Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 14 - Downsizing in Sanford - full transcript
Home buyers across the country
are saying goodbye
to big houses...
Wow, look at that!
That is tiny.
...and hello to small spaces.
With the push of a button,
this house contracts
to half its size.
- Wow!
- What is this?
This is the bedroom.
It's a fold-down sink.
That's so cool!
Whoa!
Wow. This just got weird.
But the smaller the house,
the bigger the challenge
fitting inside.
It'd be six of us up here.
- Where am I gonna sleep?
- This swings back.
- Oh!
- That's the loft.
I think
I see a problem already.
- Wow.
- Oh, cute!
This is different.
Chicago, Illinois, local Nancy
is tired of the cold winters.
So she's looking for a home
that's easy to clean
in the Orlando, Florida, area.
I don't know you have
to dust the ceiling.
Oh, but I would.
Maybe a helmet'll
come with the place.
But even
with her brother, David,
along to keep her grounded,
finding a tiny home
that fits her needs
is definitely a challenge.
We could put the treadmill,
the office and...
The washer and dryer.
...and the washer
- and dryer all in here.
- Oh, dear.
- Yeah.
- You might have
to pick one of three.
Hi, I'm Nancy.
And I live in Chicago, Illinois.
That one is scheduled
to ship on Thursday.
I work in inside sales support.
And I have the luxury
of working from home.
I have a 7-year-old dog, Macy.
She's a Maltese Bichon.
I enjoy taking a lot of walks.
I walk the dog a lot.
How you doin', sweetie?
I just sold my
1,000 square foot house.
And I now live with my brother
in West Chicago
in his 3,000 square foot house.
It's been great staying here.
But I'm ready to get
into my own home.
In addition to having
her own space,
Nancy wants to spend more time
exploring the outdoors
with her dog, Macy.
I decided that I wanted
to go tiny
because I take cleaning
to a new level of obsessiveness.
So I'm hoping that
moving to a tiny home
will give me more free time
'cause I won't have
to clean as much.
I'm gonna want the right sink
and the right countertops.
Well, I will be there
to make sure
you don't make any drastic
and fast decisions.
As Nancy's older brother,
I'm very protective.
We have a very close bond.
We always have.
He is a father and a brother
rolled into one,
and a-- and a frugal one.
So I can't spend any money
when he's around.
So I'm a little leery of him
being my partner
in this whole thing.
I pretty much
grew up in Chicago.
I've lived here
for 30-plus years.
And I am so tired of the cold.
And I am ready to live somewhere
where it's warm year-round
and where I can just
walk all the time.
Determined to leave
Chicago's winters behind her,
Nancy's focusing her search
for a tiny home
in the Orlando, Florida, area.
She has a budget of $200,000
to purchase a house
and land to put it on.
I'm looking for
a traditional-style home,
just a tiny version of it,
maybe with some columns,
steep pitched roof.
This is nice 'cause
it has the desk,
which you could probably use.
- Make a nice work space.
- Yeah, sure would.
And a-- and a window
in front of it.
If you were on the water,
you'd--Yeah.
...have a really nice view.
In the area that I'm looking
for, I think I'd like to be
as close
to the water as possible.
Although the 'frigerator's
a little bit small.
But look at the cute
little oven!
- Yeah.
- Full-size appliances.
- Right.
- Washer and dryer.
- Oh, there's my gooseneck sink.
- Oh, yeah.
- Or faucet.
- Mm-hmm.
Being a clean freak,
I've gotta be able to
do things perfectly.
So a gooseneck is essential.
You need to have a gooseneck
so you can rinse off
your kitchen sink well.
I wonder what that is.
You think that's
a bathtub back there?
That might be.
And I'm guessing
that's the sofa
so it's not going
to have room for my sofa.
I love my sofa. It's kinda big.
But it's gotta come with me.
Okay, baby doll.
Mama has a conference call.
So you need to be quiet.
This is a deal-breaker.
I've got to bring the treadmill
into the tiny home
because if I'm not using it,
the dog is.
Good girl!
I have no idea what to expect.
But I have shoveled more
snow than I ever cared to.
So I am ready
to get outta here.
Nancy and David are
traveling to Orlando
to see what tiny
properties are for sale.
- Ooh!
- Wow, look at this!
This is different.
It's got wheels.
Giving them the lay of the land
is local real estate agent
and tiny house expert
Jennifer De Vivo.
I'm excited to show you
- this modern sunny casita.
- Okay.
It is 225 square feet,
1 bedroom, 1 bathroom loft.
- Okay.
- And you're gonna
love the price, only $59,000.
- Ooh!
- Ooh!
- That fits the budget.
- That's enticing.
So I'm guessing the $59,000
does not include the land?
- It does not include the land.
- Okay.
You're gonna have to buy
the land separately.
And that may bring you
- closer to your max budget.
- Understandable.
In this part of Orlando,
Jennifer could find Nancy
a third of an acre of land
for around $35,000.
- Oh, wow.
- Look at that.
- That's nice.
- Very nice.
- Lots of light, lots of windows.
- Yes, very nice.
- Very high ceiling.
- Yes, very nice.
And one thing I think
you're gonna love
are these low-maintenance
French doors
with insert lines.
Oh, yes, yes, because that
is so much less to dust.
Huh. That's cool.
