What are the benefits of tiny homes?

Research Question: What are the benefits of tiny homes?
Thesis Statement: Research shows that tiny homes are a great alternative to larger, traditional homes because they are more affordable and environmentally friendly, and they help people simplify their lives.

Annotated Bibliography
Adams, R. (2008, Mar/Apr). The comfort zone: How small can it be? Science & Spirit, 19(2), 32-¬35.
This article addresses how the increased interest in tiny homes is a result of ” a growing movement of architects, economists, and social thinkers, [who] are in search of low-impact, eco-conscious living” (Adams, 2008, p. 33). The main focus of the article is to demonstrate how investing in and building tiny homes allows people to save money that they would normally be spending on larger homes. To that end, the article begs the questions, what is “comfortable enough” and could we “do more with less?” (Adams, 2008, p. 33). The article provides information from a variety of professional sources, including behavioral scientists, economists, and peer-reviewed, scholarly journals and news sources. These professional sources cite the benefits to owning a tiny home and note the cultural shift in the United States away from large “McMansions” to smaller, more manageable and affordable homes. Rachel Adams is an editor at Change magazine, a higher learning, scholarly source. Adams’ professional role mandates fact checking and knowledge of the topic, and the sources she draws on are credible, thereby making her article credible. I can use this article in my paper to discuss the credible research being done on the benefits of tiny homes, as well as the statistics as to how popular this type of home is becoming in the U.S., post-economic crash.

Bender, K. (2009, May/June). Little boxes: The new movement to seriously downsize our homes. E: The Environmental Magazine, 20(3), 34-¬39.
This article addresses the cultural environments surrounding a move toward building and owning tiny houses. The article looks at the U.S. culture’s emphasis on “big,” where small has a negative meaning. This push toward bigger-is-better is rooted in competition, where people buy more and more and bigger and bigger in order to appear better than others, according to Bender. The article considers how a move toward tiny houses signals a cultural shift, where people place more value on experiences and being eco-friendly over a desire for material things and a competitive model that depletes natural resources. It also offers some examples of the wide variety of tiny houses available on the market. Kristin Bender is a freelance writer who also owns a small home. Her article was written for E Magazine, which is a 20-year running magazine on environmental issues and solutions. She cites a few authors who write about the benefits of tiny homes, as well as home-builders who specialize in tiny homes, and homeowners who have invested in building tiny homes. The source’s credibility, then, comes from its publication in a long-standing and respected magazine and her citation of multiple professionals in the field. This source is relevant to the thesis statement because it provides examples of the benefits of building tiny homes, the reasons actual homeowners choose to build and live in tiny homes, and the increased market for tiny homes (Bender, 2009).

Chatzky, J. (2005). When a smaller home Is smarter. Money, 34(6), 36¬-38.
This article begs the housing question, is bigger really better? Chatzky notes that as an alternative to the current surge in larger homes being built, many home-buyers are actually starting to seek out a smaller space. She cites money saved in the actual home purchase, thereby freeing up financial strains in the home and allowing more money for savings and retirement, as the primary drive toward smaller homes. She notes that many home-buyers who seek smaller homes are driven by a “life-stage transition” or “a financial challenge.” Therefore, smaller homes offer not only a lower up-front cost to purchase the home but also save money down the line with fewer utilities (smaller homes equal smaller utility bills and up-keep). Ultimately, the article demonstrates the amount of money that can potentially be saved by seeking out smaller–rather than larger–homes. Jean Chatzky is the financial editor for NBC’s Today Show. Her professional role on such a well-regarded news source gives her, and her work,, credibility. Her article is also published in a well-respected financial magazine, Money, which further demonstrates her credibility. She has her own website, jeanchatzky.com, which focuses on financial advice, so it’s clear that the articles she produces are written with the intention of helping readers save money. This article will be relevant in my research paper because it focuses on tangible financial benefits of moving toward smaller homes. This article will work well to support my assertion that one of the core benefits of tiny homes is both the financial accessibility and financial security they potentially provide (Chatzky, 2009).

Glinski, N. (2004, July 9). Tiny houses are big with U.S. owners seeking economic freedom. Bloomberg. Retrieved from www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-09/tiny-houses-big-with-u-s-owners-seeking-economic-freedom.html
The article effectively shows how a wide variety of people (ages, incomes, jobs, locations) and their motivations as to why they have decided to own tiny homes. The article’s example revolve primarily around economic reason, in terms of the vast amount of savings that comes with tiny homes. It also shows similar motivations people share as to why they decide to invest in tiny homes. This article really delves into personal anecdotes by tiny house homeowners and offers interesting insight into their perspectives on why this “phenomenon” is happening. It also explores zoning issues, highlighting this as the primary barrier for tiny home owners. Nina Glinski is a reporter for Bloomberg.com, a well-respected financial website. This source’s credibility comes not only from where it is published but also Glinski’s citation of multiple, diverse sources, from statistics and numbers to personal anecdotes. This source is relevant to my thesis because it explores the benefits of tiny home ownership and offers both concrete and anecdotal sources to quote and cite. It also offers a new dimension to the thesis statement: zoning laws as a primary barrier (Glinski, 2004).