Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 7 - A Young, Single Guy in Ohio Seeks the Perfect Tiny House to Fit His No-Frills Lifestyle - full transcript
Across the nation,
people are going small--
really small...
These are so cute!
...buying tiny houses,
some just a microscopic
100 square feet.
Whoa.
This is a tiny house.
It looks really small.
This tiny trend
is picking up big steam,
with everything from
converted train cars and barns
to yurts
and microhouses on wheels.
I'd be a gypsy
on the run.
This is tiny.
I love it.
With the help
of his friend Channing,
Nils is looking for a tiny
bachelor pad in Columbus, Ohio.
How many TV dinners
you can fit in there, Nils?
I wonder if you could put shirts
in there.
You could.
This no-frills kind of guy
doesn't need much
in his tiny house.
Where are you
gonna put your towels?
Towels go probably on the floor
when I'm done using 'em.
I can smell your garlic breath
from here.
This is not enough space.
My name is Nils,
and I live in Columbus, Ohio.
I am a videographer,
and I have a small team,
and we make videos,
mostly for the web.
As long as he has the ad
in the photos, we're good to go.
I would say most of my time
during the course of a day
is spent on work.
And then once work is over,
it's, where are we going to grab
a beer or two with some friends.
I really don't spend a ton
of time in my place.
- Darts.
- All right.
Let's do it.
Go two teams?
For the past year or so,
I've been living
at the Short North in Columbus.
The Short North in Columbus is
this really cool part of town.
It's got art galleries,
great restaurants.
- Bull's-eye, nice.
- Look at that.
I live with a good friend
of mine, Channing.
We have a lot of fun.
It's been a great situation,
but our lease is up
in a couple months.
And I think I'm at a point where
I'm ready to stop paying rent
and start investing in a place.
If I'm gonna be doing that,
I want to do it in a very small,
lean and mean, tiny way.
I think we could fit a dart
board in the new place,
but you might have to stand
outside the door
to throw it and hit it.
Nils is open
to seeing tiny houses on wheels,
as well as condos
and single-family homes,
as long as they're under
500 square feet.
I guess I'm fascinated
with lean and mean,
simple, easy-to-manage approach.
I need a place that's kind of
a home base to sleep,
a place that's easy
to take care of.
I want to be able to dust it
in five minutes or whatever,
pick up the clothes
off the floor.
And I don't want to
have to worry about
a bunch of different rooms
or anything.
I'm pretty confident
that I'll be okay
with a tiny-home lifestyle.
Everything you need,
nothing you don't,
and it makes life less
stressful, I think.
To help him on his search
for the perfect tiny pad,
Nils is taking Channing along.
So, I probably won't have
room for a roommate,
unfortunately.
So, it's gonna be
an end of an era, huh?
A little bit.
I think a tiny house
is perfect for Nils.
All Nils really needs is a place
to lay his head, a toilet,
and a freezer
to put some TV dinners.
We're looking for small,
as close to downtown
as possible.
So, something that's definitely
very important to me
is being close
to the Short North,
if not in the Short North.
I love the idea of being able
to bike, if not walk, to work.
In my imagination, the perfect
tiny house would have an area
for a group of friends and me
to hang out.
My budget right now for my new
tiny house would be $120,000.
What all fits
in a tiny house?
It's got a place for a bed,
a couch, and a couple chairs.
A kitchen isn't important to me
because I just don't cook
that much.
Just a basic mini fridge,
mini freezer, maybe a stove top.
You're gonna learn
how to cook eventually.
I don't know.
Nils sometimes thinks
a little bit too simple,
so I'm hoping to kind of open
his eyes to things
that he doesn't think
he might need,
but I know he'll need
down the line.
Being a video maker
and telling people stories,
I'm definitely looking for
something that has character,
maybe a little bit
of a story behind it.
I don't think I want something
that's brand new,
smells like paint,
fresh carpet.
I'd like something that's older
and maybe rehabbed.
Got to think small,
remember that.
We don't got a lot to work with.
- Yeah.
Also on my wish list would be
a nice, small patio or balcony
that I can go outside and have a
cup of coffee on a nice morning.
I've been thinking about this
for a long time.
I'm excited about it to find
the right tiny house for me.
Helping Nils go tiny
is real-estate agent
Chris Meekins,
who's starting Nils off
with a tiny log-cabin style
house on wheels
that, at a mere 137 square feet,
is roughly 3 times smaller than
the average studio apartment.
Guys, you wanted tiny,
here's tiny.
This is tiny.
I love it.
Tell me about it.
What's it made out of?
What's the square footage
inside?
It's made of cypress
on the outside.
It has a metal roof.
It's 137 square feet.
It's an 18-footer, and
here's the price, $35,000.
Wow.
That's the most
expensive toy house
I've ever known in my life.
With the price being
so affordable,
I'm thinking I might be able
to find a small plot of land
towards downtown Short North
area where I could put this.
Or you can pay one
of your friends
and rent off their land.
Yeah, or not pay them.
That's a really good idea, too.
Obviously, a pretty small porch.