I bet you my sofa's
not gonna fit.
- But let's see.
- 100 inches?
- Give it a try. Uh-huh.
- I don't think so.
Yeah, I don't think so, either.
Nope, not a chance.
I know there's a new sofa
out there waiting for you
that you could fall
- in love with.
- Yeah.
There is tons of hidden storage
in this home.
- Okay.
- So, if you look
right over here,
you've got four storage units.
- Oh.
And you could put all
your extra supplies, goods.
- And it goes deep down in there.
- Okay.
- Perfect.
- Well, right over here,
you have your dining room.
And it also doubles
as extra counter space.
- I love this.
- Okay. That's nice.
I wonder if this could
- be my work space.
- Very nice.
Another cool thing is
you have two refrigerators.
So you've got this
- one here down below.
- Okay.
And one right up here
could also be
a 'frigerator or freezer.
Oh. Yeah, I would
need it to be a freezer.
- Oh, that's interesting.
- Yep, yep. Okay.
And then you've got
this nice sink.
Ooh, it's a nice gooseneck.
Love that.
Hate the size of the sink.
What do you think
about the appliances?
Do you think this is
gonna work for ya?
I do.
Think you could make
the sink work?
It could work if there's
somewhere else to bathe Macy.
Yes. So come on in here.
And you will see
you've got a full-sized tub
for you to chill and relax.
- Boy, this is spacious.
- Oh, wow.
Washer and dryer are inside.
- So very, very convenient.
- Oh, nice.
It's a really
- good place for it.
- It works very nicely.
But let's move onto this.
This is a composting toilet.
No, that-- I-- no.
So I see that Nancy
is ready to embrace
the tiny living lifestyle.
However, pushing that
boundary with the compost
toilet might be a little bit
more than she bargained for.
Well, this particular
composter toilet,
if-- believe it or not,
costs about $1,000.
But it's also rigged
to put a regular, standard,
$100, $250,
uh, porcelain toilet.
Done.
And a storage tank, I guess.
- And I save money.
- And you save money.
You could've told me that
that was 3 grand more
and I still would've said done.
Oh. Don't stand up.
Don't get up. Don't get up.
Well, welcome
to your loft space.
- Okay.
- I would just be careful.
As you get closer that way,
there really isn't a guardrail.
I'd have to put a guardrail in.
Oh, my gosh!
My dog could fall outta bed.
Although I love
the open concept, you know,
it's just not
necessarily practical
when it comes to safety.
- Right.
- This would take
some getting used to.
Yeah, it would.
And then you have
your closet space.
Oh, it's big!
- That's good size.
- Yeah.
The space upstairs,
really, all I would have to do
is install a few rails.
And it-- it could
really work for me.
I like the idea that this thing
is on wheels, which means,
if you take it
somewhere and decide
you don't wanna live
in that place anymore,
you can sell the property
and move somewhere else.
Right.
The washer and dryer,
that's a must-have.
And that works perfectly.
The composting
toilet would have to go.
But other than that,
that bathroom is very workable.
I-I don't see where
I would put my treadmill.
And that is a definite
problem for me.
Yeah. I actually don't see
your treadmill
in here either, Nancy.
Nancy is looking at something
right on the water.
But it could be more
house than she wants.
I will never get the dust
outta that ceiling.
You got more stuff for us?
- More downsizing.
- Oh, we're gonna miss ya.
Chicago, Illinois, native Nancy
is looking to escape the cold.
So she's searching
for a tiny home
near the water in
the Orlando, Florida, area.
She's hoping that going tiny
will simplify her life
and allow more free time
for enjoying the outdoors
with her dog, Macy.
With her brother, David,
along to help stay
within her
$200,000 price range,
they've seen a 225-square foot
modern tiny home.
It was well below her budget.
But she would need to factor in
the cost of purchasing land.
And while she loves
the large bathroom
and full-size washer and dryer,
it doesn't have space
for her treadmill or a sofa.
For help with the tiny
landscape in Orlando,
she's turned to local real
estate agent Jennifer De Vivo,
who's showing Nancy
a customizable model tiny home
right on the water.
- Wow!
- Oh, cute!
- Hey, guys!
- Hi, Jennifer.
We have this gorgeous floating
bungalow for you to see.
And it is 500 square feet,
listed at $215,000.
Ooh, that's over my budget.
Well, when you see everything
that's inside here,
you're gonna see that it's worth
just a little bit more.
This home also has
a $400 a month
moorage fee at the marina.
- Ooh!
- Wow.
- Very nice.
- This is darling.
- Not what I was expecting.
- Look at the size of this oven!
- There's five burners!
- A full-size refrigerator.
The refrigerator
is absolutely huge.
That's awesome.
You've got your double sink
right over this way.
And they were very thoughtful
to give you this gorgeous
cutting board.
And one other thing I wanna
just show you right over here,
really convenient,
is this wonderful bathroom.
And look. Storage.
Storage.
Lots of storage.
Okay. I was kind of thinkin'
that that might be a good spot
for the washer and dryer.
Where is the washer-dryer?
You get your own
utility closet
with your washer-dryer
hookups right outside.
Okay. It's not
a composting toilet, is it?
- Thank goodness it is not.
- Sweet.
It is a regular,
flushable toilet.
- Okay.
- And guess what?
All you have to do is hook it up
to the marina utilities.
