Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 29 - Teen Goes Tiny in Colorado - 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.
- Wow.
- What is this?
- This is the bedroom.
- It's a fold-down sink.
- That's so cool!
Oh!
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.
- Whoa.
- That's the loft.
- Ohh.
I think I see
a problem already.
This is so cute.
18-year-old Jaden is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This is
absolutely gorgeous.
Married real estate agents
Kari and Shawn
are giving her guidance,
but she's quickly learning
that she's gonna have
to take the bad...
It feels so tight.
Clothes in the kitchen.
All right.
And this would be
closet space here?
...with the good.
- Yes!
I know that was
pretty important.
- Storage stairs?
- Stairs.
- That's what I wanted.
- These are cool.
If you don't buy this,
I think we will.
Hi, there.
How are you today?
- Good. Yourself?
- Doing well.
I'm Jaden. I'm 18.
I'm from Fort Collins, Colorado.
Jaden is a student and works
part-time for her mom,
who's a doctor.
Has it given you
any headaches?
- No.
- Okay, that's good.
I grew up in this current house.
I've lived here since
I was 3 years old.
I live with my mom
and my 15-year-old sister.
Might as well just make
all these green ones, too.
And then we can make
some green-chile sauce.
I have two pets of my own:
a dog named Biscuit
and a kitten named Piper.
♪ This is a love song ♪
I've been singing since
I was 3 years old.
I play several instruments,
so, it's definitely
a big part of who I am.
Jaden is so spontaneous.
Like sometimes
I'll get random texts,
like "Hey! I just bought
like six duck eggs.
Do you want one?"
And then she like
hatches the ducks
and just raises them.
She's just fun
and completely together
and just a superloving person.
But with college
just around the corner,
Jaden's ready
for a place of her own.
Instead of living in a dorm
or renting an apartment, though,
she wants a more unconventional,
long-term housing investment.
Going tiny will be
a good fit for me
because I am a bit
of a minimalistic hippie.
I like the lifestyle
that it sets up
and I think that
it'll fit very well
with my own personal ideals.
When Jaden came to me and asked
if she could look into
finding a tiny house,
I was excited.
For a kid moving out
of the house
that only has a bedroom's
worth of stuff,
it might be the perfect way
to have a place
and not lose too
much money to renting.
I'm excited about
seeing these houses.
I have pretty good credit
for my age, which has allowed me
to get a loan for $75,000
and I hope not to go above that.
I didn't know you guys
were coming by today.
Shawn and Kari are gonna be
helping me find my house.
They're Realtors in the area,
and they know a lot about
the tiny-house communities.
They've known me since
I was 5 years old,
so I trust them to help me
make these decisions.
The market in Colorado,
in general,
for tiny homes,
it has exploded.
The biggest challenges that Kari
and I are gonna face
is just making sure
that Jaden understands
that she's gonna have
to compromise,
so we have to pare down
what's really,
really important
and vital for her.
So, Jaden, what style of home
are you looking for?
I was thinking modern cottage,
so that on the outside,
you know,
it looks kind of cottagey;
but then on the inside,
more modern,
as far as light colors
and whites
and natural light.
What size
are you looking for?
Under 300 square feet.
My animals are a very
important part of my life,
so I need to live in a house
that has enough space for them.
I would also like
storage stairs.
It's a really great
use of space,
since it has
multiple purposes.
I do have a lot of instruments,
so, somehow,
I'll have to figure out how
to fit those in my tiny house.
Have you thought about
where you're gonna
put your tiny house?
- Yeah, I think
I'll need to rent land.
For land, I don't wanna go much
over $400 a month.
That would be on the cheaper end
of an apartment in Fort Collins.
So what do you really want
in your house?
I wanted a sleeping loft,
at least, for my bedroom.
A second loft could be
cool, for guests,
and I'd like
a full kitchen.
I like to cook, so I want
a stove and an oven
and a refrigerator.
And I was actually looking
at composting toilets.
I thought they looked interesting
and I kind of like the
idea of offgrid living.
Now, you know that you have
a long list of wants
and that you're
in a tiny house
- Yeah.
- and that might be a little
difficult, to get
all those things, right?
- Yeah.
I am a little bit nervous
about being on my own,
but even more so, it's my house
that I have to deal
with all the problems
when they do come,
as they will.
To start Jaden off,
Kari and Shawn want her to see
a tiny modern cabin.
While it's over budget,
it checks off many
of her wishlist items
and has plenty of space
for her and her pets.
Oh, my goodness.
It's gigantic!
How big is it?
It's 420 square feet.
So it's gotta
cost more, then.
It does. It's actually
over your budget,
at $89,000.
$89,000?
I know that's high,
but I think
you're really gonna
like it. It has some
really great details.
- Okay.
I'm not so sure
it's really with the
cottagey feel, though.
How do you actually move this?
So you would actually
need at least a 1-ton
and a permit to move it.
