Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 26 - Photographers Keith and Kate Are Looking to Downsize in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. - full transcript
Homebuyers 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 going to sleep?
- This swings back.
- Whoa.
- That's the loft.
- Oh.
I think
I see a problem already.
Wow. Look at this.
- It's really bright in here.
- Oh, my gosh.
New Hampshire-based
photographers
Keith and Kate are looking
for their picture-perfect
tiny home.
Our own private deck?
Beautiful.
I'm on top of the world!
You're actually at sea level.
But downsizing may not
be as easy as they expected.
- My feet don't touch the bottom.
- Oh, jeez.
Oh!
Oh, my gosh!
That's ridiculous.
There you go.
There it is, right there.
Duke.
I'm Kate, and I'm a freelance photographer.
I'm Keith.
I am also a photographer,
and we live
in southern New Hampshire.
Right here, Duke.
- Nice.
- Awesome.
We met through photography.
And next thing you know,
we're in business together.
And I was newly single.
I was newly single.
And then, we started doing
things on a more personal level.
Oh, my God.
That was awesome.
We started our wedding
photography business together
a little over
three years ago,
and now, we consider
ourselves global
that we do a lot of things in
America, Hawaii--
We're all over the place
in between.
We've been
all over the place.
It's the best "job" that
- we could ever imagine having.
- Yeah. It's a wonderful time.
- Come on, Kula.
- Come on, Kula. Keep up.
We have an 11-year-old
Golden Retriever.
Her name is Kula,
which is Hawaiian for gold.
We love doing
everything with her,
everything that we can
outside of the home.
It's hiking, kayaking, running,
absolutely everything.
Now, we're living in this
2,700-square-foot house.
We have 4 bedrooms.
3 of those bedrooms
don't get used.4 bathrooms.
4 bathrooms,
so it's a huge burden.
The worst part is
coming home from a trip,
and all
we want to do is relax,
and then we realize,
oh, the lawn needs to be mowed,
oh, all these other projects
that need to get done.
The house
needs to get cleaned.
So going tiny is just
the perfect solution for us
because we essentially
live on the road,
and when we are coming home,
we want a safe, warm, easy,
relaxing place to come back to
and not feel like
we are bound
to these constraints
of a big place.
- Are you ready for this?
- Are you ready for it?
- I'm totally ready.
- I'm totally ready.
Our budget is $200,000,
and that needs to include
the house and the land it's on.
And we want to be
close to the water,
- which is going to be tough.
- The seacoast might
be tough, yeah.
It's definitely one of
the priciest areas
in New Hampshire.
I definitely want something
that's really light,
bright, open.
My style's really that
modern farmhouse feel.
I love that rustic element,
but really functional and modern
with lots of privacy.
I want something that has more
of a New England cottage
type of feel,
something that's very
characteristic of New England.
I think my number one thing
is a really good,
functional kitchen.
What about you?
I think kitchen space is
definitely key,
but it's not the most
important thing to me.
I definitely want a space
that is on one level.
I don't want to be going up
and down stairs
in the middle of the night.
I also really feel strongly
about having a place for Kula.
She's got to have an open area
that she walk in,
in the house
as well as outside.
I'm kind of a bathroom hog,
which means
that we kind of need
some elbow room,
so I'd like a bathroom
that's big enough
where we can do that,
but the shower definitely needs
to be big enough
so that I can do
the womanly things.
Yeah. I don't understand.
Kate wants a house
that's 250 to 300 square feet.
I think I would like to have something
that's 550 to 600, 650.
And, I mean, when she starts
listing out the things
she wants,
like full-size appliances
and full-size shower,
by the time we get
all this stuff in there,
we're going to have
to sleep out on the deck.
Ooh. Could we have a deck?
I totally
want a house on wheels
that I would do
a houseboat, a bus.
A bus?
He wants a foundation, but with
as much traveling as we do,
I really want to have something
that can move and grow with us.
But what matters most to us
is that we're together
and living a life
that we want to live.
I'll end up making a lot
of compromises, I'm feeling.
Today, local
real estate agent Chris Sittig
has brought them to Kittery,
Maine, which is a coastal town
about 10 minutes
north of their current home.
They'll be looking at
a 470-square-foot tiny condo
in a multi-unit building.
Look at the view, Kate.
It's not a cottage,
but this is Maine.
I know, although
it's kind of noisy.
What's going on over there?
There is a shipyard there.
At the end of the day,
around 5:00,
all the workers go home,
so I think the noise
will subside.
It's got a small yard for Kula,
and it's on the ground floor,
which I thought
you would enjoy.
- I love it.
- I'm a little anxious.
I mean,
it's close to neighbors.
You're also very close
to downtown.
- That's true.
- Right.
- So what was the price?
-$170,000.
- Sweet.
- That's below budget.
That's below our budget.
That's awesome.
Maybe we could buy
out the neighbors.
- What's the square footage?
- 470 square feet.
- It's huge.
- It's not huge.
This house is definitely
a little bit larger
than I was anticipating.
It's not a farmhouse style,
but I love the location,
so I guess that's going to have
to weigh into the decision.