Wouldn't be able
to have much out here,
but you could probably build
something around it like a deck.
Absolutely,
it just really depends
on how mobile
you want it to be.
Wow.
This is tiny.
No wasted space.
It's certainly lean.
It's what you're looking for.
Is it enough space?
It's small and compact, but
it's got everything you need.
You've had bathrooms
bigger than this.
Come on.
- Yeah, I don't know.
I love these walls and how
kind of raw they are.
I don't see
where your bike could go,
'cause that's important
to you.
I know you wanted
to bike to work.
That's a really good point.
I don't think he'd get half
his furniture in this place,
it's so small.
This is all
your storage, right here.
Wow, look at that.
You can't fit
all your shirts in there.
I think could fit all the shirts
that I need in there,
and that's what matters.
Linens, think about that.
Where are you gonna
put your sheets?
Where are you gonna
put your towels?
They're all gonna fit
over here?
Linens go on the bed,
and the towels go
probably on the floor
when I'm done using them.
This has all been
staged with books,
but you can put anything
you want in here.
If you want to store
more clothing,
you want to store technology.
I want books that I want people
to think I've read.
All right, the kitchen.
Lean, mean,
nothing I don't need.
- You like this?
It's got a sink.
It's got a burner.
It's got a toaster oven.
A little toaster oven.
How many TV dinners could
you fit in there, Nils?
Probably--
maybe a week's worth?
I could probably make
a few extra trips
to the grocery store.
I can smell your garlic breath
from here.
This is not enough space.
I think Channing is looking
out for my best interests,
and I appreciate that,
but I also think
that he's looking at it through
a different lens than I am.
I'm interested in going tiny,
and he's not.
I want to mention that
this is the only sink.
It is for your bathroom,
but also for your kitchen.
After using the bathroom,
you're gonna go over here
and wash your hands
over the vegetables?
That's kind of gross.
That's one of the sacrifices
you make
in a tiny house like this.
Long term, this isn't gonna
work out for him.
I mean, you have to share a sink
with the bathroom.
I really hope he listens to me
and looks to something
a little bit bigger than this.
Wow.
Not a ton of space.
How do you flush this toilet,
by the way?
Oh, it's a foot pedal?
Interesting.
Probably built for one.
And I see that we have
a window right here.
Have some nice ventilation
in here.
That's nice.
You're too strong, Nils.
The loft bed is accessed
by a removable metal ladder.
I like this.
This is cool.
It's high in the middle,
pretty low on the side.
Could you put
your mattress up there?
I don't know
if I could fit a full.
I'm gonna say no.
I really like this extra
storage space here.
It's almost like a nightstand
for up here.
And no wasted space, that's what
I really like about this house.
Could you fit two people
up here? Move over.
I don't know, man.
It'd be pretty cozy.
In general, I like the place.
While it is small, it does
have a ton of natural light.
This house definitely
has character,
but I'm not sure
it has much of a story.
If I'm gonna go with this place,
where is it gonna go?
But we do need to find a place
for you to park this.
I got to find a plot of land
that I need to purchase
or work with a friend
or somebody who's willing
to loan me an area.
I think we should let Chris
show us something bigger.
I agree.
This is a great place.
I am excited about it.
It would be wise to see
something larger.
So, Chris has found
Nils something bigger,
but that may be all
it has going for it.
Wow, this is tiny,
and this is green.
Video producer Nils
is ready to ditch
the rent-a-room lifestyle
and invest in a home of his own.
With most of his time taken up
by work and play,
he's looking
for a tiny crash pad
that will allow him
to keep things simple,
and he's brought his friend
and current roommate,
Channing, along
to help in the search.
They saw a tiny cabin on wheels
that was a tight
138 square feet.
While Nils
likes the open layout,
it lacks the character he wants.
But the house's friendly price
tag would leave room
in his $120,000 budget
to buy land to park it on.
They're now seeing something
with a little bit more
elbow room and character--
a historic farmhouse on the edge
of downtown Columbus.
All right, guys,
here's the house.
This is it.
Wow, I like it a lot.
It's an old farmhouse
that's been around
since the mid-1930s.
Believe it or not,
we're right in the middle
of Columbus.
You are only 10 to 15 minutes
away from your office.
This house
is 624 square feet.
It's listed at $45,000.
That is a good price.
- Certainly.
- Worth considering.
- It is.
Look at all this land.
Lots of space.
The lawn's huge.
If I know Nils, Nils is not
gonna do any yardwork.
I see tiki torches
all around.
I want you to think
about what you can do here.
A little bit of paint,
a little bit of repair.
This could be, like,
party central
for you
- and your old roommate.
- Sunbathing...
I do like the idea
of having something
that's really easy
to maintain, though,
and this seems like
it's gonna be painting decks,
mowing grass.
I'm just not sure I'm ready
to sign up for this
much maintenance.
It's a different way
to go tiny.
I want you to think about
tiny and small, lean and mean,
but also
a lifestyle long term.
Well, here it is.
Yeah, a lot more square feet.
- Yeah, that's for sure.
