With New York Mayor Bloomberg's announcement this week of a citywide search to create chicly designed apartments ranging from 250 to 300 square feet in size, the idea of small-space living is at the forefront of discussion. Of course, while that square footage may seem tiny to some, others have been living in modest quarters way before this idea of the "micro apartment" entered the vernacular: take the woman who holed up in a frighteningly small (read: 90-square-foot) Manhattan apartment and a couple who managed to stay sane while sharing 240 square feet in Brooklyn
In the hinterlands, too, Bloomberg's measurements are matched. Last year, in Sonoma County, a 16-year-old built himself a 130-square-foot house on wheels, and things really got extreme when a 64-square-foot cottage popped up for sale on Ebay. There's also this home (above), in Belmont, N.C., which is probably being sold for the land, but the 312-square-foot cottage on 0.34 acres would make a cozy micro-home for an interested party. This is a flip in progress: it is listed for $48K, but it previously sold last month for just $30K.
? Deep in southern Virginia, this 309-square-foot log cabin might look colonial, but it was actually built in 1998 to an old design, with a loft for the bed and a wood stove for heat. The price, $159K, is a bit surprising given the size and the fact that an acreage isn't included in the listing. The charming design, mountain views, and brook-front location might be contributing to the six-figure price tag.
? Not all of us consider Hampton Bays, N.Y. a part of "The Hamptons," but the prices here still leave North Carolina and Virginia in the dust. This 300-square-foot waterfront cottage is asking a heady $575K. Of course, the diminutive house fronts directly on Tiana Bay, so that helps. The lot is utterly tiny though, at just 0.02 acres, and is adjacent to the end of the public road, meaning plenty of headlights lighting up the windows at night.
? Also located in a ritzy vacation region, this authentic Cape Cod cape in Chatham, Mass. currently houses an office, but the 288-square-foot cottage could easily be converted back into a residence, provided someone wanted to spend $195K for the pleasure of squeezing one bedroom in there.
? This modest surf shack in Seal Beach, Calif. might not be in the best condition—and might measure just 350 square feet—but it's also just a few blocks from the beach and costs a measly $125K. Is it a trailer? Maybe, but it's a trailer in a pretty desirable location.
? A tiny little beach house is nice, but a tiny beach house on wheels is even better, transforming just about any beach into your own private stretch of waterfront. This cottage on wheels costs just $29,000 and somehow claims to have two bedrooms stuffed inside its cute confines. Currently located in Gladwin, Mich., the 130-square-foot rolling craftsman does not include a plot of land, which helps to explain the small price tag.
? Up in Kennebunkport, Maine, where the Bush family famously spends summers in a sprawling waterfront compound, this baby blue cottage with cove views can be had for $385K. If that sounds like a lot, that's because it is. For one, the 280-square-foot cottage shares 1.7 acres with five other homes, all in close proximity to one another, and second, it's just 280 square feet! That's enough for one bedroom and one bath, but at least the interiors are presented with an eye for style.
? Even Canada is getting in on the act, with custom-made metal-and-wood creation that hails from Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. With that pedigree, it's likely the sloped roof is to allow snow drifts to be cleared more easily. Then again, this thing is on wheels, so if snow's not your thing, it can always be rolled down south for the wintertime. The price is $57,500, which includes one bedroom and one bathroom in just 160 square feet of living space.
· Watch What It's Like to Live in a 90-Square-Foot Studio Apartment [Curbed National]
· Inside a 240-Square-Foot Brooklyn Heights Studio [Curbed NY]
· Watch a 16-Year-Old Build His Own 130-Square-Foot House [Curbed National]
· Now You Can Buy a Tiny 64-Square-Foot House on eBay [Curbed National]
· 316 South St [Zillow]
· 110 Renfro Ridge Rd [Zillow]
· 30 E Rampasture Rd [Zillow]
· North Chatham, MA [Zillow]
· 108 Welcome Lane [Zillow]
· Retro Beach Cottage [Tiny House Listings]
· 7 South Maine Street [Zillow]
· Modern Tiny House for Sale [Tiny House Listings]
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