Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 4 - Going Small in California - 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.
Hi, neighbors.
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.
That's the loft.
I think I see
a problem already.
What is it?
Is this a cottage?
It's a shack, Mom.
Eloisa's going tiny.
But daughter Bea
has some doubts.
It just looks kind of small.
Feel like I'm in a nutshell.
Don't think you could fit
all your stuff in these.
Well, there's more storage
space right here.
Fitting in all her mother's
belongings will be a challenge.
Definitely have
a lot of shoes.
You're gonna have to stuff them
under the bed again.
Where's the closet, though?
- Right there.
- That's it?
Put your shoes up there.
Right next to the pasta.
On your marks.
Get set.
- Go.
- Go.
- Whoo!
- Jeffrey's turn.
My name is Eloisa.
And I live in Santa Clarita, California.
I work at a company
that develops
electronic semiconductors.
And I am
an engineering assistant
and production manager.
Do you want a fruit snack?
I have one daughter.
Her name is Beatrice.
I call her Bea.
Bea and her young children,
Michaela and Jeffrey,
live about 30 miles away
in nearby Los Angeles
and often sleep over.
This is so nice of you
to help me clean.
My home is 1,500 square feet.
It takes a lot to maintain that.
It's three stories high.
It's five different levels.
I don't want to spend a lot
of time cleaning the house
when I could be doing some
things that are more fun.
So she's selling
her spacious home
and taking a big plunge into
a very scaled-down lifestyle.
I have many reasons
for going tiny.
There's definitely a lot
of freedom that comes with it.
It will be more time for me
to do whatever I want.
It will also free
my financial resources, as well.
It's sort of like a dollhouse,
but for grown-ups.
My daughter, Bea,
is going to join me
in my tiny-house search.
You're gonna go
from this huge kitchen
to a tiny little area.
Well, as long as it's... Like, how is it gonna fit?
What size is a tiny house?
The tiny house that I'm looking
for is around 400 square feet.
Nope. Nope.
Can't live in a tiny house.
My total budget
is $110,000,
including the house
and the land.
I'm open to a house
that is on wheels or a house
that is built stationary.
Your whole kitchen
at a tiny house
will probably be about
the size of this island.
My style is
a cottage style.
I like something
that looks uncluttered.
I don't really care
for dark interiors.
They make me sad.
I have to make sure
that I have room for the kids
to come over
and spend the night,
as we usually do.
I don't want that
to change.
I think it's a little
bit dangerous for me
to be going up a ladder.
I would like to have a house
that has the bedroom
in the main floor.
But for guests,
that would be kind of cool.
The loft would be
a great idea
for that or even
for storage.
My mom has
a crazy shoe collection.
I just don't know where
all these shoes are gonna go,
including the ones you hide,
'cause she hides shoes.
I know.
I know it.
I don't really hide shoes.
I just find proper
places for them.
That's what they all say, but
I'm pretty sure she hides them.
This has a little too much wood.
And it doesn't have a porch.
I would love to have a porch--
it doesn't have to huge--
where I could have
my coffee in the morning
and read my book.
Freedom.
Lots of freedom with that.
Yes. Yes. Cool.
The idea of getting
the tiny house--
The whole process is exciting.
Now that there's this whole
tiny-house movement,
there's so many opportunities
and different ideas.
It's a new chapter in my life.
It's exciting to see
what I'm gonna find.
So do you think
this is it?
Think so.
This looks
a little bit big.
For some local expertise,
Eloisa is working
with Santa Clarita
real-estate agent
Edoardo Beghi.
The tiny-house movement
in Santa Clarita
has been growing exponentially.
Simply, the high cost of living
going into the city
make it prohibitive
for regular people
to buy regular houses.
Today he's showing Eloisa
a model cottage
that she could place
on land of her choosing.
You know, it's a great property
for transitioning to tiny.
And it has a lot
of cottage elements to it.
It does have the look
that I'm looking for.
But it looks really big.
It's 576 square feet.
- Wow.
- But I like having a porch.
I can just see you
drinking your coffee
right here.
How much is it?
Well, the house,
the way it is,
it's $95,000.
I know it's a little bit
at the top of your budget.
But if you remove the porch,
that will bring down
your cost significantly.
I would like to keep
the porch with the house.
But then that would
make it cost-prohibitive.
It would leave me no money
to buy the land.
Well, let's go take
a look at the house.
Okay.
Let's do that.
All right.
Isn't this beautiful?
Very spacious.
- I love this.
- I know.
Has an open floor plan.
I like the color scheme.
It makes it look
very warm and inviting.
What's this? This is, like,
textured wallpaper?
