What to look for in the Ultimate Tiny House Parking Spot!

Finding the Ultimate Tiny House Parking Spot!

Consider these 7 Fundamental Factors

Finding the ideal land rental for your tiny house can take quite a bit of fore-thought, research and planning.

As the proud owner of your very own tiny house, what are your options?
How can you search for land in the most effective and efficient way possible? 

Over the past few years, the craze for tiny houses among homeowners has increased immensely mainly due to the rise in housing affordability issues. What hasn’t increased, or even been properly addressed officially yet, are the laws around tiny houses. At this point in time, without official laws in place, these dwellings are considered a caravan and must meet the requirements of caravan legislation in order to be considered legal. 

 With these factors in mind, consider the following factors when seeking a parking spot for your tiny:

Land Rental with A North Facing Location

Across Australia, houses with a northern orientation make the most of the sun, especially during the winter season. Take advantage of the earth’s natural resources and position your tiny house to maximise these positive impacts.

Land Rental with A Sensational View

You have a moveable dwelling, you don’t have to compromise, take your time and find a spot with a view that will inspire you every morning when you wake up.

Land Rental with Reasonable Rates

The going rate for land rental for tiny houses is wide ranging with options as low as $50/week all the way up to $200/week. Different prices are not always a black and white comparison either as some may include power and water whereas others will be off-grid setups, or setups that allow you to pay for your own power and water bills separately.
As the tiny house market and land rental for tiny houses is still such a new thing here in Aus, and because it’s often done discreetly, there’s not a whole lot of data on an acceptable weekly/monthly rate however word on the street is that around $100/week is pretty standard.
Consider also the costs of transporting your tiny to its parking spot. Charges are generally incurred on a per km basis so the further your tiny is from where it’s being manufactured/sold, the higher your transport costs.

Land Rental with Nonchalant Neighbours

The reality of tiny living with the current legislation (or lack thereof) here in Australia is that in many states, you cannot legally live in your tiny house for an extended period of time. (It’s considered a caravan, and in many places, there are limits on how long you can stay in a caravan). 

No doubt as the tiny movement continues to grow new legislation will be introduced that is more realistic and reasonable but for the time being, living in a tiny often means flying under the radar.

As long as no-one has a problem with you and your tiny house, you will be fine to stay in it as councils do not tend to actively seek out out tiny house owners, however if a neighbour complains about your tiny house setup, the council is then required to look into it and you will be asked to move on if you are breaking state or local laws.
Given this situation, it’s recommended that you communicate upfront with any neighbours that may potentially take issue with your tiny setup.

Although tiny’s are movable dwellings there’s often a lot of time, effort and investment that goes into establishing a tiny parking spot (leveling the ground, building a deck, setting up waste removal systems etc) and so it’s best to bring any potential issues to the surface right from the get go. If it’s not going to work out, it’s better to know that upfront, than to invest your resources in setting yourself up, only to have to move on again in the near future. 

Land Rental with Easy Accessibility

Another important factor to consider when it comes to land rental for your tiny, which is often easy to overlook is accessibility to your parking spot. Are you going to be able to get your tiny into your parking spot safely without issue?

Some factors to consider:
Are the roads leading to the parking spot wide enough for your tiny?

• Are there any gates or fences that are going to be a problem?
• Are there any carports to navigate through/under, and if so, are they high enough to get your tiny under?
• Is there room to turn your tiny around on the parking spot, so that it faces in your preferred direction?
• Are there road/tracks around the property for your tiny to be driven along?
• Is the parking spot flat enough, or can it be leveled and have you considered the costs of this? 
• Do you have access to power and water? (if needed)

Location, Location, Location

Just like you would when buying a more standard house or home, you want to consider the resources and facilities of your local area.

Does your potential land rental provide everything that’s important to you?

• Are there shops, libraries, school’s, medical facilities?
• Tiny Living is very much a lifestyle choice, and consideration of local facilities impacts the lifestyle you live.
• Do you want to be able to walk/ride to your local shops?
• Do you want beautiful walking spaces nearby? 

Designing a tiny house requires you to get very clear on what is important to you so that your house can be built to best support your ideal lifestyle, and your parking spot and its surrounding location is an extension of that.

Likewise, does the parking spot itself allow for everything you want to be able to include in your ideal lifestyle?

• Do you want a firepit?
• How about an outdoor bathtub? Are these things feasible in your new location?
• Do you value privacy? How far will you be from others in your new home?
• Is having your own veggie garden important to you?
• Do you want a beautiful deck? Is there space for these things in your new spot?

Put some thought into this prior to hunting for land rental and it will pay off in spades for you in the long run. 

A Trustworthy Landlord

Who owns the land you’re considering renting?
Do you like them and can you trust them?
Given the precariousness of tiny house living amidst the current legislation, you want a land-lord that you can trust to be cool with your setup on an ongoing basis. 

• Do they seem like a genuine trustworthy person?
• Are they likely to keep your rent reasonable over time?
• Do they have any pets that will cause issues for you?
• Are they thinking of selling anytime soon?

This person is probably going to be your closest neighbour for a number of years (hopefully!) so it’s worth contemplating if they’re someone you’d like to liaise with on an ongoing basis.

Conclusion

Finding the perfect land rental for tiny houses takes an unexpected amount of forethought and consideration but putting in effort upfront will minmise the chances of problems occurring down the track. Your new home is going to be your refuge and your base and it’s worth finding and creating a space that will give you security, freedom and peace of mind. Make a list of everything you’re looking for your perfect tiny house parking spot and then get hunting, it’s time to find your dream spot!

Ready to find yourself your dream parking space?

For the last 2 years I’ve been helping clients to find Tiny Home parking spaces here in Aus. 

In that time I have learnt a lot about what works, and what doesn’t….

There are many places you can look for land rental, and actions you can take in searching for your new dream home and in my experience some are much, much more fruitful than others.

In this guide I share my experiences and lessons so that hopefully your own journey is that little bit easier. 

Stay Awesome!