- And you don't have to worry.
- They do it all?
- Last thing. They do it for ya.
- All right.
- The shower's big enough.
- Very roomy.
- Yeah. It's big enough.
- Larger than I would've thought
about in this house.
I don't know
how I'd give Macy a bath.
- The sink would work.
- The sink would be good.
But if-- Mmm, can we
get a single sink?
Yes.
Look at this space here.
And you got this amazing,
vaulted ceiling.
I will never get the dust
out of that ceiling.
I don't think you have
to dust the ceiling.
Oh, but I would.
Yeah, oh, definitely.
David, would you hold
that right there?
Yep, okay.
- Couch.
- Ooh, perfect!
- My sofa, my big sofa, will fit.
- And you've got French doors
just leading you
onto your balcony.
Okay.
- Oh.
- Wow!
- Wow, nice.
- Oh, it's big!
Look at the turtle!
Yes! The turtles
come right up to you.
- They're very friendly.
- This is so fun!
But I think that my dog
will get the biggest kick out
of hanging out on the porch
while I cook on the grill.
And she'll watch the turtles.
But the $15,000 over budget
is something I've gotta
think about a lot.
These are a little narrow.
I think this is nice.
Oh, I can dust from up here.
- Yes, you can.
- I could reach everything.
There's one problem solved.
Right over this way, you've got
a closet and extra room.
- I have to duck.
- Wow.
We could put the treadmill,
the office and--The washer and dryer.
And the washer
- and dryer all in here.
- Under here, yeah.
You might have
to pick one of three.
I like the size of it.
I like the kitchen.
A lotta kitchen.
And there's room for all
of the things that I want.
Yeah, there's some things
that are, like,
big and normal-size for you,
your bed, your refrigerator.
I wasn't expecting all of these
full-size appliances.
The stairs are a little bit
of a concern.
- Even holding a dog--
- Right.
You know, and then having
to work the stairs as well.
This unit is 15 grand
higher than your budget.
- Right.
- And then tack on top
of that $400 a month.
That $400 a month also
includes your utilities.
So you're gonna actually
maybe save some money
than you would
with a normal house.
Since budget is a concern,
Nancy's seeing a home
that is less money
but also has less space.
I'm gonna hit my head
in the middle of the night
when I get up. Oh.
- Oh!
This is Nancy. Can I help you?
Chicago, Illinois
sales support specialist Nancy
is going tiny so she can spend
less time cleaning
and more time enjoying life
with her dog, Macy.
She's looking at tiny homes near
the water in Orlando, Florida,
with her brother, David,
along for advice.
She's seen a modern home
that is well
under her $200,000 budget
and is easily movable.
But she would need to
buy land to place it on.
And the kitchen is too small
for her liking.
Next was a spacious
floating bungalow.
Nancy loves that
it's right on the water.
And it fits her sofa.
But it's more space to clean.
And David's worried
about the cost.
Wow, this is different.
Real estate agent
Jennifer De Vivo
has found Nancy
a portable tiny home
that would have
plenty of room in the budget
to buy land near the water.
Today, I wanna show you
this cool, rustic shed.
And although we're located
on a nice hill
and I love the area,
it's very mobile.
So, if you wanna move it
closer to the water, super easy.
- Oh, great.
- This is 270 square feet.
- Okay.
- Good size.
It's a 1-bedroom, 1-bath loft.
- Okay.
- And it's listed for $55,000.
- Ooh, like that!
- That's important.
- He likes that.
- Yeah.
Oh.
I don't know that
my sofa will fit here.
- But let's give it a whirl.
- Take a look.
100 inches.
Not gonna happen.
No. But it's pretty close.
Uh, my treadmill
would fit here, though.
You could do a treadmill.
You could do your chair.
And you can get your exercise
and your relaxation
all in the same space.
- All in the same.
Okay.
So that could be a work space.
Yes.
And, if you look here,
they really made
great use of the stairs.
Oh, my goodness!
They sure did!
And all different
types of drawers here--
Wow....for all different
types of uses.
- Look at that!
- Wow. Very clever.
- You've got cabinets throughout.
- Yeah.
Um, you've got even a cabinet,
uh, drawer space
- under your refrigerator.
- Under there?
And if you turn
right around here,
all of these are cabinet areas.
- Okay.
And you've got
a nice long work space.
Good work space.
Good-size sink.
- Mm-hmm.
- Awesome.
- Yes, a restaurant-style faucet.
- Oh, I see. Uh-huh.
Macy would easily fit in there.
Can really fit
a lot of big things,
including that refrigerator,
into a kind of a small space.
It's a little-- it's on--
I mean, it's not full-size.
But it's big.
I don't see a oven
or a microwave.
And that's a problem.
Down here, there's
a plug-in for an oven.
Oh, so I could
put an oven down there
and remove the doors. Wow!
If you step back right in here,
you're right into your bathroom.
- It's a regular toilet!
- Yes.
And I'm guessing this
is a washer-dryer combo thing?
- That's right.
- Wow.
That is a full-size shower.
Oh, it's awfully roomy.
Watch your step.
Oh, I'd like to
have a handle here.
Certainly not carryin' the dog.
Kinda feels like
a coffin to me.
I don't know that I could
actually see myself
living up here
and sleeping here.
I'd have a hard time
vacuuming up here.