Whoa! This is super cute.
- Sweet. This is awesome.
- Look at this kitchen.
Look at the hardwood floors.
What is this about?
So there was some water
damage with the foundation,
so they opened up the wall
to see if there
was a mold concern.
That does concern me
because if we have to do
some kind of repair,
that could blow the budget
out of the water.
So we've got
the full-size fridge
that you guys
were looking for... Sweet.
...a dishwasher,
propane stove.
How do you guys feel about
the cabinets
and the counter space?
I feel like this is something
you would see in a hospital.
- Oh, jeez.
- Yeah.
They are very large cabinets,
though, for a small house.
- That is true.
- That's true, and there's tons
of counter space.
They're just not level.
This would be your bathroom.
Climb in there.
- See if you can shave your legs.
- Oh, jeez.
I'd have to squish my back
up against the wall
and maybe do
a little more yoga.
This is awesome. Lookit, Kate.
I can brush my teeth,
do the laundry,
and relieve myself
at the same time.
Oh, my gosh.
You're going to never come out.
This is ridiculous.
- So...
- This is gorgeous light in here.
...this is very bright.
I love it.
But look at where
the window faces.
We'd have our bed
right in line of the neighbors.
Oh.
We could do a one-way mirror.
Wouldn't that be so awesome?
That would go over real well.
Let me show you guys
the closet space.
Holy moly.
That's enormous.
That's, like, almost too big.
What if we knock it down?
I'm a little bit nervous
- about budget.
- Right.
I'm very excited
about this place
because of the fact
that it's all on one level,
but tearing down walls
and moving closets
is just way more
than I wanted to get into.
I wanted to a place I could
walk in and be done.
It's not what I wanted
with the house on wheels.
We have to listen
to the shipyard.
It does have the opportunity
for us to kind of mold it
a little bit
into what we want.
For a price.
Sure.
What about the size?
I wanted teeny tiny,
and this feels like it's
a little bit more than that.
This is, like,
a perfect compromise, though.
Like,
I didn't want tiny, tiny.
To find a property this close
to downtown Kittery
in the price point
that you guys are at is
going to be very difficult.
I think we should
consider this place.
All right.
Well, I'd still like
- to see a few more places.
- Okay.
Chris has found
a smaller option for Kate
that's big on personality.
- Whoa!
- Oh, my God!
Look at that!
That's ridiculous.
- And the couches?
- Sold.
Getting picked up tonight.
Tonight? Excellent.
Southern New Hampshire
based photographers
Keith and Kate are going tiny.
Because they spend most of
their time working on the road,
they want a small
low-maintenance home
to return to where
they can kick back
and relax with their dog, Kula.
They've seen
a 470-square-foot tiny home
in a multi-unit building that
has the full-size kitchen
and waterfront location
they're looking for,
but it doesn't have
the privacy Kate wants,
and it needs some
major renovations
that could push them over
their $200,000 budget.
Wow. This is gorgeous.
- Yes.
- This is awesome. I love it.
Today, real estate
agent Chris Sittig
is showing them a move-in-ready
modern cottage
that's easy on the pocketbook
and has the mobility to go
anywhere that Kate wants.
All right, guys.
So I found you your traditional
tiny house on wheels.
It's for $65,000.
Ooh. How many square foot?
240 square feet.
Oh. That's perfect.
I love it.
That's a little tight.
Oh. Come on.
If you buy this at $65,000,
that's going to leave you guys
with about $135,000
to buy a piece of land.
So then, we have to start
another search for property?
Yes.
And the biggest challenge
for them with finding land
is the average cost out here
is about $200,000 for an acre,
depending on how close you
are to the seacoast.
- Wow. Look at this.
- Oh, my gosh.
- It's really bright in here.
- I love the style.
It's definitely got
that, like,
New England farmhouse cozy,
comfy feel to it.
Like, rustic chic,
but it's definitely small.
This would be our dining area,
- I'm assuming?
- Yes.
The table looks
like it folds down.
That's great,
so we wouldn't be able
to entertain more than us here.
Oh, come on.
You've got seating right here.
Have a seat on the couch
while we have dinner.
While we eat in front of you?
Yeah. That's nice.
- Does all of this come with it?
- Yes. It comes furnished.
Furnished? Everything?
- Well, that's excellent.
- Yay!
This house has so much style.
It has a mix of that
New England farmhouse
but with a really modern vibe,
tons of cool, trendy stuff.
I love it.
So what do you guys
think of the kitchen?
- I think it's really nice.
- It's gorgeous.
The wood just really has me
captivated in this whole place.
Everything feels, like, done.
How do you guys feel
about the appliances?
They are a little bit
smaller than what you guys
were looking for,
such as the refrigerator.
Yeah. I would look
at swapping this out.
Yeah.
Chris, where's the stove?
The stove is
right here behind you.
- It's so small...
- Wow.
...we glanced over it
and didn't even realize it.
I'd be fine with two burners,
but I definitely would need,
like, an oven, which...
- And so there's no oven, Chris?
- Yeah. Correct.