- That's for sure.
You wanted to see
something bigger.
The space is great.
I mean, if we can get
the carpet up,
put some
hardwood floors down.
The thing I like
about this house
is that it's basically
a blank canvas.
I mean, he has a huge budget
to work with, maintenance-wise.
He can do anything he wanted
with the house.
These walls look like
a pretty rough drywall job,
a lot of spots.
I mean, it's just not
in great shape.
I like these windows
and all the natural light
that they're bringing in
to the space.
That's really cool.
It's a less expensive place,
which means
there's a little bit
of money to work with,
but it's a project.
I can see myself
painting it white,
putting some hardwood down,
and it being a very nice place
to live in.
Wow. This is tiny,
and this is green.
I like this window over here.
This is what we saw out front.
Say hello to the neighbors.
I like this a lot.
Rapunzel status
right there.
- Yeah.
- You could put your hair
out there.
Wow. This is blue.
This would take a lot of coats
of white to make it white.
You still got
some great light here.
Okay.
This closet would definitely
need to be put together.
That's another thing
- we'll have to fix.
- Yeah.
I like this.
It's very simple, straightforward.
Okay.
Not functional.
Maybe not completely functional,
but the layout I like.
Everything you need,
nothing you don't.
It looks like someone had to go
to the restroom really bad
and was trying to get in here.
Yeah. You have a 10-minute limit
of restroom in this house,
and after 10 minutes, you're
getting the steel toes, yeah.
A lot
of counter space here.
Yeah. I think it's probably
much more space
than what I need for a kitchen.
I know it's more space
than you wanted, Nils.
You might have someone else
cooking in here
later down the road.
I appreciate
your optimism, Channing.
Maybe somebody else would be
cooking here, that's awesome.
You may grow into this space.
The price--
you can't beat it.
You have a huge budget
to rip up the floors,
repaint everything.
And it's got character.
It used to be an old farmhouse,
and it still feels
like it's got
that old down-home feeling,
but there are downsides,
as well.
It has a lot of grass that
needs mowed, front and back.
The location, it's good.
It's bikable,
it's not walkable.
It's definitely something that
I can see myself living in.
So next, they're looking
at a low-maintenance
micro condo downtown.
If you have a guest over,
they're gonna have to go
through your bed
to get to the bathroom.
Columbus, Ohio,
resident and video producer Nils
is looking to ditch
the roommate routine
and invest
in his very first home.
Always on the go, he's searching
for a tiny house
in the Short North area
of downtown Columbus
that will fit within
his $120,000 budget.
He's seen a tiny cabin on wheels
that is just $35,000,
so he could afford to buy land
in downtown Columbus
to park it on.
He loves the efficient layout,
but it doesn't have
the character he's after.
Next was a 1900s farmhouse
with more space
and a historic feel Nils loves.
But updates and maintenance
could max out his budget,
and it isn't walkable
to downtown.
Trying to get him
something smaller
in the center of the city,
agent Chris has switched gears
and found a micro condo
in a 1920s building
that historically was used as
a hotel for railroad workers.
The condo is just
440 square feet,
which is still considered
a tiny home.
But here's the catch.
It's listed at $130,000.
Ooh.
It's a little bit above budget.
It's definitely more
than I want to pay.
There aren't too many properties
in the Short North
that you can get
in this price range.
Many of the properties are
well over $200,000 to $300,000
just to get in
to the neighborhood.
Very cool.
I really like the feel
of this building.
It's old, definitely.
- Right here.
- Right here?
- Yeah, here we are.
Wow.
That is a lot of kitchen.
I love the kitchen, man.
- It's a lot.
- It's a lot of counter space.
- That's four whole burners.
- You can put a cutting board
here, cutting board here.
It's definitely a lot
of storage space
that I don't have things
to put inside.
It's just much more
than what I need.
Most important appliance
that you'll use, Nils,
the microwave.
- Yes.
I wonder if you could
put shirts in there.
You could.
You could do your laundry
in your dishwasher.
Love the light.
Yeah, definitely love
these huge windows.
Right on High Street,
that's pretty cool.
Oh, wow, great view.
I love it.
All right, okay.
This might be a problem.
Yeah.
They're old.
Hardwood floors,
very cool, old.
Speaking of old,
like, a faux fireplace.
That's a little weird.
I think we can fit about
10 bottles of bourbon here.
It'd be a much
better-looking fireplace
if it was decorated
like that.
I don't like the walls.
Yellow and green.
You can always paint.
Oh, I didn't know this place
came with a dojo.
This is awesome.
- Wow.
What is this,
a samurai theme?
Got the transition
from hardwood to carpet.
I don't know, it just feels
a little bit older.
Where you gonna
put the bed, Nils?
Well--
Where's the magic
gonna happen?
It's just a full size.
Like this?
The bedroom's really small.
I mean, his feet were
practically in the kitchen.
If you have a guest over,
they're gonna have
to go through your bed
to get to the bathroom.
Like that's... That might just be
an inconvenience
I have to deal with by having
a place that's this small.
There were areas that I thought
were a little too small.
