796 Litchfield Avenue Sebastopol (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

796 Litchfield Avenue Sebastopol (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

It’s been a few years since tiny homes started gaining real attention; TV shows, fan websites, and blogs about them seemed to spring up out of nowhere. Suddenly, tiny homes were trendy and it seemed to be that everyone really, really wanted one – no matter what their current living situation was. Of course, when everyone wants the same thing, the prices go up, and now there are tiny homes selling for close to a million dollars.

It occurred to me that the concept of a tiny home is nothing new, in fact, it may make more sense to invest in one that includes the land, and isn’t on a chassis. Besides, no one likes to refill water tanks or find an RV hookup; regular plumbing is a wonderful thing.

A small home is considered anything less than 1000 square feet, and a Tiny Home is anything less than 800 square feet. I don’t like to quibble over semantics, so I found homes currently listed in Sonoma County that are under 800 square feet. The buyer who purchases any one of these can honestly say that they’re on-trend and part of the Tiny House Movement;

94 Railroad Ave, Camp Meeker – $349,900
2 beds, 2 baths, 468 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via O Brien Real Estate)

Exterior. (Image via O Brien Real Estate)

This small house has a lot going for it; it’s two stories and makes use of the lower level for storage space as well as a workroom. It’s also surrounded by redwoods, so if camping is your favorite pastime, it can now be your full time living situation.

Kitchen. (Image via O Brien Real Estate)

Kitchen. (Image via O Brien Real Estate)

Though small, the kitchen looks clean and newly updated. Side note: time stamps on film are great when documenting work you’ve completed on the home, but may not look appealing to a home buyer when viewing a listing.

330 Hutchins Ave, Sebastopol – $569,000
2 beds, 1 bath, 768 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via Pacific Union International)

Exterior. (Image via Pacific Union International)

Built in 1953, the layout of the home makes it appear larger than its 768 square feet. It has been exceptionally well maintained and does not look like a 63-year-old home at all.

Living room. (Image via Pacific Union International)

Living room. (Image via Pacific Union International)

The interior is freshly painted with new flooring throughout. You can tell that it’s small, but it feels cozy as opposed to claustrophobic.

14315 Lovers Ln, Guerneville – $310,000
2 beds, 1 bath, 780 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Exterior. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Guerneville is always a great place to find older homes that have survived the test of time out in the forest. This tiny 1920s home has done just that, and if you truly want to feel ‘off the grid’, this may be the house for you.

Kitchen and living room. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Kitchen and living room. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

The interior makes use of a vaulted ceiling to create interior space, and this image gives a view into how the current occupants may use the space. It’s important when working with a small area to have a system of organization, otherwise, clutter can become overwhelming quite fast.

796 Litchfield Avenue Sebastopol – $549,000
2 beds, 1 bath, 710 square feet.

 

Exterior (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Exterior (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Now the square footage is getting lower, but the price is getting higher. Looking at this sweet little house I can see why. At the risk of using excessive descriptive wording, I think this home is adorable and the manicured yard around it is the icing on the cake.

Living room. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Living room. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Of course, a house that presents so well on the outside will be just as well appointed on the inside.

11946 Hillside Road, Forestville – $380,000
2 beds, 1 bath, 648 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Exterior. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

This little cabin is in Summer Home Park, which is a historic riverside vacation neighborhood. Built in 1966, I can see how it would be used as a summer getaway, or part-time residence – I’m not entirely sure that there would be any issues with it being used as a full-time residence except perhaps the distance to someone’s workplace or other family members.

Living room. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

Living room. (Image via Berkshire Hathaway)

While the exterior was a bit rough, the interior is clean and well maintained. The oversized wood-burning fireplace is a good rustic touch, and would more than likely heat the entire 648 square feet.

15131 Drake Road Guerneville – $115,000
1 bed, 1 bath, 370 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via Manna Properties)

Exterior. (Image via Manna Properties)

At 370 square feet, this 1941 home is definitely tiny. It does come with a detached carport, so while the house is small, guests won’t have to park on the main road to come visit.

Living room. (Image via Manna Properties)

Living room. (Image via Manna Properties)

The home has been well maintained and updated. I’m certain that the lack of furniture makes the room look larger than it is, but for a tiny house, this isn’t half bad.

14972 Canyon 2 Road Rd, Guerneville – $245,000
2 beds, 1 bath, 680 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via Vanguard Properties)

Exterior. (Image via Vanguard Properties)

I’m getting the feeling that Guerneville is the hero of the traditional tiny houses in Sonoma County. This 1930s house may look like a cabin because of the setting, but it’s a single family home that has a granny unit at the back of it. Though the house is small, the lot it’s on is 5,662 square feet.

Living room. (Image via Vanguard Properties)

Living room. (Image via Vanguard Properties)

If you’re ready to take the leap and downsize your family’s living space with this home, don’t pack the boxes just yet: this cottage still needs a lot of TLC on the inside to make it move-in ready.

610 Prince Ave, Healdsburg – $585,000
1 bed, 1 bath, 576 square feet.

Exterior. (Image via Coldwell Banker Giovannoni & Cooper Realty)

Exterior. (Image via Coldwell Banker Giovannoni & Cooper Realty)

I hesitated when it came to featuring this 576 square foot home, until I noticed that the price shown is actually $115,000 less than what it was originally listed at. This means that this house was originally listed at $700,000, a clear indication of how zip code will affect a home’s perceived value.

princeave2.jpeg Interior.(Image via Coldwell Banker Giovannoni & Cooper Realty)

princeave2.jpeg Interior.(Image via Coldwell Banker Giovannoni & Cooper Realty)

Built in 1950, when the population in Healdsburg was around 3,200 people, this house has seen a lot of changes in the area. It will need to be updated significantly to get with the times, but if someone’s end goal is to live in Healdsburg and they don’t have a few million dollars, this small house may be their next big project. (Image via Coldwell Banker Giovannoni & Cooper Realty)