Man. Yeah. It won't be
goin' anywhere.
I know Jaden's
a little concerned
with the size of this home.
She wanted something
a little bit smaller.
But we wanted to show
her this one
because she does have
her music instruments
and I think the open concept,
she'll see how much
space she'll have.
This is a huge house.
And I am not so sure how I feel
about spending $89,000.
Oh, my goodness.
This is absolutely gorgeous.
What do you think about
the style of the home
and the overall colors?
The stainless-steel appliances
makes it look very modern.
The white walls
bring a good light energy.
The one thing I'm not sure
about is these table legs
and these shelves here.
It just kind of takes away
from that modern style,
makes it a lot more rustic.
But, storage stairs.
- Stairs.
- That's what I wanted.
- These are cool.
They actually
come all the way out,
so you can pull it. Yep.
- Oh, wow.
Since you have two
sets of stairs,
you also have two
sets of storage stairs.
Yay-ay!
Up here is
your first living space.
Oh, yeah. I mean,
I could even make this
like a guest bedroom
or a music studio.
There's all sorts
of options up here.
- Exactly.
- All right.
Let's see the rest
of this tiny house.
Yeah.
So, would this be,
like clothes storage?
- Yeah, definitely.
- I mean, I can't believe
how much storage there is.
And behind you is
the second living space.
This is a lot of space,
and I love these shelves.
Someone could sleep
on this, probably.
Well, if you step out,
I'll show you something.
So this actually pulls out,
make a full bed here.
- Oh, wow!
- Come on in.
See how comfortable this is.
Ah!
- You got lots of space.
If you don't buy this,
I think we will.
I'll let y'all
have your moment.
I'll--
Is this the bathroom?
I'm gonna be in here, now.
Okay, wow.
It's very, very cabin-y.
You think there's
enough storage?
It's not a whole lot,
but a lot of space in
the shower, though.
And where would I do
my makeup?
'Cause can't really
like spread out.
I gotta be lookin' hot.
But you do have
a composting toilet.
All right.
That's good news.
Well, let's go take
a look at the loft.
Yeah.
Well, this one. I mean,
it's lower than the last one,
but it's still
a ton of space.
I mean, you got
the storage in there,
which is really cool.
You have lots of windows
up here, too.
What's amazing is just
that there's
so much space up here,
plus the other loft
and that space
down there.
I'm gonna throw parties
all the time.
It is more house than I wanted.
The kitchen was awesome.
I mean, it has the refrigerator
and the stove.
And that upper living space
would be perfect
for either guests
or for my music instruments.
But I know you had some
concerns with the bathroom.
I don't know if I could live
with that bathroom,
at least not without
making quite a few switches.
But I'm really worried
about the cost
and, because it's so big,
it would be hard to find
a piece of land to put it.
I mean, otherwise, it has really
good space for all my animals.
They're now looking at something
less expensive and smaller,
but it may be too small.
Clothes in the kitchen.
All right.
Good boy.
Soon-to-be college student Jaden
is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
But instead of living
in the dorms
or renting an apartment
with other students,
she's in the market
for a tiny house.
For guidance in making
such a big purchase,
longtime family friends
and real estate agents
Kari and Shawn are showing her
some tiny options.
She's seen a 420-square-foot
tiny modern cabin
that has the full-size kitchen,
storage stairs,
and space for animals
and musical instruments.
But it's well over
her $75,000 budget.
With size and price in mind,
Kari and Shawn are taking Jaden
to a smaller
and less-expensive option,
although she'd still have
to find land to park it on.
This is so cute.
I like that it looks
very much like a cottage.
That's cool.
How big is it?
It's 272 square feet.
Okay.
How much is it?
It's actually $60,000,
so about $15,000
below your budget.
Okay, yeah.
That's not bad at all.
Is it able to go off-grid?
Yeah, definitely.
- Okay.
I think this is
a good option for Jaden
because it's a good size
and I don't think she'll
have a problem finding a piece
of land to put it on.
Oh, this is beautiful.
I like the wood.
But it's still light,
so it doesn't
sap up too much of the light.
This is gonna be most
of your living space,
right here.
- Would you do like
a corner couch, or...?
- You could do
a small couch right here
and maybe even
a little bit of storage,
and as you can see,
there's a lot of outlets here.
Okay.
There's the two lofts,
but can that one be used
as a sleeping space?
I think it would be
kind of scary.
You'd probably wanna use
it mostly for storage.
Okay.
So what is that?
That's your electrical panel.
Have you ever seen
one of these before?
- No.
- Okay, so this operates
everything in your house.
It's definitely funny
to even think that
she wouldn't know
what a fuse box is.
It's not something
that I would think
that someone
wouldn't understand,
so that was kind of fun,
to be able to
open her eyes
a little bit about it.
So there's no storage stairs.
I know that was really
important to you,
but you can see
this lets in
a lot of light,
the way it's placed.
