The Tiny house Blog

Tiny Homes Market in Nashville - Everything You Need to Know

By
Jason Francis
Designed and built over 100 custom tiny homes, lived on a sailboat for 9 months, and loves to live life to the fullest with his wife and their 4 kids.
Updated on:
August 1, 2023
Tiny House on Wheels with big circle window

Tiny homes have made a splash in the housing market across the country and around the world. The tiny homes market in Nashville has been gaining momentum for some time, and many residents are loving the change. Here’s what you need to know if you are preparing to buy or sell a tiny home in the Nashville market.

What Exactly Is a Tiny Home?

A tiny home is a very small house designed for economy, efficiency, and comfort. You can build a tiny home or buy a pre-made one. There are even tiny homes on wheels. 

When you see a tiny home from the outside, you may think you could never live in such a space. Yet, when you go inside, you might see that a tiny home has everything you need in a dwelling place. Tiny homes are ideal for people who spend a lot of time outdoors or having fun in the city.

Legal Requirements

The Tennessee Tiny Home regulations and the different legal definitions for tiny homes vary from place to place. However, it’s important that any tiny home you buy or sell meets any legal requirements. These rules may specify the minimum and maximum square footage of the home. The laws also tell you where you can build a tiny home. They include zoning laws as well. Plus, even though these are unconventional homes, they generally need to meet all the building codes.

Orchid tiny home on wheels with built in back lighting
View the Orchid by New Frontier

What Qualifies as a Tiny Home in Nashville?

Because there are no Tennessee laws specifically aimed at tiny homes, each city or community is free to make its own rules. In Nashville, the definition and regulations for tiny homes can be a bit hard to decipher. However, a real estate expert can help you find out the classification of a small home you want to purchase or sell. 

Tiny homes are usually defined as homes that are between 100 and 400 square feet in size. However, in Nashville, homes must have a minimum size of 120 square feet. What’s more, every bedroom must be at least 70 square feet. Except for kitchens, the same size rule applies to other habitable rooms. Tiny homes can keep their square footage at a minimum by having multi-purpose rooms.

Zoning is also a critical factor in tiny home ownership. In most cases, tiny homes can’t be set on lots zoned for single-family homes. They must be in a location zoned for duplexes and other multi-family dwellings.

Nashville Tiny Home Market

The tiny home market is gaining momentum despite the lack of specific definitions and confusing rules about tiny homes in the city. Real estate professional Matt Ward says, “Tiny home buyers and sellers in Nashville need the help and guidance of an agent or broker who knows the tiny home market inside and out. That’s how they protect their interests and arrive at the best outcome.”

Growth in the Market

Right now, the tiny home market is growing. For one thing, the current concept of tiny homes is relatively new, but it has been around long enough to make a significant impact on the housing market. More people want to try compact living. With economic factors like rising inflation and soaring housing costs, the time if right for people to make the switch to minimalist living. Tiny homes meet those needs well.

Tiny Home Trends

The tiny home movement has come to Nashville in a big way. More tiny homes are built monthly than ever, and many Music City residents want them. The city has even played host to the Tennessee Tiny Home Living Festival

The demand for tiny homes is huge in Nashville. Nashville residents have many motivations for choosing tiny homes.

  • Housing costs are rising at an incredible rate. 
  • Tiny homes offer a more affordable option.
  • Buying a tiny home for use as an Airbnb
  • Property owners can have an affordable guest house on their property.
  • Investing in a tiny home could bring rewards later as property inventory declines.

Another trend is to build or buy a tiny home that is small but luxurious in every other way. Because you are not paying as much for the structure, you may have more funds available to have an upscale tiny home with luxurious features. While these homes are luxurious, the size makes them affordable for people who couldn’t live so well in a larger upscale home.

Buying or Selling Tiny Homes

Now is a great time to buy a tiny home. There are still plenty of places to put them in Nashville. Also, renting or buying a home in Nashville can be nearly impossible for many people. Yet, with a tiny home, your housing costs are lower. Therefore, you could live a more extravagant lifestyle with what you save on your home. 

By the same token, selling a tiny home right now should be quick and painless. The demand for tiny homes is so high that you could end up with a better outcome than you guessed.

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