That's cool. Just look
at all the windows.
A lot of light coming in.
Makes the house
look very open.
I really do like
the floor plan in this house.
It's gonna be nice
for having people over.
This is a very nice
sized kitchen.
I like how it has
the open shelving here.
Plenty of space.
There's sufficient
storage for me.
Okay.
Look at the dining area.
This is big enough
to have people
over for dinner.
Exactly.
Beautiful big bathroom.
I like the sinks.
But do you really
need two of them?
I do not.
We can bring
the cost even further down.
And this is the master.
You mean the only bedroom.
The only bedroom, yes.
If the house only has
one bedroom, I'm thinking,
"Where are my guests
gonna sleep?"
It's one bedroom.
But look at the front
of the house,
how much space we have.
You can put a pull-out bed.
You can put a Murphy bed.
Where's the closet, though?
Oh, that's true.
You got to use a little bit
of your imagination.
- Where is the closet?
- Right there.
- That's it?
- Yes.
I'm not sure
that will work at all.
Yeah.
There's a lot
to take in.
What I really like about it
is that it does not
look like a cabin
on the outside or the inside.
And that's something very,
very nice for me.
Yeah. I like the layout
of it, too.
It's very open.
And you could have us over
and a lot of company, I think.
That's a nice
transition for you,
from going 1,500
square feet to this.
This is good.
There isn't another room.
But the whole
Murphy bed idea,
that was kind of cool.
But I keep coming
back to the price.
And it makes me very nervous
'cause that would leave me
hardly any money for land.
I think almost it's
too much of a big house.
Edoardo is now showing Eloisa
a slightly cozier option.
But cozy's not for everyone.
It's a shack, Mom.
How does this work, Michaela?
You just turn it.
And then you--
you just steer it
really fast.
Oh. Are we on a ship?
Eloisa is going tiny
in Santa Clarita, California,
to have less
house to maintain
and more financial freedom.
With a $110,000 budget
for the house and land,
and with daughter
Bea along for the search,
she's looking for
a 400-square-foot cottage
that has space for entertaining.
Real-estate agent Edoardo Beghi
has taken them to see
a spacious model cottage
with an open layout.
But it's at the top
of Eloisa's budget
and would leave little money
leftover to purchase land.
They're now seeing a smaller
option on one-fifth of an acre.
What is this?
Is this a cottage
or a cabin?
It's a shack, Mom.
Wow. It looks
a little bit old.
- Yes, it does.
- Hello, ladies.
- Hey.
- Hi, Edoardo.
How are you doing?
Great.
What do you think?
This is tiny.
It isn't exactly
a cottage.
But look at all this.
All this belongs
to the property.
That might change things.
But it looks like it does need
a little bit of work.
How big
is it exactly?
440 square feet.
Well, tiny is cute.
That's what I'm looking for.
That's what you wanted.
This is tiny.
It's this little shack.
I can't even believe my mom
is looking at this house.
What is the price for this?
It's a little bit over
your budget, $115,000.
Ah. That is higher
than what I was expecting.
I really didn't
want to go over.
But given that
I wouldn't have to be
looking for land
to place my house,
this is something positive.
You could have
your coffee out here.
Definitely. And I can read
my book in the mornings.
- Welcome.
- Wow.
There's a lot
of wood in here.
This...
I feel like
I'm in a nutshell.
Well...
I like the beams.
- That's cool.
- And the skylight.
This does not feel small.
- You have to admit.
- True.
There's a loft right here.
Oh, I really did
not want a loft.
But there's a bedroom too.
So this could
come in handy
for the family or for...
The grandkids....special guests.
- Oh, wow.
- Isn't it cool?
Actually, yeah.
It's like a tree house.
The kids would really love this.
Well, as long
as it's for guests,
and I'll have
my bedroom down here.
Look at this, too.
Under the loft... A secret door?
we have
an amazing closet.
What?
I mean,
how big is this?
This is not
something you expect
to find in a tiny house.
This could be your shoes.
Definitely.
I would not have to get
rid of anything here.
There's a lot of space.
The carpet has to go.
- Yes.
- But that's an easy fix.
And the wood, you can easily
paint it white
and make it even
brighter than what it is.
That would be a huge task
'cause it's all wood,
the ceiling and the walls
and everything.
And here's the bathroom.
Whoa.
I was not expecting this.
That is actually
big enough for two people.
Yes, it is. I like it.
This is a great bathroom.
You wanted charming.
You wanted character.
Take a look at this kitchen.
Well,
it's nice.
But it is small.
Look at the countertop,
original soapstone
from the '20s.