'Cause the thing about
the storage stairs
is that it would allow
for a double use.
Even if Biscuit could
get up these,
I don't know if he could
make that jump there.
That is a big jump.
Well,
I like the kitchen.
It does look
very modern.
What do you think
of these countertops?
I like 'em.
They go well
with the white
and everything.
And you have a lot
of storage.
Would this be like
for clothes, or...?
Yeah, you could definitely
use it as clothes space.
- Yeah.
- Clothes in the kitchen.
All right.
So I definitely can't
reach those drawers.
Yeah, that might be
a little difficult,
but you can reach it
from up in the loft.
Oh, okay.
Okay, that makes sense.
This kitchen has
full-size appliances.
I know that was really
important to you.
Stainless steel. What do
you think about that?
I like it.
And the fridge is huge.
So this is the bathroom
in here, yeah?
- Yep. It has
a composting toilet.
- Yes!
I know that was
pretty important.
I want a composting toilet.
Shawn, I know you know
how to use fuse boxes,
but do you know how to use
a composting toilet?
I've actually never
used one before.
Well, let me explain
this for you.
I loved the composting
toilet so much,
and I also enjoyed
teaching Shawn how to use that.
I've never used one, didn't know
they actually worked,
so, I learned a lot about the
composting toilet.
I do wish there
was more storage.
Like I would've put shelves
or something here.
I'm under budget, so I could use
some of that money for that.
Careful.
Oh, wow. This feels
like a lot of space.
Ooh.
I like the windows.
I mean, how big of a bed
could you fit up here?
If you put a queen up here,
you'd have plenty of room
to have storage
on the sides.
I don't know if I could fit
a whole buncha stuff up here.
It's a good mix between
the cottage-style
and the modern-style,
and I absolutely love
the composting toilet.
What do you think
about the kitchen?
I like all the appliances,
and there's tons of storage,
but I'm not sure if there's
enough space for my instruments
and I'm not sure where
I could put another person,
if they wanted to come stay
with me or anything.
You might be able to put
just a little sleeper sofa
Yeah, that's true.
- in the family room.
I would really like to see
somewhere with two full lofts
and maybe more
practical use of storage,
such as the storage stairs
or something like that.
Shawn and Kari have
found another option
they're hoping will impress.
And this would be
closet space here?
It sure is.
That's not a lot.
I just don't know
why you're doing this.
I think it'll be really cool.
18-year-old Jaden is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
After securing her
own $75,000 loan,
she enlisted the help
of family friends
and real estate agents
Kari and Shawn
to guide her in the search
for a tiny place of her own.
She's seen a 420-square-foot
tiny modern cabin
that has the storage stairs
and full-size kitchen she wants.
But it's well over her budget,
and it's much bigger
than what she's looking for.
A 272-square-foot blue bungalow
is closer to the size
and style she would like.
But it doesn't have
storage stairs
and the space could be difficult
for her animals to navigate.
Now, Kari and Shawn are showing
her another tiny house,
but she will have to find land
to park it on.
So, Jaden, we found
this property for ya.
It's a little bit closer
to the square footage
you were lookin' for.
It is a little bit
above your budget, though.
How much above it?
So it's priced
at $80,000.
Okay.
And how big is it?
- It's 260 square feet.
- All right.
That's in good-size range.
- Yeah.
What do you think
of the style?
I like it. I really like
the shingle-looking things.
It's kinda funky.
- People actually refer to this
as a shingle shack, so.
A shingle shack.
All right.
How offgrid is it?
It's 100 percent capable
of being offgrid.
All right.
Oh, wow! This color is
completely unique,
but I like it.
What do you think
about this kitchen?
The placement is weird.
Is there any other way
you could configure this?
You know, you could do it
any way you want,
but this layout, this probably
seems like the best way.
I mean, it does have
all the appliances.
We have the stove and we have
the washer/dryer here.
But I'm not completely in love
with the countertop.
I'm not lovin' the fridge.
It's a little too retro for me,
so it could work,
maybe, to take the shelves out
and just put a full-size
refrigerator here?
You know, that's something
to really think about, Jaden.
There's already not
a lot of storage in here.
Yeah, that's true.
So then this is
the bathroom in here?
Yeah.
- No door.
I mean, I guess you could
put something up, though.
Full-size shower,
that's awesome.
Composting toilet, which I love.
Plenty of storage,
that's a big plus.
Just--
It feels so tight.
This bathroom has everything
on my wish list,
but I can't get over
how small that sink is.
I need somewhere
that I can fit into.
This is gonna be your main
living area, right here.
Yeah, it's a good amount
of space, definitely.
It would have
to be multipurpose.
Like if I didn't have
anything right there,
that could be like a music/
bookshelf area, maybe?
I mean, a guest would have to
sleep in this couch/chair thing.
I'm a little disappointed
that it's just the one loft
and that there's no use
of the space underneath it.