Are you kidding me?
The bathroom is right off
the end of the kitchen,
and we got a little
surprise for you.
Yes! Composting toilet!
- So excited!
- Oh, my gosh.
That's a $2,000
composting toilet.
Wow. It is huge.
You don't even need
to squat down.
I can't believe
you're doing that.
My touch
don't touch the bottom.
Oh, jeez.
The bathroom
is a little bit small,
so that's definitely a concern.
What is this thing?
So that's your on-demand
hot water system.
So, like, you can take a shower
and never run out of hot water?
Yep.
And you're going to need
an extra long shower
in such a tiny space.
Is there, like, a light
or anything in here?
- Whoa!
- Oh, my God!
Look at that!
That's ridiculous.
Let's just say that
I am not marrying Keith
for his dance skills.
But I love him for it.
I got the moves.
This is the thing I've been
waiting to kind of discuss
with you, Kate.
Uh-oh.
I wanted to have
a first-floor bedroom,
and I didn't want to be dealing
with stairs in a tiny house.
I totally get it.
However, I feel like
these stairs are pretty usable,
so how about we check it out?
- All right.
They aren't bad.
I mean, they're still stairs,
but they're not that bad.
No. Not at all.
- This place is pretty.
- It is so cute. I love this.
I really love how cozy
and comfortable it is.
Cozy is a good word
for what I'm feeling right now.
Oh.
I really love the New England
feel to it.
It doesn't have anything
that we don't need.
It's clean and crisp
and finished.
I obviously love
the composting toilet.
That's epic.
It doesn't feel big enough
for us to have friends over
and enjoy an evening out
or an evening in, rather.
We'll definitely need to put
- in some larger appliances.
- Yeah.
And we would have to figure out
- where we're going to get land.
- Yes.
That's something that
hasn't even come up yet,
is trying to figure out
where we're going to put it.
Chris now wants them to see
a very unique tiny option
where land isn't an issue.
Today, I'm going to show
you guys that.
That is so awesome.
I will get a almond
- milk cappuccino, please.
- Okay. Sure thing.
- I'll just copy her.
- Same thing?
Almond milk. Yeah. Thank you.
Southern New Hampshire photographers
Keith and Kate are searching
for a low-maintenance tiny home
to unwind in.
While Keith wants a home
with a foundation,
Kate is looking for something
that's more mobile
and unconventional.
A 470-square-foot tiny home
in a multi-unit building
has the full-size kitchen,
waterfront location and space
for the dog that they want,
but it needs
extensive renovations
that could push them over
their $200,000 budget.
Next, they saw a 240-square-foot
modern cottage
with a style they both love.
But while it's on
wheels for Kate
and has the composting toilet
for Keith,
it doesn't come with land,
an expense that could
make them go over budget.
Today, real estate agent,
Chris Sittig,
is showing them
a 2-bed, 1 1/2-bath option
that's not only unique,
but it's also in
the perfect location
on Badger's Island, Maine,
just a few minutes
north of
the New Hampshire border.
So, Chris, you brought us
all the way out here
to check out a waterfront condo?
I'm not going to show you
a condo today.
Today, I'm going to show
you guys that.
- A houseboat?
- That is so awesome.
This houseboat is
480 square feet
and costs $62,000,
with a slip fee of $975 a month
that includes electricity,
water, Internet,
laundry, and parking.
Wow.
The view alone is worth it.
I was instantly excited
when I found out
that we were looking
at a houseboat.
I'm really open to this idea,
and I would love
Keith to consider it.
- Oh my gosh.
- Wow.
- This is so awesome.
- It's super warm in here, too.
Okay. So the style isn't
necessarily our thing.
But look!
I'm driving off
to Portsmouth, honey.
- A captain here!
- Let's get outta here.
Well, you could, as soon as you
buy an engine for it.
The boat doesn't come
with an engine?
It does not come
with an engine.
The house does not
have an engine.
Wow. That's interesting.
What do you think
of the style in here?
It's nice.
You get a little bit
more of the rustic feel
with the wainscoting
and the beadboard.
Okay. The wainscoting
- is kind of dated.
- It is.
If it was shiplap or something,
- I would be cool with it.
- Right.
But this is an enormous space
- for all of your entertainment.
- Yes.
- Does this come furnished?
- Yes. It's furnished.
- That's pretty cool.
- Awesome.
This is a pretty good space
for the kitchen.
I like the layout.
The style, again,
I feel like needs to be updated.
We don't need a double sink.
If we had a single sink,
we'd gain so much
more counter space.
So now, we're talking
about renovations
rather than just moving in
and enjoying the space?
It'll be okay.
This place is definitely
not my style,
but I'm really open
to this idea,
and I would love
Keith to consider it.
It's so workable,
and I'm kind of digging
this little feel to it.
Bathroom, yeah.
This is cozy, huh?
Not a composting toilet.
It's exactly what
I would expect.
Seriously, is it functional
for both of us to be in here?
It's very tight.
Well, I got a surprise
for you guys.
It's got a second bathroom.
- Nice.
- Are you kidding me?
