would help.

Of course! And I think such 'revolutions' will happen in time, because 'living like a normal American/European' will just become uneconomical.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On by ghaff on Monday October 03, 2016 @08:41AM (#12626989)
>What is called THOWs or Tiny Houses on Wheels do not pay taxes or association fees.

So RVs or campers with a cute name.

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Re:Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On by internaut on Monday October 03, 2016 @09:01AM (#12627100)
Categorically yes, like genetically, but phenotypically no. TH are more home-like and more comfortable, even at this early stage in their evolution. RVs can be quite luxurious but in my opinion they are distinctly different to THs.

That can mostly be attributed to the use case:

RV (original intent) usecase was temporary living, moving often, the TH usecase is permanent living, moving rarely.

Compare:

https://i.reddituploads.com/303b76eaa06e495f8381f2bca3cf48f2...

https://i.reddituploads.com/ff4dee466ad34517bf0c1149ac3ba934...

with

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/crjeV4QxGmY/maxresdefault.jpg

http://www.bobhurleyrv.com/console/watermark.php?src=48636&w...

http://images.rvs.com/FOH/1222412/1000x/2016_dutchmen_aeroli...

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Re:Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On by someguydave on Monday October 03, 2016 @09:18AM (#12627209)
It's interesting to think about energy vs finance costs. I will run some numbers for my own house.
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Re:Portland’s Small-House Movement Is Catching On by internaut on Monday October 03, 2016 @09:27PM (#12632708)
I recommend this website:

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2009/09/18/a-complete-guide-...

Fine Home Building is the HN of construction tech, I never fail to find something useful that saved money or gave me an idea or prevented me from doing something stupid. I'm sure I wouldn't have come across the concept of a Rainscreen (despite reading several construction books) but for them and I suspect that alone saved my butt.

[ Parent | on HN ]