Well, that's
a great feature.
Yeah. Where's all
the counter space,
Mom, for taco Tuesday?
Well, this could be
my prep station.
And this could be where
I put the appliances.
But I will have to make
a lot of adjustments.
What about all the cabinets?
Like, you need more.
I just don't think you could fit
all your stuff in these.
Well, there's more storage
space right here.
But this would have
to be changed.
Everything can be modified
and changed.
I am just seeing dollar signs
when I have to think
of all the things
that need to be upgraded.
And take a look at this.
You have your own
private bedroom, hmm?
Oh. Kind of small.
Is this a bedroom?
Or it looks like
it's an entryway.
Well, you're gonna have
to compromise a little bit.
You wanted your own bedroom.
Wow, this is the closet?
Thank goodness there's
that other big closet.
Yeah. This would just be enough
for my shoes and nothing else.
There's a lot
of things I like
about this house and a lot
of things I don't like.
From the outside,
it looks like a cottage.
But inside, it's all cabin.
- Total cabin.
- That wood is
all over the house.
Look at all this land
that you're gonna get.
Yes. That is a plus.
I have to admit.
Imagine entertaining
your family, your guests.
It's got a ton
of potential.
I do like the porch.
This is a plus.
But it's gonna need
a lot of work.
It's over budget.
And it's gonna cost money
to get it to where
I like everything.
Edoardo is showing them
a tiny home
with a less
intimidating price tag.
But you get
what you pay for.
You could put
your shoes up there.
Right next to the pasta.
Can the little girl
help me clean?
Because I have
too much to clean.
Santa Clarita resident Eloisa
is selling her
1,500-square-foot home
and going tiny to have
less house to maintain.
She has a budget of $110,000.
But finding a home
with space for her family
to visit isn't an easy task.
With the help
of her daughter, Bea,
she's seen a 576-square-foot
model cottage
with an open layout
that Bea thinks
would be a great way
to ease into tiny living.
But Eloisa would have little
money leftover to purchase land.
And it might be
too much space.
Next was a 440-square-foot
vintage cabin
on a fifth of an acre.
While Eloisa loves the porch,
it's above her budget.
And it would need
a major overhaul
to make it her cottage style.
Since cost and renovation
are issues,
Eloisa's real-estate agent,
Edoardo Beghi, is now
showing them
something lower maintenance
that's turnkey.
- Hello, ladies.
- Hello, Edoardo.
- Wow. You found a cabin!
- Good to see you.
Look how cool it is.
- A cabin, not a cottage?
- It is not a cottage.
But it's a
modern-looking cabin.
I like all the windows.
That's cool.
It just looks
kind of small.
How big is it?
This is 396 square feet.
My mom living in a house
that's under 400 square feet
is just crazy to me.
Her shoes alone, I think,
is more than 400.
This view-- This is
a million-dollar view.
It is a million-dollar view.
But unfortunately,
it doesn't come with the view.
We're looking at a model home.
So this piece of land
does not come with the house.
If it doesn't come
with the land,
what's, uh, the price?
$60,000.
Well under your budget.
Nice.
That's nice.
Yes. And that leaves
a lot of room for your,
you know, your land,
where you're gonna move it.
So let's go inside.
- Ooh.
- Wow.
It's, uh,
very cabin-y in here.
It's got
a lot of wood.
That's for sure.
There is.
But look how bright it is.
I do like the windows.
They bring in
a lot of light.
But where's
the counter space, Mom?
No taco Tuesday in here.
Well, I'll be able
to accommodate a few guests.
And if you open the windows...
Exactly....you're good.
You open it up.
You bring the outside
inside and vice versa.
But it's still--
the floor wood,
the cabinets,
the walls,
and the ceiling--
it's just too much wood
for my taste.
There is a solution
to that problem.
If you were to take this wood
out and put drywall,
it would lower your price
by a few thousand dollars.
So you have that option.
Well, that's an idea.
Yeah. There are two bedrooms,
one on each side
- What?
- Come this way.
- Oh.
- Ooh.
- Very small.
- It's so tiny.
Well, it's a tiny house.
It's to be expected.
The guest bedroom is great
because, while it would
give me the opportunity
to have someone over,
they wouldn't
stay very long.
Oh, there's a
bathroom in here.
Yes. It's a half bath.
And you have another full bath
on the other side.
- Oh.
- And storage
and closet space?
There you go.
Right there.
Oh, it looks like the bathroom
ate the closet.
All right. Well, let's go
check out the other bedroom.
I want to show you
this full bath right here.
Oh, this is much bigger
than the first bathroom.
I actually like it.