Before I show you the bathroom,
let me show you
the second bedroom
right across the hall.
This is so cute and noisy.
- That's your heating system.
- Okay.
So this will be
the spare bedroom, then?
I mean, it wouldn't
be big enough for us.
Or we could get rid of the bed
and turn it into an office.
This would be
the master bedroom.
Nice.
This is where it's at.
This is awesome.
- Excellent.
- Look at this, Keith.
Your brand-new bathroom.
- Nice.
- Okay.
So there's no shower in here.
How do you feel about
no composting toilet?
Oh, it's no big deal.
I'll just go pee off the deck.
With Kula.
This is probably
my favorite part right here.
- Our own private deck?
- Beautiful.
I'm on top of the world!
You're actually at sea level.
I kind of really love it.
And it feels bigger
than 480 square feet to me,
so that makes me
comfortable with this.
And I really like the fact that
it's all single-floor living.
I know, but we still
have the upstairs,
which is totally usable
the whole summer.
It won't be private,
but who cares?
It's a gorgeous view.
It does have a couple things
that concern me,
and Kula is
a big concern for me.
- Yeah.
- Just that late night,
early morning,
kind of going to the bathroom.
It definitely lacks
a couple things,
like an oven
and composting toilet.
Yeah. And there's no motor,
so if we wanted to relocate,
we would have to get
- an engine to do that.
- Yes.
That would be
an additional cost.
With several unique
options to choose from,
it's time for Keith
and Kate to decide
which tiny house
they'll call their own.
We've got a wedding to go shoot,
and we got to hit the road,
and I think we need
to make a decision now.
Photographers Keith and Kate are
looking for a tiny house
in the southern
New Hampshire area.
With a $200,000 budget,
they've seen several
very different options,
and it's time to pick
their new tiny home.
So let's start off
with the compact condo.
470 square feet?
It was $170,000,
but I don't know.
It felt a little big to me.
I think the size was perfect, actually,
and I know it needs
some renovations,
and that's not really
what I wanted to do,
but I like the fact
that we'd be able
to just basically walk out
the front door and be in town.
We've got a great
outdoor space for Kula,
and that exterior
is definitely that look,
that kind of New England feel
that we're looking for.
But I'm definitely not
thrilled about the shower.
It is super tiny.
With a price of $65,000,
the modern cottage
was the smallest tiny home
at 240 square feet.
We would have to try and figure
out where we're going to put it,
and land could be a problem.
But it had the nice,
bright walls that I love.
My concern is
that we would have
to move those stairs
out of there
so we could get a full-size
refrigerator in there.
That means putting a ladder in,
and that means making the loft
even that much more uncomfortable.
But I love that it
came furnished.
I think the pull-out bed downstairs
is a really great feature.
But there's no way we could
entertain in there, practically.
The houseboat.
- How incredible was that?
- Mm-hmm.
480 square feet,
perfect size for me,
and $62,000, budget-wise,
was really good,
and I feel like
we could really make up
that $975 a month by renting it
just a few weeks a year.
Absolutely, and it's
a perfect location.
The overall design was dated,
but I liked the fact
that there were two bathrooms.
The fridge is a perfect size,
but no oven,
which is kind of a huge deal.
So here's what I'm thinking.
We've got a wedding to go shoot,
and we got to hit the road,
and I think we need
to make a decision now.
My decision is
for the compact condo.
I think the condo
is a great option.
It's definitely rentable
once we get things squared away.
I like it as long as we can stay
in budget with renovation,
so let's text Chris and see
if we can make this happen.
Let's do it.
We have officially been living
- in our new home for six days.
- Six days.
This place was listed
at $170,000.
We offered full asking price,
and I'm pretty sure
if we hadn't,
it would've gone super fast.
I feel like the old floor plan
and the current floor plan,
I would say that
it's 100% unrecognizable.
We actually gutted it completely
back to the foundation walls.
There was nothing left in here.
The bathroom went to
a much larger layout.
The kitchen moved
to the bedroom,
and the bedroom moved
to the kitchen.
There are no more
interior walls,
other than the bathroom.
It was a process that was
supposed to take
six weeks total,
and it ended up
taking close to six months.
We were able to keep
a normal-sized shower
so that I can fit in here,
and Keith can fit
in here and Kula!
- Come on, Kula.
- Come on, girl!
Kula was definitely
a priority for us,
not just having
an outdoor space for her,
but having the proximity
to places
for us to go with her.
Kula, sit.
The thing that we compromised
on was I really wanted a place
that was on wheels,
but I'm really happy
with where we are
because the location
is so awesome.
So that's not really
a compromise in my mind anymore.
Welcome to the new home.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Think about your most
memorable times.
They're always about the people
that you're with
or the things
that you're doing,
and they rarely have
anything to do
with the stuff that you have.
And so this has really
given us a great way
to put a meaning to that.
It's given us freedom to be
with our friends and to go
and do the things
that we enjoy doing
without having hesitation.
Haley, have you seen this?
Check this out.
Now that the renovation process
is finished,
it's very much relaxing
for us.