It's really nice, at least,
you have storage stairs.
Yeah, definitely.
So you have two sets
of storage stairs.
This is actually
your electrical source.
Oy.
It's tight right here
and the bed sets up so high
that it makes it feel
smaller than it actually is.
So the bed's high up
'cause it has
some storage underneath.
Oh, okay.
That's a good place
to put that hidden storage.
And this would
be closet space, here?
It sure is.
That's not a lot.
I loved the turquoise color
on the inside,
and the outside is adorable,
but I'm struggling
with trying to figure out
where a guest could stay.
And I can't stand the fridge,
so I would need to change that,
as well as the countertops,
and it would just be
a lot of added costs.
What do you think
about the bathroom?
I was excited about
the composting toilet,
and it's the most storage
I've ever seen
in a tiny-house bathroom.
And it can go
completely offgrid.
Yeah, definitely.
That was something I was
really excited about.
But there's not a whole lot
of space for my instruments
and, I mean,
all my clothes, you know.
I can totally
understand that.
Of course, we're gonna have
to sit down and figure out
where your priorities are
and what things we can
and can't have
in the home.
With several options
to choose from,
it's time for Jaden to decide
which tiny house
she'll be calling home.
Okay. I need your
motherly advice.
- Okay.
Okay.
I need your motherly advice.
With a budget of $75,000,
18-year-old Jaden is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
After seeing several ways
to downsize,
she's ready to make
her decision.
So tell me more about
that Modern Cabin.
It was 420 square feet,
and that one was pretty far
over my budget, at $89,000.
It had two living areas,
and there's actually a third
where the couch
can fold out into a bed,
and the kitchen
was beautiful and huge
and full-size appliances.
Is that the one
that you didn't like
the bathroom in that one?
- Yeah.
It was dark and a weird sink
and not very much storage,
but the rest of the house
was so cool.
The second one was
the Blue Bungalow:
272 square feet at $60,000.
It was the cheapest
of the three.
The outside was very cottagey,
and the kitchen
is white cabinetry
and like
stainless-steel appliances,
so it still looks
really modern.
Is that the one
where you said
the loft felt
kind of cramped
and you weren't sure
if Biscuit would be able
to get up to it?
- Yeah.
Since it didn't have like
the actual storage stairs,
it's more of a ladder,
I don't think
he would be able
to get up in there.
But it had the full shower
and the composting toilet
and enough space.
I really like the bathroom.
The Shingle Shack had
a price tag of $80,000
and a footprint
of 260 square feet.
The cool thing
about that one is that
it could go
completely offgrid.
The kitchen was kind of
awkwardly placed.
In the bathroom, it did have
a ton of storage,
as well as the
composting toilet.
But I really did want
a second sleeping area,
and that one just absolutely
doesn't have any room.
This decision definitely marks
the beginning
of my adult career.
That's true.
I mean, at the end of the day,
if Logical Jaden
is making this decision,
then it makes more logical sense
to go with the Blue Bungalow.
I agree. And also,
it'll be easier to tow
when you figure out
where you're going
to college next year.
So, the next step, I guess, I
need to start figuring out land.
I mean, that's gonna be
a process, but right now,
I'm very hungry,
so how about you buy me food?
- Sure.
- Okay.
♪ You're my dog ♪
I ended up going
with the Blue Bungalow.
They were asking $60,000,
and that's what I ended
up paying for it.
And I found some land
that I'm renting
from a friend of the family
for 100 bucks a month.
We placed it a little bit
outside of town
and there's absolutely
gorgeous views.
Here is everything I hang up.
- Okay.
- See? And then like we have
like hats and mittens back here.
- Oh, okay.
Emmalee, she actually
does like it
more than she was expecting to.
She thought that there
was enough space for my clothes
and for all my stuff.
I love where you put
your instruments.
Yeah, I got kinda creative.
I can mostly reach them.
You have a lot of space
in here.
Yeah. You can fit
a lot of people in here.
All my fur creatures.
Biscuit loves it out here.
He tried to go up to the loft
once, and he made it,
but then I had
to carry him down.
So now, he's pretty sure
that he doesn't like
being up in the loft.
Piper also loves it.
She has her little perches
that she sits on,
loftily, up high.
Ohhh.
They're so cute!
I had an inkling of an idea
to get some chickens
'cause who has chickens?
Nobody.
Jaden, I cannot believe
how cute this is.
I'm glad you like it.
It looks like you're
making it work.
Yeah, I can fit all of
my clothes in this thing.
So if you're rushed for
time, you can get dressed
while you're making breakfast.
- Yeah, exactly.
Ow!
The biggest thing
I've learned it's that
it's not a one-and-done thing.
It's not, "You buy it.
You live in it."
It's "You buy it
and you work on it
and you work on it."
But I definitely feel like
more of a responsible adult
and, next year,
I hope to go to college
and I think I'm gonna take
my tiny house and my fur family
and my chickens
all along with me.