For example, I'd like
some of the square footage
from the kitchen to be thrown
into the bedroom,
but you can't really do that
with this space.
Look at the closet space
you have here.
Despite the closet,
I think it's a pretty great size
for this size of apartment.
What do you think
of the bathroom here?
This is very nice, very compact.
- Whoa, look at this.
- I like that.
I like that a lot.
So efficient use
of space right here.
Everything you need,
nothing you don't.
- Yes, all the essentials.
- Yeah.
It comes with toilet paper.
Seating for one.
That's probably all we need.
One thing I definitely
like about this place
is that it has a story.
The building has a cool
background and some heritage,
but price is definitely
an issue here.
It's a desirable area, that
comes with the territory.
You want to be
in a very desirable area.
- You can't beat the location.
- Absolutely.
My favorite part
of town, I love it.
It's a lot of kitchen,
and I'm not sure
that's what I want to be
putting my money toward.
There's a lot of things
I don't like about it
I'll have to change
from the paint color
to these random dividers.
Those are things
I'm concerned about
making this size
of an investment.
With his apartment
lease coming to an end,
it's time for Nils to decide
which tiny home will make
the perfect tiny bachelor pad.
It's a big question mark
for such a big investment.
Our house hunters are moving on
up to a much smaller space.
Could you live in a tiny house?
See how people make
the small space work
Nils is ready to make the leap
from renting roommate
to tiny homeowner.
He's looking for a place
that will keep life simple
in Columbus, Ohio.
With a budget of $120,000,
it's time for this millennial
to make a major decision.
I know you're ready
to buy a house.
Let's get to it.
The tiny house on wheels,
$35,000.
I absolutely loved it.
The wood, amazing, the
minimalist nature of it.
Everything was exactly
what I wanted
when I got into
this tiny-house hunt.
Downsides, unless I know exactly
where I'm gonna put that,
it's a big unknown.
That could be
pretty expensive.
I don't know
if I could get it
into downtown
Short North area.
It's a big question mark
for such a big investment.
But of the three places
we saw,
it was the tiniest,
and I loved it.
Let's talk about the farmhouse,
only $45,000.
You're only 200 square feet
above where you wanted to be.
I like the farmhouse,
especially that it had a story
and character to it.
What I didn't care for as much
is that it's got a lot of land.
It's gonna take a lot of work
on the outside.
And then on the inside,
right off the bat,
it's got some pretty nasty
carpet, some ugly walls.
The farmhouse is something
that I could grow into
and great for the long term.
The condo is $130,000.
It's in the perfect location.
It is tiny, it also had
a lot of room in the kitchen
that I think would go to waste
if I moved in.
The divider dojo curtain
was pretty weird.
But you could get rid
of that.
- Yeah.
- You could paint the walls.
But you're walking
- distance to work.
- Yeah.
I'll tell you what bugs me
most about the condo.
It's the price.
I got to think about
what that does to my cash
as far as what it's gonna
cost me month to month.
Think about it, $130,000.
That's way more expensive
than the other two combined.
All three
very different options.
It's gonna be
a tough decision.
I'd be comfortable
getting rid of the farmhouse.
I was thinking
the same thing.
Okay, great.
I don't have enough stuff
to fill that house up.
I'd like to be smaller
than that.
This is a huge decision.
Ultimately, what do you think
is gonna work for you?
What are you thinking?
All things considered,
I love the tiny house.
Finding the plot of land
worries me.
The condo might be
the smartest decision for me.
I know it's a little bit
out of my price range,
but I think it's got
everything that I need,
and it's in the best part
of town.
I'd be very excited
to live there.
This is gonna be perfect
for guests and entertaining,
and honestly just for you
being here, too.
Once I decided that
this was the place I wanted,
everything moved
pretty seamlessly.
Being able to be
in the Short North of Columbus
was the number-one thing
that I wanted,
and this place had it,
so it was tough to say no to.
Yeah, we really want
to maximize the space.
I think that's perfect.
The biggest change we made
in the space were the walls.
We took them from yellow
to white.
From ugly brown trim
to clean white trim.
Wow. Four, maybe
five people, easily.
Oh, yeah, this is great.
We also got rid
of that weird divider.
It opened the space up.
I'm very happy with how
the space turned out.
- All right.
- Offers some height
to the couch.
My initial budget was $120,000,
and I ended up
spending $130,000.
Is that more
than I wanted to spend?
Yes, but this is also
a better opportunity
than I thought I would
have available to me.
As much as I enjoyed having
Channing as a roommate,
it is nice to have a space
that's completely my domain.
All right.
- Awesome.
Dustin.
This place is great
in that it's very small
and simple and easy to maintain.
Yeah, Nils, I could
use some dishes.
I'm making your guac
in a coffee mug.
There's not a lot that can go
wrong and get messed up,
so if I do have a couple friends
coming over,
it doesn't take long for me
to pick up the few clothes
that are laying around.
This is courtesy
of Chef Channing.
I've definitely learned
that I value simplicity.
With a tiny place
comes simplicity,
and that's how
this all worked out.
