Today we delve into the story of a listener turned tiny home owner, Maegan Bell. Maegan is an active duty Army logistics officer who's going to share with us how she exchanged the blueprints of a traditional house for the compact efficiency of a custom-built tiny home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. We'll explore the challenges of setting up utilities, the joys of bringing family closer together, and how tiny homes can offer a unique solution for military families on the move. Maegan's journey is filled with insights and practical advice for anyone considering this lifestyle. So if you're curious about the tiny house movement or looking for tips on how to make it work for your family, stay tuned for this fascinating conversation.

In This Episode:

• 🏡 Embracing Tiny House Living: Maegan and her husband discovered the comfort and functionality of a tiny house.
• 💵 Military Financial Strategy: How living in an RV or a tiny house can be a clever financial decision for military families due to housing allowances.
• 🏞️ Wildlife and Remote Habitats: Maegan shares stories of wildlife encounters and her expertise in making remote locations livable from her military logistics background.
• 🔨 Smart Contractor Selection: The need to carefully vet contractors by checking credentials and reviews for building or developing a tiny house.
• 🕒 Land Development Patience: She advises taking time to understand the land before rushing into development.
• 🌄 Vacation Home to Tiny House: Faced with high building costs, Maegan chose to build a custom tiny house on her Virginia property as a nature-connected family retreat.
• 🛠️ Design Choices and Regrets: Maegan discusses aspects that worked out really well, but also shared certain regrets.
• 🛖 Multi-Use Property Planning: With the flexibility tiny houses offer, her family enjoys a stable vacation home that could also be rented out or moved if needed.
• 🌞 Off-Grid Living Exploration: Due to the high cost of setting up grid electricity, she considered off-grid solutions, such as solar panels, for their tiny house.

Visit the show notes page for more photos, links, and resources.

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Today we're exploring the cozy nooks of park model tiny homes with Cindy Ballaro. Cindy is not only a resident of a charming tiny home, but also a multipreneur who wears many hats including that of a publisher and marketer. Living in the picturesque mountains of North Carolina, Cindy has turned her sunflower-themed tiny house into a haven for both living and Airbnb guests. She's going to share with us the unique benefits and challenges of choosing a park model over a traditional towable tiny house, and how this lifestyle complements her entrepreneurial endeavors. So if you're intrigued by the community living aspect of tiny houses or are considering a park model for your own downsized life, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:

• 🏡 Park Model Tiny Homes: The differentiation between park models and towable tiny homes, including key factors that were important to Cindy when selecting her park model home.
• 🌐 Tiny House Communities: Cindy shares what it’s like to live in her tiny home community
• 🛠 Customization and Choice: Insight into the process of customization when purchasing a new build.
• 💲 Financial Aspects: Conversation on costs, value appreciation, and the advantage of selling property to finance the tiny house without needing a loan.
• 🌦️ Climate Management: The unexpected challenge of moisture control in a tiny house.
• 🛏️ Airbnb Hosting: Benefits of renting out the tiny home, managing personal space, and creating an additional income stream.
• 💵 Cost of Living: Sharing the expense of renting a lot in the tiny house community and how it supports her entrepreneurial lifestyle.

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