If you feel like it’s about time your house got a renovation, or that you took that plunge and invested in the real estate market, then go ahead and follow your gut. It makes sense from a business perspective to invest, precisely because of the housing boom after the 2008 meltdown that led to a lack of assets in the global market and plunged the global financial sector into disarray. Housing stocks nowadays are on the rise, so it goes without saying that it is one of the best ways to make money.
But don’t just purchase the first house you see. Don’t be inspired by the renovation of that ordinary house along that ordinary street in your neighborhood, either. This is hard-earned money you will be parting with, after all, which means it is best to invest in a structure you like that actually reflects yourself. There are various housing trends to choose from. Take a look at some of them below:
Housing Trends Right Now
Table of Contents
If you are the type who likes to move around, then this is just the house for you. Mobile houses or manufactured homes can literally move from one place to the other as they are usually located on a slab with wheels (ideally, though, for obvious wear and tear reasons, they should not be moved as frequently). In the 1960s, in the United States, mobile houses were very popular among aspiring musicians who needed to move from one place to the other for their performances. Nowadays, many of those who prefer to live in mobile homes are the young ones who like to travel and discover.
As in any other traditional house, though, mobile houses require a piece of property on which they can stand. This means that those who live in them still have to pay association dues, even if they are situated in a park.
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Coach House
A coach house originally pertained to a small structure on a piece of property that housed horses for use in carriages. Nowadays, a coach house, also called a carriage or laneway home, is still a small unit detached from the main house typically built at the back of a yard but its function is no longer confined to housing animals, coach houses are good for frequent guests.
This is because both the owner of the house and the guests themselves get the privacy that they need but without being too far from each other. They can also be used as art studios or offices. Coach houses are also a great source of investment as they can be rented out. Visit site for more information.
You heard that right. There is such a thing as container homes and they are literally houses made out of shipping containers. A container home doesn’t take as long to make since the main structure, the shipping container, is already existing. If you’re the type who believes that time is gold, then this is the house for you.
Container homes are also relatively cheaper to make than ordinary houses since they make use of already-existing material that is easy to come by. Environmentalists also opt for this kind of structure because of their sustainability. With each container home constructed, tons of the metal from shipping containers are recycled. Imagine how much metal can be recycled if you construct your home using several shipping containers.
These aren’t just your typical houses that are relatively small in size when compared to the average houses in the neighborhood. Tiny houses are the drastically small houses, so small that they require a radical lifestyle change on the part of its residents. Because of their sizes, they are characterized by multi-functionality. The dining room of a tiny house may, for instance, also be a tiny house’s living room. A bedroom may also be the house’s living room. Tiny houses are relatively cheaper to make as they require less materials.
That dream you had of living in a treehouse when you were a kid can actually now be a reality. Houses on trees are becoming very popular as people get caught up in this fast-paced world. Treehouses have a more rustic feel, after all, and have the ability to transport the resident to the rural, away from the hustle and the bustle of the city.
Even when you’re in the city, you can live in a totally different world as you get suspended from several feet off the ground. Treehouses can be found in the United States, France, Italy, and Sweden, among others. Many of these treehouses are being rented out to tourists.
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Cave Home
Cave homes have been around for as long as anyone can remember. If you’re a believer of the theory of evolution, cave homes date back to the Paleolithic period, when the early species of man, the Homo Sapiens, was around. The cave art found in many European countries such as Spain, Germany, and Portugal, date back to at least 14,000 years ago, some archaeologists have said.
Nowadays, people typically opt to live in cave homes if they want to live a simple life. Cave homes are usually situated in nature, where natural caves thrive. Some cave homes are also rented out to tourists, who want to experience living away from the city. Some cave homes look like caves from the inside as well, like the Cave House in Bisbee, Arizona. Others, on the other hand, like the luxury cave houses in Santorini, Greece, sport a more modern look in their interiors.
Don’t think underground houses only exist in the movies. In the United States alone, there are around 6,000 houses of this type, and the number is said to be growing. Living in an underground house has its benefits, primary perhaps of which is security. If a natural disaster strikes say, a tsunami, those living in underground houses are most likely to survive simply because they are situated below the ground’s surface. Those living in underground houses are even protected from possible intruders, who may not even know that a house exists in that area.
People who love the environment would also opt to live underground because of the energy savings. According to Earth Homes Now, the electricity bills of people living in underground houses can be cut to as much as 60 to 70 percent. That is assuming the structures have electricity in the first place since some opt to live so simply they decide not to have any electric installation.
If you’re also looking for cool weather, then an underground house is the one for you.
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Ger or Yurt
Nomadic tribes used to live in gers or yurts, which are essentially round structures typically made of light wooden material, straight rafters and wool. Nowadays, though, gers have evolved to include material that allows them to withstand bad weather conditions, among other external factors. Although wood and straight rafters are still utilized, doors and windows now come in fiberglass and vinyl to allow the light to enter. The modern gers also come with utilities such as plumbing and lighting, among others.
People who are introverts and prefer to live close to nature may opt to live in these houses, as they are usually situated in the middle of nowhere. At present, gers in the United States are rented out to people who want to escape from the city.
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Stilt House
Like gers or yurts, houses on stilts have been around for the longest time. During the Bronze Age, people in the Alpine region, for instance in Austria, Liechtenstein, and Slovenia lived in houses on stilts to ensure the structures were protected from permafrost. Although permafrost can serve as a good foundation if it is frozen, once it melts, a house built on it can start sinking and even create damage on the flooring.
At present, though, stilt houses can be found in low-lying areas, sometimes in the middle of a water body. The fact that the main structure of these houses is found at an altitude, after all, means residents are protected from floods and from the water of the sea, for example. More modern stilt houses that were constructed mainly for their visual appeal can be found in the United States and Australia, to name a few.
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Floating House
Floating homes are literally homes floating on water. They can be made in either one of two ways: they can either permanently float on water or will float only when there is water. These structures float because of the material they are made of. A floating house typically has floats that are made of concrete but with Styrofoam in its interior.
Floating homes are usually encouraged in flood-prone areas for practical reasons. Low-lying The Netherlands, for example, encourages floating houses for its residents, as two-thirds of them live below sea level. The houses can range from the more traditional ones to the more modern ones.
Germany, Serbia, the United Kingdom, and Laos, among others, also have their fair share of floating homes.
Conclusion
Real estate is risky business as it involves a hefty sum of money. It may not be an exaggeration to say that making decisions involving houses can make or break a person. A good decision, however, is within reach for as long as you do your homework. As with any other purchase, if you take some time off to do your research, there’s no reason you can’t get that house that is worth every penny.