- This is true.
- Okay.
Well, let's see,
if I lay down,
if I'm gonna hit my head
in the middle of the night
when I get up. Oh!
- Oh, oh!
- Gonna hit it goin' down.
Get a little bit further.
Will I hit it twice?
Maybe a helmet'll
come with the place.
The bathroom is actually
very, very doable.
The kitchen, the counter space,
the size of the sink,
the amount of storage,
those things
really work for me.
- Yeah.
- I love the work space.
So that could definitely work.
I'm less than thrilled
with the-- the stairs.
And the loft is
a little bit small.
The design features
are really cool.
They did a great job
using every--
every space well.
- They did.
But I just struggle with
the overall size and whether
or not you can make that work.
Right.
With several ways
to go tiny on the table,
Nancy's ready to figure out
which place feels like home.
- I think that one has to go.
- That one's out, too?
I think so.
House hunting just got
a little bit smaller,
with people on the hunt
for tiny homes.
Could you live
in such close quarters?
Learn more at...
- Whoa!
- Yeah?
Nancy and her dog, Macy,
are escaping
the harsh Chicago winters
by going tiny
near Orlando, Florida.
With a budget of $200,000
and help from her brother,
David, they've seen several tiny
homes for her to consider.
So you're really
- gonna move to Florida?
- I think so.
So the modern sunny casita?
- Uh, it was $59,000, which--
- Yeah.
Could be with--
within your budget,
depending on how much
waterfront property would cost.
This was the smallest
option at 225 square feet.
And it's on wheels.
So I would be able
to move it
- near the body of water.
- Right.
It did have
a workable kitchen, not huge.
But I could work with it.
The bathroom,
it was sizeable.
It had a great bathtub.
It did have that awful
composting toilet.
Ugh!
- But it had a decent loft.
- Yeah.
I'm not sure that
225 square feet
is just gonna be
big enough for--
for everything that I want.
How do you feel about
the floating bungalow?
This model is fully
customizable and listed
at $215,000
with 500 square feet.
It was beyond my budget.
And there were
the $400-a-month dock fees.
Now we're way over budget.
It did have a nice big loft
with a nice big closet.
The family room, there was
plenty of room for my sofa.
Ooh, the washer and dryer,
- I had to go outside.
- Oh, right.
The kitchen sink
was real small.
Well, they did say
it was customizable.
It seemed more spacious.
I didn't feel crowded
or cramped as much.
It definitely had
some appeal do it.
I did wanna be close
to the water.
And this is on the water.
It's as close
- as you're gonna get.
- Yeah.
How do you feel
about the rustic shed?
This house was
the least expensive option,
at $55,000, and came in
at 270 square feet.
The bathroom was perfect.
They had made great
use of the kitchen.
- The kitchen sink was awesome.
- Yeah.
And there was
plenty of cabinet space.
Now, I don't think
I could live with that loft.
- Uh, that was too enclosing.
- It was very tiny.
- Kinda claustrophobic.
- Right.
- Yep.
- The stairs worry me,
you tryin' to go up with the dog
and maybe a glass of wine.
You wouldn't even have
a hand to use on a railing.
Depending on how much
property costs,
it was well within budget.
- Right, right.
So I could afford
to make the changes,
buy a new sofa,
- join a health club.
- Right.
- The rustic shed--
- Yeah.
...as much as I loved
the designated work space...
Right....and the size of
that kitchen,
I have to live in the rest
of the house, too.
- Right.
- And the rest of
the house just wasn't workable.
I think I need
to eliminate that one.
Okay.
So the modern sunny casita,
it just wasn't enough room
for everything else
that I wanna bring
to the table.
So I think that one has to go.
- That one's out, too?
- I think so.
So I guess that leaves
the floating bungalow.
I think it does.
It's right on the water.
- Yeah.
- And with some modifications,
I can get everything
that I need in there.
Are you--
are you comfy, punkin?
Oh, darlin'.
I've been in my tiny house
for almost two months.
Living on the water
is just great.
It has just been
absolutely delightful.
They were asking $215,000.
I was able to make some changes
and bring the price down
to $200,000.
So there were a lot
of changes that we made.
First, we got rid of the porch
and made it into
my treadmill room.
Uh, we also brought
in a full-size washer and dryer,
got rid of the 5-burner
stove and went with one.
I added in an 18-inch
dishwasher that I just love.
Still have
a full-size refrigerator.
Room for the sofa
and a nice work station.
This is Nancy.
How can I help you?
My work station is awesome.
I get a great day's work in.
Not a problem.
I will take care of it.
The one compromise that I had
to make was going with the loft.
So I-I have to carry Macy up
and down the stairs.
Remember that one time
that you tried
to go up the stairs by yourself?
You can never do that again.
Macy doesn't even know
it's a tiny house.
She has-- she has
nothing to adjust to.
She-- she's got her bed.
And she's got my lap.
And she's as happy as can be.
Now that it's a smaller space,
I can get the cleaning done
a whole lot quicker.
Moving from Chicago to Florida
has been absolutely seamless.
I could not be happier.
I miss nothing
about the cold weather.
And I am not gonna
miss the snow at all.
Wanna kayak tomorrow?
Let's do that.
It is just wonderful
to be able to sit down
at the end of my work day
on my sofa
with a glass of wine
with my dog.