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.
- Wow.
- What is this?
- This is the bedroom.
- It's a fold-down sink.
- That's so cool!
Oh!
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.
- Whoa.
- That's the loft.
- Ohh.
I think I see
a problem already.
This is so cute.
18-year-old Jaden is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This is
absolutely gorgeous.
Married real estate agents
Kari and Shawn
are giving her guidance,
but she's quickly learning
that she's gonna have
to take the bad...
It feels so tight.
Clothes in the kitchen.
All right.
And this would be
closet space here?
...with the good.
- Yes!
I know that was
pretty important.
- Storage stairs?
- Stairs.
- That's what I wanted.
- These are cool.
If you don't buy this,
I think we will.
Hi, there.
How are you today?
- Good. Yourself?
- Doing well.
I'm Jaden. I'm 18.
I'm from Fort Collins, Colorado.
Jaden is a student and works
part-time for her mom,
who's a doctor.
Has it given you
any headaches?
- No.
- Okay, that's good.
I grew up in this current house.
I've lived here since
I was 3 years old.
I live with my mom
and my 15-year-old sister.
Might as well just make
all these green ones, too.
And then we can make
some green-chile sauce.
I have two pets of my own:
a dog named Biscuit
and a kitten named Piper.
♪ This is a love song ♪
I've been singing since
I was 3 years old.
I play several instruments,
so, it's definitely
a big part of who I am.
Jaden is so spontaneous.
Like sometimes
I'll get random texts,
like "Hey! I just bought
like six duck eggs.
Do you want one?"
And then she like
hatches the ducks
and just raises them.
She's just fun
and completely together
and just a superloving person.
But with college
just around the corner,
Jaden's ready
for a place of her own.
Instead of living in a dorm
or renting an apartment, though,
she wants a more unconventional,
long-term housing investment.
Going tiny will be
a good fit for me
because I am a bit
of a minimalistic hippie.
I like the lifestyle
that it sets up
and I think that
it'll fit very well
with my own personal ideals.
When Jaden came to me and asked
if she could look into
finding a tiny house,
I was excited.
For a kid moving out
of the house
that only has a bedroom's
worth of stuff,
it might be the perfect way
to have a place
and not lose too
much money to renting.
I'm excited about
seeing these houses.
I have pretty good credit
for my age, which has allowed me
to get a loan for $75,000
and I hope not to go above that.
I didn't know you guys
were coming by today.
Shawn and Kari are gonna be
helping me find my house.
They're Realtors in the area,
and they know a lot about
the tiny-house communities.
They've known me since
I was 5 years old,
so I trust them to help me
make these decisions.
The market in Colorado,
in general,
for tiny homes,
it has exploded.
The biggest challenges that Kari
and I are gonna face
is just making sure
that Jaden understands
that she's gonna have
to compromise,
so we have to pare down
what's really,
really important
and vital for her.
So, Jaden, what style of home
are you looking for?
I was thinking modern cottage,
so that on the outside,
you know,
it looks kind of cottagey;
but then on the inside,
more modern,
as far as light colors
and whites
and natural light.
What size
are you looking for?
Under 300 square feet.
My animals are a very
important part of my life,
so I need to live in a house
that has enough space for them.
I would also like
storage stairs.
It's a really great
use of space,
since it has
multiple purposes.
I do have a lot of instruments,
so, somehow,
I'll have to figure out how
to fit those in my tiny house.
Have you thought about
where you're gonna
put your tiny house?
- Yeah, I think
I'll need to rent land.
For land, I don't wanna go much
over $400 a month.
That would be on the cheaper end
of an apartment in Fort Collins.
So what do you really want
in your house?
I wanted a sleeping loft,
at least, for my bedroom.
A second loft could be
cool, for guests,
and I'd like
a full kitchen.
I like to cook, so I want
a stove and an oven
and a refrigerator.
And I was actually looking
at composting toilets.
I thought they looked interesting
and I kind of like the
idea of offgrid living.
Now, you know that you have
a long list of wants
and that you're
in a tiny house
- Yeah.
- and that might be a little
difficult, to get
all those things, right?
- Yeah.
I am a little bit nervous
about being on my own,
but even more so, it's my house
that I have to deal
with all the problems
when they do come,
as they will.
To start Jaden off,
Kari and Shawn want her to see
a tiny modern cabin.
While it's over budget,
it checks off many
of her wishlist items
and has plenty of space
for her and her pets.
Oh, my goodness.
It's gigantic!
How big is it?
It's 420 square feet.
So it's gotta
cost more, then.
It does. It's actually
over your budget,
at $89,000.
$89,000?
I know that's high,
but I think
you're really gonna
like it. It has some
really great details.
- Okay.
I'm not so sure
it's really with the
cottagey feel, though.
How do you actually move this?
So you would actually
need at least a 1-ton
and a permit to move it.
Man. Yeah. It won't be
goin' anywhere.