Look at that cute little
window there.
- Beautiful.
- And the shower is
almost regular size.
Yeah.
Isn't it?
This is a nice bathroom.
Very good.
Come with me.
This is
the master bedroom?
- Yes.
- What about the storage?
Well, you definitely
have a lot of shoes.
So you're gonna have to stuff
them under the bed again.
This is a recurring
theme with this house,
the lack of storage.
- Yeah.
- There's none.
The only place where
there's sufficient storage
is in the kitchen.
Yeah. You could put
your shoes up there.
Right next to the pasta.
There are some things
that I like about the house.
It has a guest bedroom.
I could have family,
the kids over.
And I like that it has
the two bathrooms, too.
And the layout
is pretty cool.
But a lot of wood.
We can change
the wood to drywall,
bring your cost down.
And this will give us
a bigger budget to find you
the right piece of land.
With several options
on the table,
Eloisa needs to decide
which will be the best step
into the tiny lifestyle.
So which one are you
gonna choose?
Our house hunters
are moving on up
to a much smaller space.
Could you live
in a tiny house?
Santa Clarita, California,
local Eloisa is looking
for a tiny house
around 400 square feet
that fits within
her $110,000 budget.
With her daughter Bea's input,
it's time for her to decide
which house she will call home.
I will say, I do like
the large cottage
because that would be
an easier transition
from where you're at now.
I mean, it's 576 square feet.
At $95,000, it would leave
little money to purchase land.
He said you could shave off
the porch and bring it down.
But then we're really
losing some of the appeal.
Yeah. But it's so open.
I love that layout.
And I really do like the kitchen
on that one too.
Yes. That's true.
But it didn't have
a designated area
to have anybody else
sleep over.
Right. That's true.
And it had that bathroom
with the double sinks.
It's almost too big for me.
It's too much of a house.
What about
that outdated cabin?
It's outdated.
And it's a cabin.
You want a cottage, Mom.
I mean, it's cottage
on the outside.
And then you walk in,
and it's a cabin.
It probably needs
a lot of work.
It's an old house.
But the square footage
was right-- 440.
- And at $115,000.
- That's true.
And it came with
its own land.
But I've never done
a renovation.
And that might be biting more
than I can chew with this one.
What about that
modern cabin?
That one was
pretty interesting.
The price was great.
Yeah.
$60,000.
And 376 square feet.
I mean, it has two bedrooms
and two baths.
So you could accommodate
guests and me.
But remember the tiny closet
in the second bedroom?
Yeah, I do.
It was not sufficient.
It being under budget,
though, that gives you
extra money for land.
I am torn.
There are features
in each one of the houses
that I absolutely love.
So which one are you
gonna choose?
I have come
to my decision.
Which is?
I am gonna go
with the outdated cabin.
Really?
Yes.
Even though
it's over budget?
It is
slightly over budget.
But it has all that land.
All the possibilities.
- All right.
- Think about it.
This house has
everything that I need.
It doesn't have
everything that I want.
But that can come in
little by little.
♪ Two little monkeys
jumping on the bed ♪
♪ One fell down
and broke his head ♪
I have been living here
for a couple of weeks.
And I'm still
learning to adjust.
You should put this right here.
What do you think?
The final purchase price
for this home was $130,000,
which is way above
my original budget.
But we got into a bidding war.
Once I had decided
to get this house,
it was gonna be mine.
I'm so glad
your shoes fit in here.
Oh, this is
the greatest idea ever.
I like what you did
with the floors, too, though.
That's a really
good choice, Mom.
Right?
At first, I thought my mom
was losing her marbles,
thinking she was
gonna go tiny.
But now that I've seen it,
and it's in action
in front of me,
and it's done, I love it.
And I'm kind of jealous
that you have this cute
little tiny house.
This house was screaming to me,
"Make me beautiful."
I was really looking
for a cottage.
And I got a cottage
on the outside
and a cabin inside.
One of the walls in each room
I am going to whitewash
to make it look
a little bit lighter.
I am also going to hang drapery.
But that's gonna take time.
So who's up for a margarita?
It's a beautiful kitchen.
WOMAN ♪2:
You did a good job.
I don't know if my friends
are going to convert to tinyism.
But they definitely
feel comfortable here.
Well, since it's
such a beautiful day,
what do you say we take
the drinks out to the porch?
I love having the porch.
We sit out there
when I have my friends over,
when I'm watching
the kids play.
And I sit there
when I'm by myself, too.
Good choice, Eloisa.
Now I know why you
picked this house.
See?
I made
the right decision.
I don't have a doubt about it.
I'm so happy
in my tiny house.