And it's just perfect.
are saying goodbye
to big houses...
Wow, look at that!
That is tiny.
...and hello to small spaces.
With the push of a button,
this house contracts
to half its size.
- Wow!
- What is this?
This is the bedroom.
It's a fold-down sink.
That's so cool!
Whoa!
Wow. This just got weird.
But the smaller the house,
the bigger the challenge
fitting inside.
It'd be six of us up here.
- Where am I gonna sleep?
- This swings back.
- Oh!
- That's the loft.
I think
I see a problem already.
- Wow.
- Oh, cute!
This is different.
Chicago, Illinois, local Nancy
is tired of the cold winters.
So she's looking for a home
that's easy to clean
in the Orlando, Florida, area.
I don't know you have
to dust the ceiling.
Oh, but I would.
Maybe a helmet'll
come with the place.
But even
with her brother, David,
along to keep her grounded,
finding a tiny home
that fits her needs
is definitely a challenge.
We could put the treadmill,
the office and...
The washer and dryer.
...and the washer
- and dryer all in here.
- Oh, dear.
- Yeah.
- You might have
to pick one of three.
Hi, I'm Nancy.
And I live in Chicago, Illinois.
That one is scheduled
to ship on Thursday.
I work in inside sales support.
And I have the luxury
of working from home.
I have a 7-year-old dog, Macy.
She's a Maltese Bichon.
I enjoy taking a lot of walks.
I walk the dog a lot.
How you doin', sweetie?
I just sold my
1,000 square foot house.
And I now live with my brother
in West Chicago
in his 3,000 square foot house.
It's been great staying here.
But I'm ready to get
into my own home.
In addition to having
her own space,
Nancy wants to spend more time
exploring the outdoors
with her dog, Macy.
I decided that I wanted
to go tiny
because I take cleaning
to a new level of obsessiveness.
So I'm hoping that
moving to a tiny home
will give me more free time
'cause I won't have
to clean as much.
I'm gonna want the right sink
and the right countertops.
Well, I will be there
to make sure
you don't make any drastic
and fast decisions.
As Nancy's older brother,
I'm very protective.
We have a very close bond.
We always have.
He is a father and a brother
rolled into one,
and a-- and a frugal one.
So I can't spend any money
when he's around.
So I'm a little leery of him
being my partner
in this whole thing.
I pretty much
grew up in Chicago.
I've lived here
for 30-plus years.
And I am so tired of the cold.
And I am ready to live somewhere
where it's warm year-round
and where I can just
walk all the time.
Determined to leave
Chicago's winters behind her,
Nancy's focusing her search
for a tiny home
in the Orlando, Florida, area.
She has a budget of $200,000
to purchase a house
and land to put it on.
I'm looking for
a traditional-style home,
just a tiny version of it,
maybe with some columns,
steep pitched roof.
This is nice 'cause
it has the desk,
which you could probably use.
- Make a nice work space.
- Yeah, sure would.
And a-- and a window
in front of it.
If you were on the water,
you'd--Yeah.
...have a really nice view.
In the area that I'm looking
for, I think I'd like to be
as close
to the water as possible.
Although the 'frigerator's
a little bit small.
But look at the cute
little oven!
- Yeah.
- Full-size appliances.
- Right.
- Washer and dryer.
- Oh, there's my gooseneck sink.
- Oh, yeah.
- Or faucet.
- Mm-hmm.
Being a clean freak,
I've gotta be able to
do things perfectly.
So a gooseneck is essential.
You need to have a gooseneck
so you can rinse off
your kitchen sink well.
I wonder what that is.
You think that's
a bathtub back there?
That might be.
And I'm guessing
that's the sofa
so it's not going
to have room for my sofa.
I love my sofa. It's kinda big.
But it's gotta come with me.
Okay, baby doll.
Mama has a conference call.
So you need to be quiet.
This is a deal-breaker.
I've got to bring the treadmill
into the tiny home
because if I'm not using it,
the dog is.
Good girl!
I have no idea what to expect.
But I have shoveled more
snow than I ever cared to.
So I am ready
to get outta here.
Nancy and David are
traveling to Orlando
to see what tiny
properties are for sale.
- Ooh!
- Wow, look at this!
This is different.
It's got wheels.
Giving them the lay of the land
is local real estate agent
and tiny house expert
Jennifer De Vivo.
I'm excited to show you
- this modern sunny casita.
- Okay.
It is 225 square feet,
1 bedroom, 1 bathroom loft.
- Okay.
- And you're gonna
love the price, only $59,000.
- Ooh!
- Ooh!
- That fits the budget.
- That's enticing.
So I'm guessing the $59,000
does not include the land?
- It does not include the land.
- Okay.
You're gonna have to buy
the land separately.
And that may bring you
- closer to your max budget.
- Understandable.
In this part of Orlando,
Jennifer could find Nancy
a third of an acre of land
for around $35,000.
- Oh, wow.
- Look at that.
- That's nice.
- Very nice.
- Lots of light, lots of windows.
- Yes, very nice.
- Very high ceiling.
- Yes, very nice.
And one thing I think
you're gonna love
are these low-maintenance
French doors
with insert lines.
Oh, yes, yes, because that
is so much less to dust.
Huh. That's cool.
I bet you my sofa's
not gonna fit.
