Tiny Homes Hit The Big City

from: http://www.ireport.com/

Rent to Own: See how these people validate living in small spaces. Read on:

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Downsizing from a 1,500-square-foot house to a tiny 168-square-foot dwelling in Floyd, Virginia, Hari Berzins says she loves the freedom when it comes to tiny living. "We live larger on our 3-acre hillside," she said. "We have more time to enjoy each other, tend to our large garden and cultivate a supportive community."

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New York City is synonymous with tiny living spaces. And for Kristen Booth, her 214-square-foot East Village studio apartment is no exception. "Living in a small space can prove that we really don't need as much as we think we do," she said. "Rent control is a blessing and a curse!"

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Inspired to radically downsize once his daughters moved out of his 1,800-square-foot house, Louisiana resident Art Cormier said he doesn't miss the burden of maintaining a large space. "I have found the small house very peaceful and relaxing," he said. 

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For Marcos Grossman, a designer and builder of ecological homes, less is always more. Wanting to live a simple life, he built his cozy cottage nestled in Oaxaca, Mexico, for less than $1,000. "It is possible to live large in a small space as long as the design flows with your life," he said.

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Having fulfilled their dreams to become environmentally friendly homeowners and free of debt, Carrie Caverly says she and her husband are extremely proud of their tiny space. "I love our home because it is perfectly sized to shelter us comfortably and sustainably," she said.

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Realizing that their 2,700-square-foot home was becoming too much of a maintenance burden, Laura M. LaVoie and her partner decided to dramatically downsize to a 120-square-foot home in a remote area of North Carolina. "Tiny house living isn't for everyone," she said. " But living differently will profoundly change you no matter how you do it."

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Though her trailer is a challenge to keep warm when it's cold outside, Rebecca Mary Knabe says downsizing has been one of the best decisions she has ever made. "I love the small space!" Knabe told CNN. "It has simplified my life tremendously."

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Between the months of September and April, Jack Donachy and his wife, Barbra, live in the Eskimo village of Point Hope, Alaska. The couple spends the rest of the year living on a sailboat. "Our home is our ticket to exploring the world," he said. "We hope to make our sailboat, Bandon, our year-round home."

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Bryce Brisbin says his 192-square-foot house that he built and designed is three times larger than his sailboat. "I am enjoying the extra space," he said. "I really like having my own personal environment and knowing I can take it with me if I choose to relocate." 

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Andrew Odom and his wife have had several critics when it comes to their tiny lifestyle, but says most are accepting after seeing how passionate they are about it. "I'm just inspired by our involvement in the tiny house community," he said. "It is very tight-knit."

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Living in a cozy 200 square foot home in Point Roberts, WA, Jamie Dehner says less is more. "A small space is easy to clean, heat and there's a wonderful coziness about it," she says. "Who would think that such a small space could be an outlet for so much expression?"