I know Jaden's
a little concerned
with the size of this home.
She wanted something
a little bit smaller.
But we wanted to show
her this one
because she does have
her music instruments
and I think the open concept,
she'll see how much
space she'll have.
This is a huge house.
And I am not so sure how I feel
about spending $89,000.
Oh, my goodness.
This is absolutely gorgeous.
What do you think about
the style of the home
and the overall colors?
The stainless-steel appliances
makes it look very modern.
The white walls
bring a good light energy.
The one thing I'm not sure
about is these table legs
and these shelves here.
It just kind of takes away
from that modern style,
makes it a lot more rustic.
But, storage stairs.
- Stairs.
- That's what I wanted.
- These are cool.
They actually
come all the way out,
so you can pull it. Yep.
- Oh, wow.
Since you have two
sets of stairs,
you also have two
sets of storage stairs.
Yay-ay!
Up here is
your first living space.
Oh, yeah. I mean,
I could even make this
like a guest bedroom
or a music studio.
There's all sorts
of options up here.
- Exactly.
- All right.
Let's see the rest
of this tiny house.
Yeah.
So, would this be,
like clothes storage?
- Yeah, definitely.
- I mean, I can't believe
how much storage there is.
And behind you is
the second living space.
This is a lot of space,
and I love these shelves.
Someone could sleep
on this, probably.
Well, if you step out,
I'll show you something.
So this actually pulls out,
make a full bed here.
- Oh, wow!
- Come on in.
See how comfortable this is.
Ah!
- You got lots of space.
If you don't buy this,
I think we will.
I'll let y'all
have your moment.
I'll--
Is this the bathroom?
I'm gonna be in here, now.
Okay, wow.
It's very, very cabin-y.
You think there's
enough storage?
It's not a whole lot,
but a lot of space in
the shower, though.
And where would I do
my makeup?
'Cause can't really
like spread out.
I gotta be lookin' hot.
But you do have
a composting toilet.
All right.
That's good news.
Well, let's go take
a look at the loft.
Yeah.
Well, this one. I mean,
it's lower than the last one,
but it's still
a ton of space.
I mean, you got
the storage in there,
which is really cool.
You have lots of windows
up here, too.
What's amazing is just
that there's
so much space up here,
plus the other loft
and that space
down there.
I'm gonna throw parties
all the time.
It is more house than I wanted.
The kitchen was awesome.
I mean, it has the refrigerator
and the stove.
And that upper living space
would be perfect
for either guests
or for my music instruments.
But I know you had some
concerns with the bathroom.
I don't know if I could live
with that bathroom,
at least not without
making quite a few switches.
But I'm really worried
about the cost
and, because it's so big,
it would be hard to find
a piece of land to put it.
I mean, otherwise, it has really
good space for all my animals.
They're now looking at something
less expensive and smaller,
but it may be too small.
Clothes in the kitchen.
All right.
Good boy.
Soon-to-be college student Jaden
is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
But instead of living
in the dorms
or renting an apartment
with other students,
she's in the market
for a tiny house.
For guidance in making
such a big purchase,
longtime family friends
and real estate agents
Kari and Shawn are showing her
some tiny options.
She's seen a 420-square-foot
tiny modern cabin
that has the full-size kitchen,
storage stairs,
and space for animals
and musical instruments.
But it's well over
her $75,000 budget.
With size and price in mind,
Kari and Shawn are taking Jaden
to a smaller
and less-expensive option,
although she'd still have
to find land to park it on.
This is so cute.
I like that it looks
very much like a cottage.
That's cool.
How big is it?
It's 272 square feet.
Okay.
How much is it?
It's actually $60,000,
so about $15,000
below your budget.
Okay, yeah.
That's not bad at all.
Is it able to go off-grid?
Yeah, definitely.
- Okay.
I think this is
a good option for Jaden
because it's a good size
and I don't think she'll
have a problem finding a piece
of land to put it on.
Oh, this is beautiful.
I like the wood.
But it's still light,
so it doesn't
sap up too much of the light.
This is gonna be most
of your living space,
right here.
- Would you do like
a corner couch, or...?
- You could do
a small couch right here
and maybe even
a little bit of storage,
and as you can see,
there's a lot of outlets here.
Okay.
There's the two lofts,
but can that one be used
as a sleeping space?
I think it would be
kind of scary.
You'd probably wanna use
it mostly for storage.
Okay.
So what is that?
That's your electrical panel.
Have you ever seen
one of these before?
- No.
- Okay, so this operates
everything in your house.
It's definitely funny
to even think that
she wouldn't know
what a fuse box is.
It's not something
that I would think
that someone
wouldn't understand,
so that was kind of fun,
to be able to
open her eyes
a little bit about it.
So there's no storage stairs.
I know that was really
important to you,
but you can see
this lets in
a lot of light,
the way it's placed.