- Cheers to you, Nils.
- Cheers.
people are going small--
really small...
These are so cute!
...buying tiny houses,
some just a microscopic
100 square feet.
Whoa.
This is a tiny house.
It looks really small.
This tiny trend
is picking up big steam,
with everything from
converted train cars and barns
to yurts
and microhouses on wheels.
I'd be a gypsy
on the run.
This is tiny.
I love it.
With the help
of his friend Channing,
Nils is looking for a tiny
bachelor pad in Columbus, Ohio.
How many TV dinners
you can fit in there, Nils?
I wonder if you could put shirts
in there.
You could.
This no-frills kind of guy
doesn't need much
in his tiny house.
Where are you
gonna put your towels?
Towels go probably on the floor
when I'm done using 'em.
I can smell your garlic breath
from here.
This is not enough space.
My name is Nils,
and I live in Columbus, Ohio.
I am a videographer,
and I have a small team,
and we make videos,
mostly for the web.
As long as he has the ad
in the photos, we're good to go.
I would say most of my time
during the course of a day
is spent on work.
And then once work is over,
it's, where are we going to grab
a beer or two with some friends.
I really don't spend a ton
of time in my place.
- Darts.
- All right.
Let's do it.
Go two teams?
For the past year or so,
I've been living
at the Short North in Columbus.
The Short North in Columbus is
this really cool part of town.
It's got art galleries,
great restaurants.
- Bull's-eye, nice.
- Look at that.
I live with a good friend
of mine, Channing.
We have a lot of fun.
It's been a great situation,
but our lease is up
in a couple months.
And I think I'm at a point where
I'm ready to stop paying rent
and start investing in a place.
If I'm gonna be doing that,
I want to do it in a very small,
lean and mean, tiny way.
I think we could fit a dart
board in the new place,
but you might have to stand
outside the door
to throw it and hit it.
Nils is open
to seeing tiny houses on wheels,
as well as condos
and single-family homes,
as long as they're under
500 square feet.
I guess I'm fascinated
with lean and mean,
simple, easy-to-manage approach.
I need a place that's kind of
a home base to sleep,
a place that's easy
to take care of.
I want to be able to dust it
in five minutes or whatever,
pick up the clothes
off the floor.
And I don't want to
have to worry about
a bunch of different rooms
or anything.
I'm pretty confident
that I'll be okay
with a tiny-home lifestyle.
Everything you need,
nothing you don't,
and it makes life less
stressful, I think.
To help him on his search
for the perfect tiny pad,
Nils is taking Channing along.
So, I probably won't have
room for a roommate,
unfortunately.
So, it's gonna be
an end of an era, huh?
A little bit.
I think a tiny house
is perfect for Nils.
All Nils really needs is a place
to lay his head, a toilet,
and a freezer
to put some TV dinners.
We're looking for small,
as close to downtown
as possible.
So, something that's definitely
very important to me
is being close
to the Short North,
if not in the Short North.
I love the idea of being able
to bike, if not walk, to work.
In my imagination, the perfect
tiny house would have an area
for a group of friends and me
to hang out.
My budget right now for my new
tiny house would be $120,000.
What all fits
in a tiny house?
It's got a place for a bed,
a couch, and a couple chairs.
A kitchen isn't important to me
because I just don't cook
that much.
Just a basic mini fridge,
mini freezer, maybe a stove top.
You're gonna learn
how to cook eventually.
I don't know.
Nils sometimes thinks
a little bit too simple,
so I'm hoping to kind of open
his eyes to things
that he doesn't think
he might need,
but I know he'll need
down the line.
Being a video maker
and telling people stories,
I'm definitely looking for
something that has character,
maybe a little bit
of a story behind it.
I don't think I want something
that's brand new,
smells like paint,
fresh carpet.
I'd like something that's older
and maybe rehabbed.
Got to think small,
remember that.
We don't got a lot to work with.
- Yeah.
Also on my wish list would be
a nice, small patio or balcony
that I can go outside and have a
cup of coffee on a nice morning.
I've been thinking about this
for a long time.
I'm excited about it to find
the right tiny house for me.
Helping Nils go tiny
is real-estate agent
Chris Meekins,
who's starting Nils off
with a tiny log-cabin style
house on wheels
that, at a mere 137 square feet,
is roughly 3 times smaller than
the average studio apartment.
Guys, you wanted tiny,
here's tiny.
This is tiny.
I love it.
Tell me about it.
What's it made out of?
What's the square footage
inside?
It's made of cypress
on the outside.
It has a metal roof.
It's 137 square feet.
It's an 18-footer, and
here's the price, $35,000.
Wow.
That's the most
expensive toy house
I've ever known in my life.
With the price being
so affordable,
I'm thinking I might be able
to find a small plot of land
towards downtown Short North
area where I could put this.
Or you can pay one
of your friends
and rent off their land.
Yeah, or not pay them.
That's a really good idea, too.
Obviously, a pretty small porch.
Wouldn't be able
to have much out here,
but you could probably build
something around it like a deck.