When we walk in here now,
it's flawless.
It's perfect. I love it.
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 going to sleep?
- This swings back.
- Whoa.
- That's the loft.
- Oh.
I think
I see a problem already.
Wow. Look at this.
- It's really bright in here.
- Oh, my gosh.
New Hampshire-based
photographers
Keith and Kate are looking
for their picture-perfect
tiny home.
Our own private deck?
Beautiful.
I'm on top of the world!
You're actually at sea level.
But downsizing may not
be as easy as they expected.
- My feet don't touch the bottom.
- Oh, jeez.
Oh!
Oh, my gosh!
That's ridiculous.
There you go.
There it is, right there.
Duke.
I'm Kate, and I'm a freelance photographer.
I'm Keith.
I am also a photographer,
and we live
in southern New Hampshire.
Right here, Duke.
- Nice.
- Awesome.
We met through photography.
And next thing you know,
we're in business together.
And I was newly single.
I was newly single.
And then, we started doing
things on a more personal level.
Oh, my God.
That was awesome.
We started our wedding
photography business together
a little over
three years ago,
and now, we consider
ourselves global
that we do a lot of things in
America, Hawaii--
We're all over the place
in between.
We've been
all over the place.
It's the best "job" that
- we could ever imagine having.
- Yeah. It's a wonderful time.
- Come on, Kula.
- Come on, Kula. Keep up.
We have an 11-year-old
Golden Retriever.
Her name is Kula,
which is Hawaiian for gold.
We love doing
everything with her,
everything that we can
outside of the home.
It's hiking, kayaking, running,
absolutely everything.
Now, we're living in this
2,700-square-foot house.
We have 4 bedrooms.
3 of those bedrooms
don't get used.4 bathrooms.
4 bathrooms,
so it's a huge burden.
The worst part is
coming home from a trip,
and all
we want to do is relax,
and then we realize,
oh, the lawn needs to be mowed,
oh, all these other projects
that need to get done.
The house
needs to get cleaned.
So going tiny is just
the perfect solution for us
because we essentially
live on the road,
and when we are coming home,
we want a safe, warm, easy,
relaxing place to come back to
and not feel like
we are bound
to these constraints
of a big place.
- Are you ready for this?
- Are you ready for it?
- I'm totally ready.
- I'm totally ready.
Our budget is $200,000,
and that needs to include
the house and the land it's on.
And we want to be
close to the water,
- which is going to be tough.
- The seacoast might
be tough, yeah.
It's definitely one of
the priciest areas
in New Hampshire.
I definitely want something
that's really light,
bright, open.
My style's really that
modern farmhouse feel.
I love that rustic element,
but really functional and modern
with lots of privacy.
I want something that has more
of a New England cottage
type of feel,
something that's very
characteristic of New England.
I think my number one thing
is a really good,
functional kitchen.
What about you?
I think kitchen space is
definitely key,
but it's not the most
important thing to me.
I definitely want a space
that is on one level.
I don't want to be going up
and down stairs
in the middle of the night.
I also really feel strongly
about having a place for Kula.
She's got to have an open area
that she walk in,
in the house
as well as outside.
I'm kind of a bathroom hog,
which means
that we kind of need
some elbow room,
so I'd like a bathroom
that's big enough
where we can do that,
but the shower definitely needs
to be big enough
so that I can do
the womanly things.
Yeah. I don't understand.
Kate wants a house
that's 250 to 300 square feet.
I think I would like to have something
that's 550 to 600, 650.
And, I mean, when she starts
listing out the things
she wants,
like full-size appliances
and full-size shower,
by the time we get
all this stuff in there,
we're going to have
to sleep out on the deck.
Ooh. Could we have a deck?
I totally
want a house on wheels
that I would do
a houseboat, a bus.
A bus?
He wants a foundation, but with
as much traveling as we do,
I really want to have something
that can move and grow with us.
But what matters most to us
is that we're together
and living a life
that we want to live.
I'll end up making a lot
of compromises, I'm feeling.
Today, local
real estate agent Chris Sittig
has brought them to Kittery,
Maine, which is a coastal town
about 10 minutes
north of their current home.
They'll be looking at
a 470-square-foot tiny condo
in a multi-unit building.
Look at the view, Kate.
It's not a cottage,
but this is Maine.
I know, although
it's kind of noisy.
What's going on over there?
There is a shipyard there.
At the end of the day,
around 5:00,
all the workers go home,
so I think the noise
will subside.
It's got a small yard for Kula,
and it's on the ground floor,
which I thought
you would enjoy.
- I love it.
- I'm a little anxious.
I mean,
it's close to neighbors.
You're also very close
to downtown.
- That's true.
- Right.
- So what was the price?
-$170,000.
- Sweet.
- That's below budget.
That's below our budget.
That's awesome.
Maybe we could buy
out the neighbors.
- What's the square footage?
- 470 square feet.
- It's huge.
- It's not huge.
This house is definitely
a little bit larger
than I was anticipating.
It's not a farmhouse style,
but I love the location,
so I guess that's going to have
to weigh into the decision.
Whoa! This is super cute.
