Long before sprawling mansions were designed to occupy every possible square foot of a property, most families lived in smaller homes, living off the land and/or using it for their livestock. Over the years, modern amenities set aside farming and self-sustenance, with homes becoming larger and airier. As is often the case, however, what was old is new again, and tiny homes are making their mark once again. In fact, even the founder of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk has moved into his pre-fabricated Boxabl tiny home rental in Texas!

It’s easy to see the draw of a tiny home, especially in Latin American countries where most standard home designs are just a few hundred feet bigger! With the abundance of outdoor lifestyle activities that can keep one busy, there is just no time to maintain a large home. For many who choose to retire in these places, there is also an understanding that material possessions are hardly necessary for a good quality of life. As an investment decision, a tiny home located in a region that is seeing a fast-growing tourism industry, especially for the growing digital nomad population seeking long-term rentals is an excellent addition to your overseas portfolio.

ECI Development’s Tiny Home Communities fit your lifestyle

ECI Development offers Tiny Home communities that serve to enrich lifestyles, at a fraction of the price north-side. Equipped with all amenities, these homes provide both an alluring location and modern conveniences. With the additional earth-conscious design concepts that enable the homes to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, these smaller homes mean a smaller footprint, less energy spent, and thus less of an impact on earth.

Designs in tiny home communities like Eco-Village Asuchillo (EVA) in Gran Pacifica, Nicaragua include off-grid and solar power features. For residents seeking an eco-conscious lifestyle, these tiny homes are meant to be both sustainable and environmentally friendly. Green roofs keep the home cool and airy, while solar power harnesses the power of the sun to keep amenities running. Grey water recycling is a natural step that prevents excess water waste, and the gardens and orchards that benefit from this move provide fresh fruit and vegetables for the residents of the EVA Community.

TES Village in beautiful Ambergris Caye, Belize features over the water bungalows that contain both solar and grid power. The community contains a reverse-osmosis filter that turns ocean water into pure drinking water, and has its own desalination water system. Designed to both enhance and embrace its location on the leeward side of the island, TES Village is a sustainable tiny home community on an island oasis. 

In neighboring Panama, nestled in the highlands between Boquete and David, is Freedom Village. This community of tiny homes is a hybrid model, offering solar, wind and on-grid powered homes. Following the same model of grey water recycling, organic food is grown on site as well. This community offers homeowners a self-sustainable, empowered lifestyle in a tropical setting, with communal orchards and gardens, streams and creeks in gorgeous Panama.

Along the Caribbean coastline, mere minutes away from La Ceiba, the tourism and eco-capital of Honduras, lies The Reef Eco-Village at Gran Atlántida. This tiny home community takes the design concepts incorporated in other communities like EVA and Freedom Village, with such features as hybrid solar systems, green roofs and grey-water recycling. With the stunning Caribbean coast to the east and soaring mountains and thick forest to the back, The Reef brings a new vision to the tiny home communities at ECI.

As expansion plans are made in other countries, Tiny Home designs are part of the plan as well. The newest addition to the ECI Development Tiny Home group is Gran Zonte in El Salvador. Driven by the excitement of Bitcoin becoming legal tender in this country, the joint venture seeks to integrate Tiny Home communities in its development plans. Gran Zonte will feature, among other earth-friendly features, a “Mining” Fitness Center that converts the energy expended to mining bitcoin. 

As you ponder the benefits of a tiny home, it pays to look beyond the immediate, and envision the long-term benefits. Studies have shown that living in a tiny home can have both immediate and long-term positive effects. Not only do the smaller foundation and footprint cut down significantly on energy expenditure, but it also means less clutter – less material, furnishings and knick-knacks. Over time, tiny home owners find themselves changing their habits, such as switching to more local food, or even growing their own. Purchases are more significant - quality over quantity is the mantra. Less plastic, more recycling, trash reduction, walking more, driving less – all become an ingrained habit sparked by having a smaller home.

Email tinyhomes@ecidevelopment.com to find out more!