'Cause the thing about
the storage stairs
is that it would allow
for a double use.
Even if Biscuit could
get up these,
I don't know if he could
make that jump there.
That is a big jump.
Well,
I like the kitchen.
It does look
very modern.
What do you think
of these countertops?
I like 'em.
They go well
with the white
and everything.
And you have a lot
of storage.
Would this be like
for clothes, or...?
Yeah, you could definitely
use it as clothes space.
- Yeah.
- Clothes in the kitchen.
All right.
So I definitely can't
reach those drawers.
Yeah, that might be
a little difficult,
but you can reach it
from up in the loft.
Oh, okay.
Okay, that makes sense.
This kitchen has
full-size appliances.
I know that was really
important to you.
Stainless steel. What do
you think about that?
I like it.
And the fridge is huge.
So this is the bathroom
in here, yeah?
- Yep. It has
a composting toilet.
- Yes!
I know that was
pretty important.
I want a composting toilet.
Shawn, I know you know
how to use fuse boxes,
but do you know how to use
a composting toilet?
I've actually never
used one before.
Well, let me explain
this for you.
I loved the composting
toilet so much,
and I also enjoyed
teaching Shawn how to use that.
I've never used one, didn't know
they actually worked,
so, I learned a lot about the
composting toilet.
I do wish there
was more storage.
Like I would've put shelves
or something here.
I'm under budget, so I could use
some of that money for that.
Careful.
Oh, wow. This feels
like a lot of space.
Ooh.
I like the windows.
I mean, how big of a bed
could you fit up here?
If you put a queen up here,
you'd have plenty of room
to have storage
on the sides.
I don't know if I could fit
a whole buncha stuff up here.
It's a good mix between
the cottage-style
and the modern-style,
and I absolutely love
the composting toilet.
What do you think
about the kitchen?
I like all the appliances,
and there's tons of storage,
but I'm not sure if there's
enough space for my instruments
and I'm not sure where
I could put another person,
if they wanted to come stay
with me or anything.
You might be able to put
just a little sleeper sofa
Yeah, that's true.
- in the family room.
I would really like to see
somewhere with two full lofts
and maybe more
practical use of storage,
such as the storage stairs
or something like that.
Shawn and Kari have
found another option
they're hoping will impress.
And this would be
closet space here?
It sure is.
That's not a lot.
I just don't know
why you're doing this.
I think it'll be really cool.
18-year-old Jaden is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
After securing her
own $75,000 loan,
she enlisted the help
of family friends
and real estate agents
Kari and Shawn
to guide her in the search
for a tiny place of her own.
She's seen a 420-square-foot
tiny modern cabin
that has the storage stairs
and full-size kitchen she wants.
But it's well over her budget,
and it's much bigger
than what she's looking for.
A 272-square-foot blue bungalow
is closer to the size
and style she would like.
But it doesn't have
storage stairs
and the space could be difficult
for her animals to navigate.
Now, Kari and Shawn are showing
her another tiny house,
but she will have to find land
to park it on.
So, Jaden, we found
this property for ya.
It's a little bit closer
to the square footage
you were lookin' for.
It is a little bit
above your budget, though.
How much above it?
So it's priced
at $80,000.
Okay.
And how big is it?
- It's 260 square feet.
- All right.
That's in good-size range.
- Yeah.
What do you think
of the style?
I like it. I really like
the shingle-looking things.
It's kinda funky.
- People actually refer to this
as a shingle shack, so.
A shingle shack.
All right.
How offgrid is it?
It's 100 percent capable
of being offgrid.
All right.
Oh, wow! This color is
completely unique,
but I like it.
What do you think
about this kitchen?
The placement is weird.
Is there any other way
you could configure this?
You know, you could do it
any way you want,
but this layout, this probably
seems like the best way.
I mean, it does have
all the appliances.
We have the stove and we have
the washer/dryer here.
But I'm not completely in love
with the countertop.
I'm not lovin' the fridge.
It's a little too retro for me,
so it could work,
maybe, to take the shelves out
and just put a full-size
refrigerator here?
You know, that's something
to really think about, Jaden.
There's already not
a lot of storage in here.
Yeah, that's true.
So then this is
the bathroom in here?
Yeah.
- No door.
I mean, I guess you could
put something up, though.
Full-size shower,
that's awesome.
Composting toilet, which I love.
Plenty of storage,
that's a big plus.
Just--
It feels so tight.
This bathroom has everything
on my wish list,
but I can't get over
how small that sink is.
I need somewhere
that I can fit into.
This is gonna be your main
living area, right here.
Yeah, it's a good amount
of space, definitely.
It would have
to be multipurpose.
Like if I didn't have
anything right there,
that could be like a music/
bookshelf area, maybe?
I mean, a guest would have to
sleep in this couch/chair thing.
I'm a little disappointed
that it's just the one loft
and that there's no use
of the space underneath it.
It's really nice, at least,
you have storage stairs.