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.
Hi, neighbors.
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.
That's the loft.
I think I see
a problem already.
What is it?
Is this a cottage?
It's a shack, Mom.
Eloisa's going tiny.
But daughter Bea
has some doubts.
It just looks kind of small.
Feel like I'm in a nutshell.
Don't think you could fit
all your stuff in these.
Well, there's more storage
space right here.
Fitting in all her mother's
belongings will be a challenge.
Definitely have
a lot of shoes.
You're gonna have to stuff them
under the bed again.
Where's the closet, though?
- Right there.
- That's it?
Put your shoes up there.
Right next to the pasta.
On your marks.
Get set.
- Go.
- Go.
- Whoo!
- Jeffrey's turn.
My name is Eloisa.
And I live in Santa Clarita, California.
I work at a company
that develops
electronic semiconductors.
And I am
an engineering assistant
and production manager.
Do you want a fruit snack?
I have one daughter.
Her name is Beatrice.
I call her Bea.
Bea and her young children,
Michaela and Jeffrey,
live about 30 miles away
in nearby Los Angeles
and often sleep over.
This is so nice of you
to help me clean.
My home is 1,500 square feet.
It takes a lot to maintain that.
It's three stories high.
It's five different levels.
I don't want to spend a lot
of time cleaning the house
when I could be doing some
things that are more fun.
So she's selling
her spacious home
and taking a big plunge into
a very scaled-down lifestyle.
I have many reasons
for going tiny.
There's definitely a lot
of freedom that comes with it.
It will be more time for me
to do whatever I want.
It will also free
my financial resources, as well.
It's sort of like a dollhouse,
but for grown-ups.
My daughter, Bea,
is going to join me
in my tiny-house search.
You're gonna go
from this huge kitchen
to a tiny little area.
Well, as long as it's... Like, how is it gonna fit?
What size is a tiny house?
The tiny house that I'm looking
for is around 400 square feet.
Nope. Nope.
Can't live in a tiny house.
My total budget
is $110,000,
including the house
and the land.
I'm open to a house
that is on wheels or a house
that is built stationary.
Your whole kitchen
at a tiny house
will probably be about
the size of this island.
My style is
a cottage style.
I like something
that looks uncluttered.
I don't really care
for dark interiors.
They make me sad.
I have to make sure
that I have room for the kids
to come over
and spend the night,
as we usually do.
I don't want that
to change.
I think it's a little
bit dangerous for me
to be going up a ladder.
I would like to have a house
that has the bedroom
in the main floor.
But for guests,
that would be kind of cool.
The loft would be
a great idea
for that or even
for storage.
My mom has
a crazy shoe collection.
I just don't know where
all these shoes are gonna go,
including the ones you hide,
'cause she hides shoes.
I know.
I know it.
I don't really hide shoes.
I just find proper
places for them.
That's what they all say, but
I'm pretty sure she hides them.
This has a little too much wood.
And it doesn't have a porch.
I would love to have a porch--
it doesn't have to huge--
where I could have
my coffee in the morning
and read my book.
Freedom.
Lots of freedom with that.
Yes. Yes. Cool.
The idea of getting
the tiny house--
The whole process is exciting.
Now that there's this whole
tiny-house movement,
there's so many opportunities
and different ideas.
It's a new chapter in my life.
It's exciting to see
what I'm gonna find.
So do you think
this is it?
Think so.
This looks
a little bit big.
For some local expertise,
Eloisa is working
with Santa Clarita
real-estate agent
Edoardo Beghi.
The tiny-house movement
in Santa Clarita
has been growing exponentially.
Simply, the high cost of living
going into the city
make it prohibitive
for regular people
to buy regular houses.
Today he's showing Eloisa
a model cottage
that she could place
on land of her choosing.
You know, it's a great property
for transitioning to tiny.
And it has a lot
of cottage elements to it.
It does have the look
that I'm looking for.
But it looks really big.
It's 576 square feet.
- Wow.
- But I like having a porch.
I can just see you
drinking your coffee
right here.
How much is it?
Well, the house,
the way it is,
it's $95,000.
I know it's a little bit
at the top of your budget.
But if you remove the porch,
that will bring down
your cost significantly.
I would like to keep
the porch with the house.
But then that would
make it cost-prohibitive.
It would leave me no money
to buy the land.
Well, let's go take
a look at the house.
Okay.
Let's do that.
All right.
Isn't this beautiful?
Very spacious.
- I love this.
- I know.
Has an open floor plan.
I like the color scheme.
It makes it look
very warm and inviting.
What's this? This is, like,
textured wallpaper?