Absolutely,
it just really depends
on how mobile
you want it to be.
Wow.
This is tiny.
No wasted space.
It's certainly lean.
It's what you're looking for.
Is it enough space?
It's small and compact, but
it's got everything you need.
You've had bathrooms
bigger than this.
Come on.
- Yeah, I don't know.
I love these walls and how
kind of raw they are.
I don't see
where your bike could go,
'cause that's important
to you.
I know you wanted
to bike to work.
That's a really good point.
I don't think he'd get half
his furniture in this place,
it's so small.
This is all
your storage, right here.
Wow, look at that.
You can't fit
all your shirts in there.
I think could fit all the shirts
that I need in there,
and that's what matters.
Linens, think about that.
Where are you gonna
put your sheets?
Where are you gonna
put your towels?
They're all gonna fit
over here?
Linens go on the bed,
and the towels go
probably on the floor
when I'm done using them.
This has all been
staged with books,
but you can put anything
you want in here.
If you want to store
more clothing,
you want to store technology.
I want books that I want people
to think I've read.
All right, the kitchen.
Lean, mean,
nothing I don't need.
- You like this?
It's got a sink.
It's got a burner.
It's got a toaster oven.
A little toaster oven.
How many TV dinners could
you fit in there, Nils?
Probably--
maybe a week's worth?
I could probably make
a few extra trips
to the grocery store.
I can smell your garlic breath
from here.
This is not enough space.
I think Channing is looking
out for my best interests,
and I appreciate that,
but I also think
that he's looking at it through
a different lens than I am.
I'm interested in going tiny,
and he's not.
I want to mention that
this is the only sink.
It is for your bathroom,
but also for your kitchen.
After using the bathroom,
you're gonna go over here
and wash your hands
over the vegetables?
That's kind of gross.
That's one of the sacrifices
you make
in a tiny house like this.
Long term, this isn't gonna
work out for him.
I mean, you have to share a sink
with the bathroom.
I really hope he listens to me
and looks to something
a little bit bigger than this.
Wow.
Not a ton of space.
How do you flush this toilet,
by the way?
Oh, it's a foot pedal?
Interesting.
Probably built for one.
And I see that we have
a window right here.
Have some nice ventilation
in here.
That's nice.
You're too strong, Nils.
The loft bed is accessed
by a removable metal ladder.
I like this.
This is cool.
It's high in the middle,
pretty low on the side.
Could you put
your mattress up there?
I don't know
if I could fit a full.
I'm gonna say no.
I really like this extra
storage space here.
It's almost like a nightstand
for up here.
And no wasted space, that's what
I really like about this house.
Could you fit two people
up here? Move over.
I don't know, man.
It'd be pretty cozy.
In general, I like the place.
While it is small, it does
have a ton of natural light.
This house definitely
has character,
but I'm not sure
it has much of a story.
If I'm gonna go with this place,
where is it gonna go?
But we do need to find a place
for you to park this.
I got to find a plot of land
that I need to purchase
or work with a friend
or somebody who's willing
to loan me an area.
I think we should let Chris
show us something bigger.
I agree.
This is a great place.
I am excited about it.
It would be wise to see
something larger.
So, Chris has found
Nils something bigger,
but that may be all
it has going for it.
Wow, this is tiny,
and this is green.
Video producer Nils
is ready to ditch
the rent-a-room lifestyle
and invest in a home of his own.
With most of his time taken up
by work and play,
he's looking
for a tiny crash pad
that will allow him
to keep things simple,
and he's brought his friend
and current roommate,
Channing, along
to help in the search.
They saw a tiny cabin on wheels
that was a tight
138 square feet.
While Nils
likes the open layout,
it lacks the character he wants.
But the house's friendly price
tag would leave room
in his $120,000 budget
to buy land to park it on.
They're now seeing something
with a little bit more
elbow room and character--
a historic farmhouse on the edge
of downtown Columbus.
All right, guys,
here's the house.
This is it.
Wow, I like it a lot.
It's an old farmhouse
that's been around
since the mid-1930s.
Believe it or not,
we're right in the middle
of Columbus.
You are only 10 to 15 minutes
away from your office.
This house
is 624 square feet.
It's listed at $45,000.
That is a good price.
- Certainly.
- Worth considering.
- It is.
Look at all this land.
Lots of space.
The lawn's huge.
If I know Nils, Nils is not
gonna do any yardwork.
I see tiki torches
all around.
I want you to think
about what you can do here.
A little bit of paint,
a little bit of repair.
This could be, like,
party central
for you
- and your old roommate.
- Sunbathing...
I do like the idea
of having something
that's really easy
to maintain, though,
and this seems like
it's gonna be painting decks,
mowing grass.
I'm just not sure I'm ready
to sign up for this
much maintenance.
It's a different way
to go tiny.
I want you to think about
tiny and small, lean and mean,
but also
a lifestyle long term.
Well, here it is.
Yeah, a lot more square feet.
- Yeah, that's for sure.
- That's for sure.
You wanted to see
something bigger.
The space is great.