Yeah, definitely.
So you have two sets
of storage stairs.
This is actually
your electrical source.
Oy.
It's tight right here
and the bed sets up so high
that it makes it feel
smaller than it actually is.
So the bed's high up
'cause it has
some storage underneath.
Oh, okay.
That's a good place
to put that hidden storage.
And this would
be closet space, here?
It sure is.
That's not a lot.
I loved the turquoise color
on the inside,
and the outside is adorable,
but I'm struggling
with trying to figure out
where a guest could stay.
And I can't stand the fridge,
so I would need to change that,
as well as the countertops,
and it would just be
a lot of added costs.
What do you think
about the bathroom?
I was excited about
the composting toilet,
and it's the most storage
I've ever seen
in a tiny-house bathroom.
And it can go
completely offgrid.
Yeah, definitely.
That was something I was
really excited about.
But there's not a whole lot
of space for my instruments
and, I mean,
all my clothes, you know.
I can totally
understand that.
Of course, we're gonna have
to sit down and figure out
where your priorities are
and what things we can
and can't have
in the home.
With several options
to choose from,
it's time for Jaden to decide
which tiny house
she'll be calling home.
Okay. I need your
motherly advice.
- Okay.
Okay.
I need your motherly advice.
With a budget of $75,000,
18-year-old Jaden is going tiny
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
After seeing several ways
to downsize,
she's ready to make
her decision.
So tell me more about
that Modern Cabin.
It was 420 square feet,
and that one was pretty far
over my budget, at $89,000.
It had two living areas,
and there's actually a third
where the couch
can fold out into a bed,
and the kitchen
was beautiful and huge
and full-size appliances.
Is that the one
that you didn't like
the bathroom in that one?
- Yeah.
It was dark and a weird sink
and not very much storage,
but the rest of the house
was so cool.
The second one was
the Blue Bungalow:
272 square feet at $60,000.
It was the cheapest
of the three.
The outside was very cottagey,
and the kitchen
is white cabinetry
and like
stainless-steel appliances,
so it still looks
really modern.
Is that the one
where you said
the loft felt
kind of cramped
and you weren't sure
if Biscuit would be able
to get up to it?
- Yeah.
Since it didn't have like
the actual storage stairs,
it's more of a ladder,
I don't think
he would be able
to get up in there.
But it had the full shower
and the composting toilet
and enough space.
I really like the bathroom.
The Shingle Shack had
a price tag of $80,000
and a footprint
of 260 square feet.
The cool thing
about that one is that
it could go
completely offgrid.
The kitchen was kind of
awkwardly placed.
In the bathroom, it did have
a ton of storage,
as well as the
composting toilet.
But I really did want
a second sleeping area,
and that one just absolutely
doesn't have any room.
This decision definitely marks
the beginning
of my adult career.
That's true.
I mean, at the end of the day,
if Logical Jaden
is making this decision,
then it makes more logical sense
to go with the Blue Bungalow.
I agree. And also,
it'll be easier to tow
when you figure out
where you're going
to college next year.
So, the next step, I guess, I
need to start figuring out land.
I mean, that's gonna be
a process, but right now,
I'm very hungry,
so how about you buy me food?
- Sure.
- Okay.
♪ You're my dog ♪
I ended up going
with the Blue Bungalow.
They were asking $60,000,
and that's what I ended
up paying for it.
And I found some land
that I'm renting
from a friend of the family
for 100 bucks a month.
We placed it a little bit
outside of town
and there's absolutely
gorgeous views.
Here is everything I hang up.
- Okay.
- See? And then like we have
like hats and mittens back here.
- Oh, okay.
Emmalee, she actually
does like it
more than she was expecting to.
She thought that there
was enough space for my clothes
and for all my stuff.
I love where you put
your instruments.
Yeah, I got kinda creative.
I can mostly reach them.
You have a lot of space
in here.
Yeah. You can fit
a lot of people in here.
All my fur creatures.
Biscuit loves it out here.
He tried to go up to the loft
once, and he made it,
but then I had
to carry him down.
So now, he's pretty sure
that he doesn't like
being up in the loft.
Piper also loves it.
She has her little perches
that she sits on,
loftily, up high.
Ohhh.
They're so cute!
I had an inkling of an idea
to get some chickens
'cause who has chickens?
Nobody.
Jaden, I cannot believe
how cute this is.
I'm glad you like it.
It looks like you're
making it work.
Yeah, I can fit all of
my clothes in this thing.
So if you're rushed for
time, you can get dressed
while you're making breakfast.
- Yeah, exactly.
Ow!
The biggest thing
I've learned it's that
it's not a one-and-done thing.
It's not, "You buy it.
You live in it."
It's "You buy it
and you work on it
and you work on it."
But I definitely feel like
more of a responsible adult
and, next year,
I hope to go to college
and I think I'm gonna take
my tiny house and my fur family
and my chickens
all along with me.