That's cool. Just look
at all the windows.
A lot of light coming in.
Makes the house
look very open.
I really do like
the floor plan in this house.
It's gonna be nice
for having people over.
This is a very nice
sized kitchen.
I like how it has
the open shelving here.
Plenty of space.
There's sufficient
storage for me.
Okay.
Look at the dining area.
This is big enough
to have people
over for dinner.
Exactly.
Beautiful big bathroom.
I like the sinks.
But do you really
need two of them?
I do not.
We can bring
the cost even further down.
And this is the master.
You mean the only bedroom.
The only bedroom, yes.
If the house only has
one bedroom, I'm thinking,
"Where are my guests
gonna sleep?"
It's one bedroom.
But look at the front
of the house,
how much space we have.
You can put a pull-out bed.
You can put a Murphy bed.
Where's the closet, though?
Oh, that's true.
You got to use a little bit
of your imagination.
- Where is the closet?
- Right there.
- That's it?
- Yes.
I'm not sure
that will work at all.
Yeah.
There's a lot
to take in.
What I really like about it
is that it does not
look like a cabin
on the outside or the inside.
And that's something very,
very nice for me.
Yeah. I like the layout
of it, too.
It's very open.
And you could have us over
and a lot of company, I think.
That's a nice
transition for you,
from going 1,500
square feet to this.
This is good.
There isn't another room.
But the whole
Murphy bed idea,
that was kind of cool.
But I keep coming
back to the price.
And it makes me very nervous
'cause that would leave me
hardly any money for land.
I think almost it's
too much of a big house.
Edoardo is now showing Eloisa
a slightly cozier option.
But cozy's not for everyone.
It's a shack, Mom.
How does this work, Michaela?
You just turn it.
And then you--
you just steer it
really fast.
Oh. Are we on a ship?
Eloisa is going tiny
in Santa Clarita, California,
to have less
house to maintain
and more financial freedom.
With a $110,000 budget
for the house and land,
and with daughter
Bea along for the search,
she's looking for
a 400-square-foot cottage
that has space for entertaining.
Real-estate agent Edoardo Beghi
has taken them to see
a spacious model cottage
with an open layout.
But it's at the top
of Eloisa's budget
and would leave little money
leftover to purchase land.
They're now seeing a smaller
option on one-fifth of an acre.
What is this?
Is this a cottage
or a cabin?
It's a shack, Mom.
Wow. It looks
a little bit old.
- Yes, it does.
- Hello, ladies.
- Hey.
- Hi, Edoardo.
How are you doing?
Great.
What do you think?
This is tiny.
It isn't exactly
a cottage.
But look at all this.
All this belongs
to the property.
That might change things.
But it looks like it does need
a little bit of work.
How big
is it exactly?
440 square feet.
Well, tiny is cute.
That's what I'm looking for.
That's what you wanted.
This is tiny.
It's this little shack.
I can't even believe my mom
is looking at this house.
What is the price for this?
It's a little bit over
your budget, $115,000.
Ah. That is higher
than what I was expecting.
I really didn't
want to go over.
But given that
I wouldn't have to be
looking for land
to place my house,
this is something positive.
You could have
your coffee out here.
Definitely. And I can read
my book in the mornings.
- Welcome.
- Wow.
There's a lot
of wood in here.
This...
I feel like
I'm in a nutshell.
Well...
I like the beams.
- That's cool.
- And the skylight.
This does not feel small.
- You have to admit.
- True.
There's a loft right here.
Oh, I really did
not want a loft.
But there's a bedroom too.
So this could
come in handy
for the family or for...
The grandkids....special guests.
- Oh, wow.
- Isn't it cool?
Actually, yeah.
It's like a tree house.
The kids would really love this.
Well, as long
as it's for guests,
and I'll have
my bedroom down here.
Look at this, too.
Under the loft... A secret door?
we have
an amazing closet.
What?
I mean,
how big is this?
This is not
something you expect
to find in a tiny house.
This could be your shoes.
Definitely.
I would not have to get
rid of anything here.
There's a lot of space.
The carpet has to go.
- Yes.
- But that's an easy fix.
And the wood, you can easily
paint it white
and make it even
brighter than what it is.
That would be a huge task
'cause it's all wood,
the ceiling and the walls
and everything.
And here's the bathroom.
Whoa.
I was not expecting this.
That is actually
big enough for two people.
Yes, it is. I like it.
This is a great bathroom.
You wanted charming.
You wanted character.
Take a look at this kitchen.
Well,
it's nice.
But it is small.
Look at the countertop,
original soapstone
from the '20s.
