Choosing Tiny Living in the Triangle

Living small continues to gain big momentum across the United States. There are TV shows about downsizing to move into a tiny home. New festivals and conventions keep popping up across the country to explore all things tiny. There are even tiny home glamping communities where you can stay overnight in one of these homes. People across the country are growing intrigued by the movement of this type of living.

It’s gained such traction that cities across the country have adopted new zoning laws that allow tiny homes to be considered residential. In fact, Raleigh is one of the recent cities that added new zoning to its Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), which regulates land use and development within the City of Raleigh.

Here’s what we know about the ordinance and what these changes will do for the Raleigh area.

In the past, a tiny home within the city could only be built as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at the back of a single-family home. However, in December of 2021, the Raleigh City Council approved a new ordinance, 315-TC-461, which allows tiny homes to be placed independently as a living option within the Raleigh city limits.

The City Council opted to add tiny homes to its residential zoning options due to the increase of popularity in its style, and to promote new housing choices that are “in the public interest.”

The ordinance describes a Tiny House as, “A building no greater than 600 square feet in gross floor area constructed to accommodate 1 dwelling on a single lot.” In short, it’s opening the possibility for tiny homes to become a legitimate housing option within the city.

The City of Raleigh is focused on creating affordable housing options for residents, which is why this option is so timely. A report from Roofstock says Triangle area housing prices have increased by nearly 70 percent in the past five years. In 2022 alone, the median sales prices in Wake County have risen by 26 percent. Triangle MLS also reports the median sales price in Wake County is currently $450,000. At the same timeframe in 2021, that price was $362,000.

As Raleigh and the Triangle continue to grow, local leaders know affordability is a growing concern to its residents. Part of the reason housing is so expensive in Raleigh is that there’s not much land left in the city. The land that’s left is higher in cost than suburban locations.

Fortunately, with this new zoning ordinance in place, a single lot can be home to a “cottage court” for numerous tiny homes. A higher-cost in-city lot would be shared between the tiny home residents, making the purchase much more affordable.

It’s expected that developers will break ground on the first tiny home community in Raleigh in 2023. This community, from Nomad Development, Inc., will be part of a membership program that allows members to travel and stay in its communities throughout the United States. Approximately 40-500 sq. ft. homes will be built on a 2.35-acre lot and will feature co-living space.

In addition, groups like Tiny Homes Raleigh and Haven Ventures have already begun offering options that will fill this gap as well. It’s expected this trend will continue to grow now that it’s a viable option within the City of Raleigh.

If tiny living interests you, get in touch. We’d love to help you find the perfect option for your needs.The Jim Allen Group provides access to information on this blog/website as a public service for educational purposes only. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all of the information made available is current, accurate, and complete…[read more]