- Sweet. This is awesome.
- Look at this kitchen.
Look at the hardwood floors.
What is this about?
So there was some water
damage with the foundation,
so they opened up the wall
to see if there
was a mold concern.
That does concern me
because if we have to do
some kind of repair,
that could blow the budget
out of the water.
So we've got
the full-size fridge
that you guys
were looking for... Sweet.
...a dishwasher,
propane stove.
How do you guys feel about
the cabinets
and the counter space?
I feel like this is something
you would see in a hospital.
- Oh, jeez.
- Yeah.
They are very large cabinets,
though, for a small house.
- That is true.
- That's true, and there's tons
of counter space.
They're just not level.
This would be your bathroom.
Climb in there.
- See if you can shave your legs.
- Oh, jeez.
I'd have to squish my back
up against the wall
and maybe do
a little more yoga.
This is awesome. Lookit, Kate.
I can brush my teeth,
do the laundry,
and relieve myself
at the same time.
Oh, my gosh.
You're going to never come out.
This is ridiculous.
- So...
- This is gorgeous light in here.
...this is very bright.
I love it.
But look at where
the window faces.
We'd have our bed
right in line of the neighbors.
Oh.
We could do a one-way mirror.
Wouldn't that be so awesome?
That would go over real well.
Let me show you guys
the closet space.
Holy moly.
That's enormous.
That's, like, almost too big.
What if we knock it down?
I'm a little bit nervous
- about budget.
- Right.
I'm very excited
about this place
because of the fact
that it's all on one level,
but tearing down walls
and moving closets
is just way more
than I wanted to get into.
I wanted to a place I could
walk in and be done.
It's not what I wanted
with the house on wheels.
We have to listen
to the shipyard.
It does have the opportunity
for us to kind of mold it
a little bit
into what we want.
For a price.
Sure.
What about the size?
I wanted teeny tiny,
and this feels like it's
a little bit more than that.
This is, like,
a perfect compromise, though.
Like,
I didn't want tiny, tiny.
To find a property this close
to downtown Kittery
in the price point
that you guys are at is
going to be very difficult.
I think we should
consider this place.
All right.
Well, I'd still like
- to see a few more places.
- Okay.
Chris has found
a smaller option for Kate
that's big on personality.
- Whoa!
- Oh, my God!
Look at that!
That's ridiculous.
- And the couches?
- Sold.
Getting picked up tonight.
Tonight? Excellent.
Southern New Hampshire
based photographers
Keith and Kate are going tiny.
Because they spend most of
their time working on the road,
they want a small
low-maintenance home
to return to where
they can kick back
and relax with their dog, Kula.
They've seen
a 470-square-foot tiny home
in a multi-unit building that
has the full-size kitchen
and waterfront location
they're looking for,
but it doesn't have
the privacy Kate wants,
and it needs some
major renovations
that could push them over
their $200,000 budget.
Wow. This is gorgeous.
- Yes.
- This is awesome. I love it.
Today, real estate
agent Chris Sittig
is showing them a move-in-ready
modern cottage
that's easy on the pocketbook
and has the mobility to go
anywhere that Kate wants.
All right, guys.
So I found you your traditional
tiny house on wheels.
It's for $65,000.
Ooh. How many square foot?
240 square feet.
Oh. That's perfect.
I love it.
That's a little tight.
Oh. Come on.
If you buy this at $65,000,
that's going to leave you guys
with about $135,000
to buy a piece of land.
So then, we have to start
another search for property?
Yes.
And the biggest challenge
for them with finding land
is the average cost out here
is about $200,000 for an acre,
depending on how close you
are to the seacoast.
- Wow. Look at this.
- Oh, my gosh.
- It's really bright in here.
- I love the style.
It's definitely got
that, like,
New England farmhouse cozy,
comfy feel to it.
Like, rustic chic,
but it's definitely small.
This would be our dining area,
- I'm assuming?
- Yes.
The table looks
like it folds down.
That's great,
so we wouldn't be able
to entertain more than us here.
Oh, come on.
You've got seating right here.
Have a seat on the couch
while we have dinner.
While we eat in front of you?
Yeah. That's nice.
- Does all of this come with it?
- Yes. It comes furnished.
Furnished? Everything?
- Well, that's excellent.
- Yay!
This house has so much style.
It has a mix of that
New England farmhouse
but with a really modern vibe,
tons of cool, trendy stuff.
I love it.
So what do you guys
think of the kitchen?
- I think it's really nice.
- It's gorgeous.
The wood just really has me
captivated in this whole place.
Everything feels, like, done.
How do you guys feel
about the appliances?
They are a little bit
smaller than what you guys
were looking for,
such as the refrigerator.
Yeah. I would look
at swapping this out.
Yeah.
Chris, where's the stove?
The stove is
right here behind you.
- It's so small...
- Wow.
...we glanced over it
and didn't even realize it.
I'd be fine with two burners,
but I definitely would need,
like, an oven, which...
- And so there's no oven, Chris?
- Yeah. Correct.
Are you kidding me?