Well, that's
a great feature.
Yeah. Where's all
the counter space,
Mom, for taco Tuesday?
Well, this could be
my prep station.
And this could be where
I put the appliances.
But I will have to make
a lot of adjustments.
What about all the cabinets?
Like, you need more.
I just don't think you could fit
all your stuff in these.
Well, there's more storage
space right here.
But this would have
to be changed.
Everything can be modified
and changed.
I am just seeing dollar signs
when I have to think
of all the things
that need to be upgraded.
And take a look at this.
You have your own
private bedroom, hmm?
Oh. Kind of small.
Is this a bedroom?
Or it looks like
it's an entryway.
Well, you're gonna have
to compromise a little bit.
You wanted your own bedroom.
Wow, this is the closet?
Thank goodness there's
that other big closet.
Yeah. This would just be enough
for my shoes and nothing else.
There's a lot
of things I like
about this house and a lot
of things I don't like.
From the outside,
it looks like a cottage.
But inside, it's all cabin.
- Total cabin.
- That wood is
all over the house.
Look at all this land
that you're gonna get.
Yes. That is a plus.
I have to admit.
Imagine entertaining
your family, your guests.
It's got a ton
of potential.
I do like the porch.
This is a plus.
But it's gonna need
a lot of work.
It's over budget.
And it's gonna cost money
to get it to where
I like everything.
Edoardo is showing them
a tiny home
with a less
intimidating price tag.
But you get
what you pay for.
You could put
your shoes up there.
Right next to the pasta.
Can the little girl
help me clean?
Because I have
too much to clean.
Santa Clarita resident Eloisa
is selling her
1,500-square-foot home
and going tiny to have
less house to maintain.
She has a budget of $110,000.
But finding a home
with space for her family
to visit isn't an easy task.
With the help
of her daughter, Bea,
she's seen a 576-square-foot
model cottage
with an open layout
that Bea thinks
would be a great way
to ease into tiny living.
But Eloisa would have little
money leftover to purchase land.
And it might be
too much space.
Next was a 440-square-foot
vintage cabin
on a fifth of an acre.
While Eloisa loves the porch,
it's above her budget.
And it would need
a major overhaul
to make it her cottage style.
Since cost and renovation
are issues,
Eloisa's real-estate agent,
Edoardo Beghi, is now
showing them
something lower maintenance
that's turnkey.
- Hello, ladies.
- Hello, Edoardo.
- Wow. You found a cabin!
- Good to see you.
Look how cool it is.
- A cabin, not a cottage?
- It is not a cottage.
But it's a
modern-looking cabin.
I like all the windows.
That's cool.
It just looks
kind of small.
How big is it?
This is 396 square feet.
My mom living in a house
that's under 400 square feet
is just crazy to me.
Her shoes alone, I think,
is more than 400.
This view-- This is
a million-dollar view.
It is a million-dollar view.
But unfortunately,
it doesn't come with the view.
We're looking at a model home.
So this piece of land
does not come with the house.
If it doesn't come
with the land,
what's, uh, the price?
$60,000.
Well under your budget.
Nice.
That's nice.
Yes. And that leaves
a lot of room for your,
you know, your land,
where you're gonna move it.
So let's go inside.
- Ooh.
- Wow.
It's, uh,
very cabin-y in here.
It's got
a lot of wood.
That's for sure.
There is.
But look how bright it is.
I do like the windows.
They bring in
a lot of light.
But where's
the counter space, Mom?
No taco Tuesday in here.
Well, I'll be able
to accommodate a few guests.
And if you open the windows...
Exactly....you're good.
You open it up.
You bring the outside
inside and vice versa.
But it's still--
the floor wood,
the cabinets,
the walls,
and the ceiling--
it's just too much wood
for my taste.
There is a solution
to that problem.
If you were to take this wood
out and put drywall,
it would lower your price
by a few thousand dollars.
So you have that option.
Well, that's an idea.
Yeah. There are two bedrooms,
one on each side
- What?
- Come this way.
- Oh.
- Ooh.
- Very small.
- It's so tiny.
Well, it's a tiny house.
It's to be expected.
The guest bedroom is great
because, while it would
give me the opportunity
to have someone over,
they wouldn't
stay very long.
Oh, there's a
bathroom in here.
Yes. It's a half bath.
And you have another full bath
on the other side.
- Oh.
- And storage
and closet space?
There you go.
Right there.
Oh, it looks like the bathroom
ate the closet.
All right. Well, let's go
check out the other bedroom.
I want to show you
this full bath right here.
Oh, this is much bigger
than the first bathroom.
I actually like it.