I mean, if we can get
the carpet up,
put some
hardwood floors down.
The thing I like
about this house
is that it's basically
a blank canvas.
I mean, he has a huge budget
to work with, maintenance-wise.
He can do anything he wanted
with the house.
These walls look like
a pretty rough drywall job,
a lot of spots.
I mean, it's just not
in great shape.
I like these windows
and all the natural light
that they're bringing in
to the space.
That's really cool.
It's a less expensive place,
which means
there's a little bit
of money to work with,
but it's a project.
I can see myself
painting it white,
putting some hardwood down,
and it being a very nice place
to live in.
Wow. This is tiny,
and this is green.
I like this window over here.
This is what we saw out front.
Say hello to the neighbors.
I like this a lot.
Rapunzel status
right there.
- Yeah.
- You could put your hair
out there.
Wow. This is blue.
This would take a lot of coats
of white to make it white.
You still got
some great light here.
Okay.
This closet would definitely
need to be put together.
That's another thing
- we'll have to fix.
- Yeah.
I like this.
It's very simple, straightforward.
Okay.
Not functional.
Maybe not completely functional,
but the layout I like.
Everything you need,
nothing you don't.
It looks like someone had to go
to the restroom really bad
and was trying to get in here.
Yeah. You have a 10-minute limit
of restroom in this house,
and after 10 minutes, you're
getting the steel toes, yeah.
A lot
of counter space here.
Yeah. I think it's probably
much more space
than what I need for a kitchen.
I know it's more space
than you wanted, Nils.
You might have someone else
cooking in here
later down the road.
I appreciate
your optimism, Channing.
Maybe somebody else would be
cooking here, that's awesome.
You may grow into this space.
The price--
you can't beat it.
You have a huge budget
to rip up the floors,
repaint everything.
And it's got character.
It used to be an old farmhouse,
and it still feels
like it's got
that old down-home feeling,
but there are downsides,
as well.
It has a lot of grass that
needs mowed, front and back.
The location, it's good.
It's bikable,
it's not walkable.
It's definitely something that
I can see myself living in.
So next, they're looking
at a low-maintenance
micro condo downtown.
If you have a guest over,
they're gonna have to go
through your bed
to get to the bathroom.
Columbus, Ohio,
resident and video producer Nils
is looking to ditch
the roommate routine
and invest
in his very first home.
Always on the go, he's searching
for a tiny house
in the Short North area
of downtown Columbus
that will fit within
his $120,000 budget.
He's seen a tiny cabin on wheels
that is just $35,000,
so he could afford to buy land
in downtown Columbus
to park it on.
He loves the efficient layout,
but it doesn't have
the character he's after.
Next was a 1900s farmhouse
with more space
and a historic feel Nils loves.
But updates and maintenance
could max out his budget,
and it isn't walkable
to downtown.
Trying to get him
something smaller
in the center of the city,
agent Chris has switched gears
and found a micro condo
in a 1920s building
that historically was used as
a hotel for railroad workers.
The condo is just
440 square feet,
which is still considered
a tiny home.
But here's the catch.
It's listed at $130,000.
Ooh.
It's a little bit above budget.
It's definitely more
than I want to pay.
There aren't too many properties
in the Short North
that you can get
in this price range.
Many of the properties are
well over $200,000 to $300,000
just to get in
to the neighborhood.
Very cool.
I really like the feel
of this building.
It's old, definitely.
- Right here.
- Right here?
- Yeah, here we are.
Wow.
That is a lot of kitchen.
I love the kitchen, man.
- It's a lot.
- It's a lot of counter space.
- That's four whole burners.
- You can put a cutting board
here, cutting board here.
It's definitely a lot
of storage space
that I don't have things
to put inside.
It's just much more
than what I need.
Most important appliance
that you'll use, Nils,
the microwave.
- Yes.
I wonder if you could
put shirts in there.
You could.
You could do your laundry
in your dishwasher.
Love the light.
Yeah, definitely love
these huge windows.
Right on High Street,
that's pretty cool.
Oh, wow, great view.
I love it.
All right, okay.
This might be a problem.
Yeah.
They're old.
Hardwood floors,
very cool, old.
Speaking of old,
like, a faux fireplace.
That's a little weird.
I think we can fit about
10 bottles of bourbon here.
It'd be a much
better-looking fireplace
if it was decorated
like that.
I don't like the walls.
Yellow and green.
You can always paint.
Oh, I didn't know this place
came with a dojo.
This is awesome.
- Wow.
What is this,
a samurai theme?
Got the transition
from hardwood to carpet.
I don't know, it just feels
a little bit older.
Where you gonna
put the bed, Nils?
Well--
Where's the magic
gonna happen?
It's just a full size.
Like this?
The bedroom's really small.
I mean, his feet were
practically in the kitchen.
If you have a guest over,
they're gonna have
to go through your bed
to get to the bathroom.
Like that's... That might just be
an inconvenience
I have to deal with by having
a place that's this small.
There were areas that I thought
were a little too small.
For example, I'd like
some of the square footage
from the kitchen to be thrown
into the bedroom,
but you can't really do that
with this space.