- But let's see.
- 100 inches?
- Give it a try. Uh-huh.
- I don't think so.
Yeah, I don't think so, either.
Nope, not a chance.
I know there's a new sofa
out there waiting for you
that you could fall
- in love with.
- Yeah.
There is tons of hidden storage
in this home.
- Okay.
- So, if you look
right over here,
you've got four storage units.
- Oh.
And you could put all
your extra supplies, goods.
- And it goes deep down in there.
- Okay.
- Perfect.
- Well, right over here,
you have your dining room.
And it also doubles
as extra counter space.
- I love this.
- Okay. That's nice.
I wonder if this could
- be my work space.
- Very nice.
Another cool thing is
you have two refrigerators.
So you've got this
- one here down below.
- Okay.
And one right up here
could also be
a 'frigerator or freezer.
Oh. Yeah, I would
need it to be a freezer.
- Oh, that's interesting.
- Yep, yep. Okay.
And then you've got
this nice sink.
Ooh, it's a nice gooseneck.
Love that.
Hate the size of the sink.
What do you think
about the appliances?
Do you think this is
gonna work for ya?
I do.
Think you could make
the sink work?
It could work if there's
somewhere else to bathe Macy.
Yes. So come on in here.
And you will see
you've got a full-sized tub
for you to chill and relax.
- Boy, this is spacious.
- Oh, wow.
Washer and dryer are inside.
- So very, very convenient.
- Oh, nice.
It's a really
- good place for it.
- It works very nicely.
But let's move onto this.
This is a composting toilet.
No, that-- I-- no.
So I see that Nancy
is ready to embrace
the tiny living lifestyle.
However, pushing that
boundary with the compost
toilet might be a little bit
more than she bargained for.
Well, this particular
composter toilet,
if-- believe it or not,
costs about $1,000.
But it's also rigged
to put a regular, standard,
$100, $250,
uh, porcelain toilet.
Done.
And a storage tank, I guess.
- And I save money.
- And you save money.
You could've told me that
that was 3 grand more
and I still would've said done.
Oh. Don't stand up.
Don't get up. Don't get up.
Well, welcome
to your loft space.
- Okay.
- I would just be careful.
As you get closer that way,
there really isn't a guardrail.
I'd have to put a guardrail in.
Oh, my gosh!
My dog could fall outta bed.
Although I love
the open concept, you know,
it's just not
necessarily practical
when it comes to safety.
- Right.
- This would take
some getting used to.
Yeah, it would.
And then you have
your closet space.
Oh, it's big!
- That's good size.
- Yeah.
The space upstairs,
really, all I would have to do
is install a few rails.
And it-- it could
really work for me.
I like the idea that this thing
is on wheels, which means,
if you take it
somewhere and decide
you don't wanna live
in that place anymore,
you can sell the property
and move somewhere else.
Right.
The washer and dryer,
that's a must-have.
And that works perfectly.
The composting
toilet would have to go.
But other than that,
that bathroom is very workable.
I-I don't see where
I would put my treadmill.
And that is a definite
problem for me.
Yeah. I actually don't see
your treadmill
in here either, Nancy.
Nancy is looking at something
right on the water.
But it could be more
house than she wants.
I will never get the dust
outta that ceiling.
You got more stuff for us?
- More downsizing.
- Oh, we're gonna miss ya.
Chicago, Illinois, native Nancy
is looking to escape the cold.
So she's searching
for a tiny home
near the water in
the Orlando, Florida, area.
She's hoping that going tiny
will simplify her life
and allow more free time
for enjoying the outdoors
with her dog, Macy.
With her brother, David,
along to help stay
within her
$200,000 price range,
they've seen a 225-square foot
modern tiny home.
It was well below her budget.
But she would need to factor in
the cost of purchasing land.
And while she loves
the large bathroom
and full-size washer and dryer,
it doesn't have space
for her treadmill or a sofa.
For help with the tiny
landscape in Orlando,
she's turned to local real
estate agent Jennifer De Vivo,
who's showing Nancy
a customizable model tiny home
right on the water.
- Wow!
- Oh, cute!
- Hey, guys!
- Hi, Jennifer.
We have this gorgeous floating
bungalow for you to see.
And it is 500 square feet,
listed at $215,000.
Ooh, that's over my budget.
Well, when you see everything
that's inside here,
you're gonna see that it's worth
just a little bit more.
This home also has
a $400 a month
moorage fee at the marina.
- Ooh!
- Wow.
- Very nice.
- This is darling.
- Not what I was expecting.
- Look at the size of this oven!
- There's five burners!
- A full-size refrigerator.
The refrigerator
is absolutely huge.
That's awesome.
You've got your double sink
right over this way.
And they were very thoughtful
to give you this gorgeous
cutting board.
And one other thing I wanna
just show you right over here,
really convenient,
is this wonderful bathroom.
And look. Storage.
Storage.
Lots of storage.
Okay. I was kind of thinkin'
that that might be a good spot
for the washer and dryer.
Where is the washer-dryer?
You get your own
utility closet
with your washer-dryer
hookups right outside.
Okay. It's not
a composting toilet, is it?
- Thank goodness it is not.
- Sweet.
It is a regular,
flushable toilet.
- Okay.
- And guess what?
All you have to do is hook it up
to the marina utilities.
- And you don't have to worry.