Look at that cute little
window there.
- Beautiful.
- And the shower is
almost regular size.
Yeah.
Isn't it?
This is a nice bathroom.
Very good.
Come with me.
This is
the master bedroom?
- Yes.
- What about the storage?
Well, you definitely
have a lot of shoes.
So you're gonna have to stuff
them under the bed again.
This is a recurring
theme with this house,
the lack of storage.
- Yeah.
- There's none.
The only place where
there's sufficient storage
is in the kitchen.
Yeah. You could put
your shoes up there.
Right next to the pasta.
There are some things
that I like about the house.
It has a guest bedroom.
I could have family,
the kids over.
And I like that it has
the two bathrooms, too.
And the layout
is pretty cool.
But a lot of wood.
We can change
the wood to drywall,
bring your cost down.
And this will give us
a bigger budget to find you
the right piece of land.
With several options
on the table,
Eloisa needs to decide
which will be the best step
into the tiny lifestyle.
So which one are you
gonna choose?
Our house hunters
are moving on up
to a much smaller space.
Could you live
in a tiny house?
Santa Clarita, California,
local Eloisa is looking
for a tiny house
around 400 square feet
that fits within
her $110,000 budget.
With her daughter Bea's input,
it's time for her to decide
which house she will call home.
I will say, I do like
the large cottage
because that would be
an easier transition
from where you're at now.
I mean, it's 576 square feet.
At $95,000, it would leave
little money to purchase land.
He said you could shave off
the porch and bring it down.
But then we're really
losing some of the appeal.
Yeah. But it's so open.
I love that layout.
And I really do like the kitchen
on that one too.
Yes. That's true.
But it didn't have
a designated area
to have anybody else
sleep over.
Right. That's true.
And it had that bathroom
with the double sinks.
It's almost too big for me.
It's too much of a house.
What about
that outdated cabin?
It's outdated.
And it's a cabin.
You want a cottage, Mom.
I mean, it's cottage
on the outside.
And then you walk in,
and it's a cabin.
It probably needs
a lot of work.
It's an old house.
But the square footage
was right-- 440.
- And at $115,000.
- That's true.
And it came with
its own land.
But I've never done
a renovation.
And that might be biting more
than I can chew with this one.
What about that
modern cabin?
That one was
pretty interesting.
The price was great.
Yeah.
$60,000.
And 376 square feet.
I mean, it has two bedrooms
and two baths.
So you could accommodate
guests and me.
But remember the tiny closet
in the second bedroom?
Yeah, I do.
It was not sufficient.
It being under budget,
though, that gives you
extra money for land.
I am torn.
There are features
in each one of the houses
that I absolutely love.
So which one are you
gonna choose?
I have come
to my decision.
Which is?
I am gonna go
with the outdated cabin.
Really?
Yes.
Even though
it's over budget?
It is
slightly over budget.
But it has all that land.
All the possibilities.
- All right.
- Think about it.
This house has
everything that I need.
It doesn't have
everything that I want.
But that can come in
little by little.
♪ Two little monkeys
jumping on the bed ♪
♪ One fell down
and broke his head ♪
I have been living here
for a couple of weeks.
And I'm still
learning to adjust.
You should put this right here.
What do you think?
The final purchase price
for this home was $130,000,
which is way above
my original budget.
But we got into a bidding war.
Once I had decided
to get this house,
it was gonna be mine.
I'm so glad
your shoes fit in here.
Oh, this is
the greatest idea ever.
I like what you did
with the floors, too, though.
That's a really
good choice, Mom.
Right?
At first, I thought my mom
was losing her marbles,
thinking she was
gonna go tiny.
But now that I've seen it,
and it's in action
in front of me,
and it's done, I love it.
And I'm kind of jealous
that you have this cute
little tiny house.
This house was screaming to me,
"Make me beautiful."
I was really looking
for a cottage.
And I got a cottage
on the outside
and a cabin inside.
One of the walls in each room
I am going to whitewash
to make it look
a little bit lighter.
I am also going to hang drapery.
But that's gonna take time.
So who's up for a margarita?
It's a beautiful kitchen.
WOMAN ♪2:
You did a good job.
I don't know if my friends
are going to convert to tinyism.
But they definitely
feel comfortable here.
Well, since it's
such a beautiful day,
what do you say we take
the drinks out to the porch?
I love having the porch.
We sit out there
when I have my friends over,
when I'm watching
the kids play.
And I sit there
when I'm by myself, too.
Good choice, Eloisa.
Now I know why you
picked this house.
See?
I made
the right decision.
I don't have a doubt about it.
I'm so happy
in my tiny house.