Look at the closet space
you have here.
Despite the closet,
I think it's a pretty great size
for this size of apartment.
What do you think
of the bathroom here?
This is very nice, very compact.
- Whoa, look at this.
- I like that.
I like that a lot.
So efficient use
of space right here.
Everything you need,
nothing you don't.
- Yes, all the essentials.
- Yeah.
It comes with toilet paper.
Seating for one.
That's probably all we need.
One thing I definitely
like about this place
is that it has a story.
The building has a cool
background and some heritage,
but price is definitely
an issue here.
It's a desirable area, that
comes with the territory.
You want to be
in a very desirable area.
- You can't beat the location.
- Absolutely.
My favorite part
of town, I love it.
It's a lot of kitchen,
and I'm not sure
that's what I want to be
putting my money toward.
There's a lot of things
I don't like about it
I'll have to change
from the paint color
to these random dividers.
Those are things
I'm concerned about
making this size
of an investment.
With his apartment
lease coming to an end,
it's time for Nils to decide
which tiny home will make
the perfect tiny bachelor pad.
It's a big question mark
for such a big investment.
Our house hunters are moving on
up to a much smaller space.
Could you live in a tiny house?
See how people make
the small space work
Nils is ready to make the leap
from renting roommate
to tiny homeowner.
He's looking for a place
that will keep life simple
in Columbus, Ohio.
With a budget of $120,000,
it's time for this millennial
to make a major decision.
I know you're ready
to buy a house.
Let's get to it.
The tiny house on wheels,
$35,000.
I absolutely loved it.
The wood, amazing, the
minimalist nature of it.
Everything was exactly
what I wanted
when I got into
this tiny-house hunt.
Downsides, unless I know exactly
where I'm gonna put that,
it's a big unknown.
That could be
pretty expensive.
I don't know
if I could get it
into downtown
Short North area.
It's a big question mark
for such a big investment.
But of the three places
we saw,
it was the tiniest,
and I loved it.
Let's talk about the farmhouse,
only $45,000.
You're only 200 square feet
above where you wanted to be.
I like the farmhouse,
especially that it had a story
and character to it.
What I didn't care for as much
is that it's got a lot of land.
It's gonna take a lot of work
on the outside.
And then on the inside,
right off the bat,
it's got some pretty nasty
carpet, some ugly walls.
The farmhouse is something
that I could grow into
and great for the long term.
The condo is $130,000.
It's in the perfect location.
It is tiny, it also had
a lot of room in the kitchen
that I think would go to waste
if I moved in.
The divider dojo curtain
was pretty weird.
But you could get rid
of that.
- Yeah.
- You could paint the walls.
But you're walking
- distance to work.
- Yeah.
I'll tell you what bugs me
most about the condo.
It's the price.
I got to think about
what that does to my cash
as far as what it's gonna
cost me month to month.
Think about it, $130,000.
That's way more expensive
than the other two combined.
All three
very different options.
It's gonna be
a tough decision.
I'd be comfortable
getting rid of the farmhouse.
I was thinking
the same thing.
Okay, great.
I don't have enough stuff
to fill that house up.
I'd like to be smaller
than that.
This is a huge decision.
Ultimately, what do you think
is gonna work for you?
What are you thinking?
All things considered,
I love the tiny house.
Finding the plot of land
worries me.
The condo might be
the smartest decision for me.
I know it's a little bit
out of my price range,
but I think it's got
everything that I need,
and it's in the best part
of town.
I'd be very excited
to live there.
This is gonna be perfect
for guests and entertaining,
and honestly just for you
being here, too.
Once I decided that
this was the place I wanted,
everything moved
pretty seamlessly.
Being able to be
in the Short North of Columbus
was the number-one thing
that I wanted,
and this place had it,
so it was tough to say no to.
Yeah, we really want
to maximize the space.
I think that's perfect.
The biggest change we made
in the space were the walls.
We took them from yellow
to white.
From ugly brown trim
to clean white trim.
Wow. Four, maybe
five people, easily.
Oh, yeah, this is great.
We also got rid
of that weird divider.
It opened the space up.
I'm very happy with how
the space turned out.
- All right.
- Offers some height
to the couch.
My initial budget was $120,000,
and I ended up
spending $130,000.
Is that more
than I wanted to spend?
Yes, but this is also
a better opportunity
than I thought I would
have available to me.
As much as I enjoyed having
Channing as a roommate,
it is nice to have a space
that's completely my domain.
All right.
- Awesome.
Dustin.
This place is great
in that it's very small
and simple and easy to maintain.
Yeah, Nils, I could
use some dishes.
I'm making your guac
in a coffee mug.
There's not a lot that can go
wrong and get messed up,
so if I do have a couple friends
coming over,
it doesn't take long for me
to pick up the few clothes
that are laying around.
This is courtesy
of Chef Channing.
I've definitely learned
that I value simplicity.
With a tiny place
comes simplicity,
and that's how
this all worked out.
- Cheers to you, Nils.
- Cheers.