- They do it all?
- Last thing. They do it for ya.
- All right.
- The shower's big enough.
- Very roomy.
- Yeah. It's big enough.
- Larger than I would've thought
about in this house.
I don't know
how I'd give Macy a bath.
- The sink would work.
- The sink would be good.
But if-- Mmm, can we
get a single sink?
Yes.
Look at this space here.
And you got this amazing,
vaulted ceiling.
I will never get the dust
out of that ceiling.
I don't think you have
to dust the ceiling.
Oh, but I would.
Yeah, oh, definitely.
David, would you hold
that right there?
Yep, okay.
- Couch.
- Ooh, perfect!
- My sofa, my big sofa, will fit.
- And you've got French doors
just leading you
onto your balcony.
Okay.
- Oh.
- Wow!
- Wow, nice.
- Oh, it's big!
Look at the turtle!
Yes! The turtles
come right up to you.
- They're very friendly.
- This is so fun!
But I think that my dog
will get the biggest kick out
of hanging out on the porch
while I cook on the grill.
And she'll watch the turtles.
But the $15,000 over budget
is something I've gotta
think about a lot.
These are a little narrow.
I think this is nice.
Oh, I can dust from up here.
- Yes, you can.
- I could reach everything.
There's one problem solved.
Right over this way, you've got
a closet and extra room.
- I have to duck.
- Wow.
We could put the treadmill,
the office and--The washer and dryer.
And the washer
- and dryer all in here.
- Under here, yeah.
You might have
to pick one of three.
I like the size of it.
I like the kitchen.
A lotta kitchen.
And there's room for all
of the things that I want.
Yeah, there's some things
that are, like,
big and normal-size for you,
your bed, your refrigerator.
I wasn't expecting all of these
full-size appliances.
The stairs are a little bit
of a concern.
- Even holding a dog--
- Right.
You know, and then having
to work the stairs as well.
This unit is 15 grand
higher than your budget.
- Right.
- And then tack on top
of that $400 a month.
That $400 a month also
includes your utilities.
So you're gonna actually
maybe save some money
than you would
with a normal house.
Since budget is a concern,
Nancy's seeing a home
that is less money
but also has less space.
I'm gonna hit my head
in the middle of the night
when I get up. Oh.
- Oh!
This is Nancy. Can I help you?
Chicago, Illinois
sales support specialist Nancy
is going tiny so she can spend
less time cleaning
and more time enjoying life
with her dog, Macy.
She's looking at tiny homes near
the water in Orlando, Florida,
with her brother, David,
along for advice.
She's seen a modern home
that is well
under her $200,000 budget
and is easily movable.
But she would need to
buy land to place it on.
And the kitchen is too small
for her liking.
Next was a spacious
floating bungalow.
Nancy loves that
it's right on the water.
And it fits her sofa.
But it's more space to clean.
And David's worried
about the cost.
Wow, this is different.
Real estate agent
Jennifer De Vivo
has found Nancy
a portable tiny home
that would have
plenty of room in the budget
to buy land near the water.
Today, I wanna show you
this cool, rustic shed.
And although we're located
on a nice hill
and I love the area,
it's very mobile.
So, if you wanna move it
closer to the water, super easy.
- Oh, great.
- This is 270 square feet.
- Okay.
- Good size.
It's a 1-bedroom, 1-bath loft.
- Okay.
- And it's listed for $55,000.
- Ooh, like that!
- That's important.
- He likes that.
- Yeah.
Oh.
I don't know that
my sofa will fit here.
- But let's give it a whirl.
- Take a look.
100 inches.
Not gonna happen.
No. But it's pretty close.
Uh, my treadmill
would fit here, though.
You could do a treadmill.
You could do your chair.
And you can get your exercise
and your relaxation
all in the same space.
- All in the same.
Okay.
So that could be a work space.
Yes.
And, if you look here,
they really made
great use of the stairs.
Oh, my goodness!
They sure did!
And all different
types of drawers here--
Wow....for all different
types of uses.
- Look at that!
- Wow. Very clever.
- You've got cabinets throughout.
- Yeah.
Um, you've got even a cabinet,
uh, drawer space
- under your refrigerator.
- Under there?
And if you turn
right around here,
all of these are cabinet areas.
- Okay.
And you've got
a nice long work space.
Good work space.
Good-size sink.
- Mm-hmm.
- Awesome.
- Yes, a restaurant-style faucet.
- Oh, I see. Uh-huh.
Macy would easily fit in there.
Can really fit
a lot of big things,
including that refrigerator,
into a kind of a small space.
It's a little-- it's on--
I mean, it's not full-size.
But it's big.
I don't see a oven
or a microwave.
And that's a problem.
Down here, there's
a plug-in for an oven.
Oh, so I could
put an oven down there
and remove the doors. Wow!
If you step back right in here,
you're right into your bathroom.
- It's a regular toilet!
- Yes.
And I'm guessing this
is a washer-dryer combo thing?
- That's right.
- Wow.
That is a full-size shower.
Oh, it's awfully roomy.
Watch your step.
Oh, I'd like to
have a handle here.
Certainly not carryin' the dog.
Kinda feels like
a coffin to me.
I don't know that I could
actually see myself
living up here
and sleeping here.
I'd have a hard time
vacuuming up here.
- This is true.