The bathroom is right off
the end of the kitchen,
and we got a little
surprise for you.
Yes! Composting toilet!
- So excited!
- Oh, my gosh.
That's a $2,000
composting toilet.
Wow. It is huge.
You don't even need
to squat down.
I can't believe
you're doing that.
My touch
don't touch the bottom.
Oh, jeez.
The bathroom
is a little bit small,
so that's definitely a concern.
What is this thing?
So that's your on-demand
hot water system.
So, like, you can take a shower
and never run out of hot water?
Yep.
And you're going to need
an extra long shower
in such a tiny space.
Is there, like, a light
or anything in here?
- Whoa!
- Oh, my God!
Look at that!
That's ridiculous.
Let's just say that
I am not marrying Keith
for his dance skills.
But I love him for it.
I got the moves.
This is the thing I've been
waiting to kind of discuss
with you, Kate.
Uh-oh.
I wanted to have
a first-floor bedroom,
and I didn't want to be dealing
with stairs in a tiny house.
I totally get it.
However, I feel like
these stairs are pretty usable,
so how about we check it out?
- All right.
They aren't bad.
I mean, they're still stairs,
but they're not that bad.
No. Not at all.
- This place is pretty.
- It is so cute. I love this.
I really love how cozy
and comfortable it is.
Cozy is a good word
for what I'm feeling right now.
Oh.
I really love the New England
feel to it.
It doesn't have anything
that we don't need.
It's clean and crisp
and finished.
I obviously love
the composting toilet.
That's epic.
It doesn't feel big enough
for us to have friends over
and enjoy an evening out
or an evening in, rather.
We'll definitely need to put
- in some larger appliances.
- Yeah.
And we would have to figure out
- where we're going to get land.
- Yes.
That's something that
hasn't even come up yet,
is trying to figure out
where we're going to put it.
Chris now wants them to see
a very unique tiny option
where land isn't an issue.
Today, I'm going to show
you guys that.
That is so awesome.
I will get a almond
- milk cappuccino, please.
- Okay. Sure thing.
- I'll just copy her.
- Same thing?
Almond milk. Yeah. Thank you.
Southern New Hampshire photographers
Keith and Kate are searching
for a low-maintenance tiny home
to unwind in.
While Keith wants a home
with a foundation,
Kate is looking for something
that's more mobile
and unconventional.
A 470-square-foot tiny home
in a multi-unit building
has the full-size kitchen,
waterfront location and space
for the dog that they want,
but it needs
extensive renovations
that could push them over
their $200,000 budget.
Next, they saw a 240-square-foot
modern cottage
with a style they both love.
But while it's on
wheels for Kate
and has the composting toilet
for Keith,
it doesn't come with land,
an expense that could
make them go over budget.
Today, real estate agent,
Chris Sittig,
is showing them
a 2-bed, 1 1/2-bath option
that's not only unique,
but it's also in
the perfect location
on Badger's Island, Maine,
just a few minutes
north of
the New Hampshire border.
So, Chris, you brought us
all the way out here
to check out a waterfront condo?
I'm not going to show you
a condo today.
Today, I'm going to show
you guys that.
- A houseboat?
- That is so awesome.
This houseboat is
480 square feet
and costs $62,000,
with a slip fee of $975 a month
that includes electricity,
water, Internet,
laundry, and parking.
Wow.
The view alone is worth it.
I was instantly excited
when I found out
that we were looking
at a houseboat.
I'm really open to this idea,
and I would love
Keith to consider it.
- Oh my gosh.
- Wow.
- This is so awesome.
- It's super warm in here, too.
Okay. So the style isn't
necessarily our thing.
But look!
I'm driving off
to Portsmouth, honey.
- A captain here!
- Let's get outta here.
Well, you could, as soon as you
buy an engine for it.
The boat doesn't come
with an engine?
It does not come
with an engine.
The house does not
have an engine.
Wow. That's interesting.
What do you think
of the style in here?
It's nice.
You get a little bit
more of the rustic feel
with the wainscoting
and the beadboard.
Okay. The wainscoting
- is kind of dated.
- It is.
If it was shiplap or something,
- I would be cool with it.
- Right.
But this is an enormous space
- for all of your entertainment.
- Yes.
- Does this come furnished?
- Yes. It's furnished.
- That's pretty cool.
- Awesome.
This is a pretty good space
for the kitchen.
I like the layout.
The style, again,
I feel like needs to be updated.
We don't need a double sink.
If we had a single sink,
we'd gain so much
more counter space.
So now, we're talking
about renovations
rather than just moving in
and enjoying the space?
It'll be okay.
This place is definitely
not my style,
but I'm really open
to this idea,
and I would love
Keith to consider it.
It's so workable,
and I'm kind of digging
this little feel to it.
Bathroom, yeah.
This is cozy, huh?
Not a composting toilet.
It's exactly what
I would expect.
Seriously, is it functional
for both of us to be in here?
It's very tight.
Well, I got a surprise
for you guys.
It's got a second bathroom.
- Nice.
- Are you kidding me?
Before I show you the bathroom,
let me show you
the second bedroom
right across the hall.
This is so cute and noisy.
- That's your heating system.
- Okay.
So this will be
the spare bedroom, then?
I mean, it wouldn't
be big enough for us.
Or we could get rid of the bed
and turn it into an office.
This would be
the master bedroom.
Nice.
This is where it's at.
This is awesome.
- Excellent.
- Look at this, Keith.
Your brand-new bathroom.
- Nice.
- Okay.
So there's no shower in here.
How do you feel about
no composting toilet?
Oh, it's no big deal.
I'll just go pee off the deck.
With Kula.
This is probably
my favorite part right here.
- Our own private deck?
- Beautiful.
I'm on top of the world!
You're actually at sea level.
I kind of really love it.
And it feels bigger
than 480 square feet to me,
so that makes me
comfortable with this.
And I really like the fact that
it's all single-floor living.
I know, but we still
have the upstairs,
which is totally usable
the whole summer.
It won't be private,
but who cares?
It's a gorgeous view.
It does have a couple things
that concern me,
and Kula is
a big concern for me.
- Yeah.
- Just that late night,
early morning,
kind of going to the bathroom.
It definitely lacks
a couple things,
like an oven
and composting toilet.
Yeah. And there's no motor,
so if we wanted to relocate,
we would have to get
- an engine to do that.
- Yes.
That would be
an additional cost.
With several unique
options to choose from,
it's time for Keith
and Kate to decide
which tiny house
they'll call their own.
We've got a wedding to go shoot,
and we got to hit the road,
and I think we need
to make a decision now.
Photographers Keith and Kate are
looking for a tiny house
in the southern
New Hampshire area.
With a $200,000 budget,
they've seen several
very different options,
and it's time to pick
their new tiny home.
So let's start off
with the compact condo.
470 square feet?
It was $170,000,
but I don't know.
It felt a little big to me.
I think the size was perfect, actually,
and I know it needs
some renovations,
and that's not really
what I wanted to do,
but I like the fact
that we'd be able
to just basically walk out
the front door and be in town.
We've got a great
outdoor space for Kula,
and that exterior
is definitely that look,
that kind of New England feel
that we're looking for.
But I'm definitely not
thrilled about the shower.
It is super tiny.
With a price of $65,000,
the modern cottage
was the smallest tiny home
at 240 square feet.
We would have to try and figure
out where we're going to put it,
and land could be a problem.
But it had the nice,
bright walls that I love.
My concern is
that we would have
to move those stairs
out of there
so we could get a full-size
refrigerator in there.
That means putting a ladder in,
and that means making the loft
even that much more uncomfortable.
But I love that it
came furnished.
I think the pull-out bed downstairs
is a really great feature.
But there's no way we could
entertain in there, practically.
The houseboat.
- How incredible was that?
- Mm-hmm.
480 square feet,
perfect size for me,
and $62,000, budget-wise,
was really good,
and I feel like
we could really make up
that $975 a month by renting it
just a few weeks a year.
Absolutely, and it's
a perfect location.
The overall design was dated,
but I liked the fact
that there were two bathrooms.
The fridge is a perfect size,
but no oven,
which is kind of a huge deal.
So here's what I'm thinking.
We've got a wedding to go shoot,
and we got to hit the road,
and I think we need
to make a decision now.
My decision is
for the compact condo.
I think the condo
is a great option.
It's definitely rentable
once we get things squared away.
I like it as long as we can stay
in budget with renovation,
so let's text Chris and see
if we can make this happen.
Let's do it.
We have officially been living
- in our new home for six days.
- Six days.
This place was listed
at $170,000.
We offered full asking price,
and I'm pretty sure
if we hadn't,
it would've gone super fast.
I feel like the old floor plan
and the current floor plan,
I would say that
it's 100% unrecognizable.
We actually gutted it completely
back to the foundation walls.
There was nothing left in here.
The bathroom went to
a much larger layout.
The kitchen moved
to the bedroom,
and the bedroom moved
to the kitchen.
There are no more
interior walls,
other than the bathroom.
It was a process that was
supposed to take
six weeks total,
and it ended up
taking close to six months.
We were able to keep
a normal-sized shower
so that I can fit in here,
and Keith can fit
in here and Kula!
- Come on, Kula.
- Come on, girl!
Kula was definitely
a priority for us,
not just having
an outdoor space for her,
but having the proximity
to places
for us to go with her.
Kula, sit.
The thing that we compromised
on was I really wanted a place
that was on wheels,
but I'm really happy
with where we are
because the location
is so awesome.
So that's not really
a compromise in my mind anymore.
Welcome to the new home.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Think about your most
memorable times.
They're always about the people
that you're with
or the things
that you're doing,
and they rarely have
anything to do
with the stuff that you have.
And so this has really
given us a great way
to put a meaning to that.
It's given us freedom to be
with our friends and to go
and do the things
that we enjoy doing
without having hesitation.
Haley, have you seen this?
Check this out.
Now that the renovation process
is finished,
it's very much relaxing
for us.
When we walk in here now,
it's flawless.
It's perfect. I love it.