- Okay.
Well, let's see,
if I lay down,
if I'm gonna hit my head
in the middle of the night
when I get up. Oh!
- Oh, oh!
- Gonna hit it goin' down.
Get a little bit further.
Will I hit it twice?
Maybe a helmet'll
come with the place.
The bathroom is actually
very, very doable.
The kitchen, the counter space,
the size of the sink,
the amount of storage,
those things
really work for me.
- Yeah.
- I love the work space.
So that could definitely work.
I'm less than thrilled
with the-- the stairs.
And the loft is
a little bit small.
The design features
are really cool.
They did a great job
using every--
every space well.
- They did.
But I just struggle with
the overall size and whether
or not you can make that work.
Right.
With several ways
to go tiny on the table,
Nancy's ready to figure out
which place feels like home.
- I think that one has to go.
- That one's out, too?
I think so.
House hunting just got
a little bit smaller,
with people on the hunt
for tiny homes.
Could you live
in such close quarters?
Learn more at...
- Whoa!
- Yeah?
Nancy and her dog, Macy,
are escaping
the harsh Chicago winters
by going tiny
near Orlando, Florida.
With a budget of $200,000
and help from her brother,
David, they've seen several tiny
homes for her to consider.
So you're really
- gonna move to Florida?
- I think so.
So the modern sunny casita?
- Uh, it was $59,000, which--
- Yeah.
Could be with--
within your budget,
depending on how much
waterfront property would cost.
This was the smallest
option at 225 square feet.
And it's on wheels.
So I would be able
to move it
- near the body of water.
- Right.
It did have
a workable kitchen, not huge.
But I could work with it.
The bathroom,
it was sizeable.
It had a great bathtub.
It did have that awful
composting toilet.
Ugh!
- But it had a decent loft.
- Yeah.
I'm not sure that
225 square feet
is just gonna be
big enough for--
for everything that I want.
How do you feel about
the floating bungalow?
This model is fully
customizable and listed
at $215,000
with 500 square feet.
It was beyond my budget.
And there were
the $400-a-month dock fees.
Now we're way over budget.
It did have a nice big loft
with a nice big closet.
The family room, there was
plenty of room for my sofa.
Ooh, the washer and dryer,
- I had to go outside.
- Oh, right.
The kitchen sink
was real small.
Well, they did say
it was customizable.
It seemed more spacious.
I didn't feel crowded
or cramped as much.
It definitely had
some appeal do it.
I did wanna be close
to the water.
And this is on the water.
It's as close
- as you're gonna get.
- Yeah.
How do you feel
about the rustic shed?
This house was
the least expensive option,
at $55,000, and came in
at 270 square feet.
The bathroom was perfect.
They had made great
use of the kitchen.
- The kitchen sink was awesome.
- Yeah.
And there was
plenty of cabinet space.
Now, I don't think
I could live with that loft.
- Uh, that was too enclosing.
- It was very tiny.
- Kinda claustrophobic.
- Right.
- Yep.
- The stairs worry me,
you tryin' to go up with the dog
and maybe a glass of wine.
You wouldn't even have
a hand to use on a railing.
Depending on how much
property costs,
it was well within budget.
- Right, right.
So I could afford
to make the changes,
buy a new sofa,
- join a health club.
- Right.
- The rustic shed--
- Yeah.
...as much as I loved
the designated work space...
Right....and the size of
that kitchen,
I have to live in the rest
of the house, too.
- Right.
- And the rest of
the house just wasn't workable.
I think I need
to eliminate that one.
Okay.
So the modern sunny casita,
it just wasn't enough room
for everything else
that I wanna bring
to the table.
So I think that one has to go.
- That one's out, too?
- I think so.
So I guess that leaves
the floating bungalow.
I think it does.
It's right on the water.
- Yeah.
- And with some modifications,
I can get everything
that I need in there.
Are you--
are you comfy, punkin?
Oh, darlin'.
I've been in my tiny house
for almost two months.
Living on the water
is just great.
It has just been
absolutely delightful.
They were asking $215,000.
I was able to make some changes
and bring the price down
to $200,000.
So there were a lot
of changes that we made.
First, we got rid of the porch
and made it into
my treadmill room.
Uh, we also brought
in a full-size washer and dryer,
got rid of the 5-burner
stove and went with one.
I added in an 18-inch
dishwasher that I just love.
Still have
a full-size refrigerator.
Room for the sofa
and a nice work station.
This is Nancy.
How can I help you?
My work station is awesome.
I get a great day's work in.
Not a problem.
I will take care of it.
The one compromise that I had
to make was going with the loft.
So I-I have to carry Macy up
and down the stairs.
Remember that one time
that you tried
to go up the stairs by yourself?
You can never do that again.
Macy doesn't even know
it's a tiny house.
She has-- she has
nothing to adjust to.
She-- she's got her bed.
And she's got my lap.
And she's as happy as can be.
Now that it's a smaller space,
I can get the cleaning done
a whole lot quicker.
Moving from Chicago to Florida
has been absolutely seamless.
I could not be happier.
I miss nothing
about the cold weather.
And I am not gonna
miss the snow at all.
Wanna kayak tomorrow?
Let's do that.
It is just wonderful
to be able to sit down
at the end of my work day
on my sofa
with a glass of wine
with my dog.
And it's just perfect.