In recent years, the tiny house trend has been growing, with no end in sight. The thought of making a permanent lifestyle change by cutting down on possessions in order to live in a smaller, more cost effective space is appealing to some, because it gives more freedom for following other passions. Others have turned it into an additional source of income, especially appealing to those with unutilized property. We spoke with Jennifer Zoeller, owner of The Bird’s Nest, a tiny house located in Fairview, NC. This tiny house is only 15 minutes from downtown Asheville, and comes complete with all the amenities you would need for the perfect mountain getaway. To get an idea of what this type of property entails, we asked Jennifer some questions about the process.
Chaney Group: What made you decide to build a tiny house?
Jennifer Zoeller: A few reasons really. 1. To create a welcoming, affordable place for people to come and share in this awesome mountain experience that we’ve been fortunate enough to have (Asheville rocks!) 2. Additional income 3. Increase our property value 4. For family and friends that often come to visit.
CG: Did you come across any issues with building a rental property in your neighborhood? Did you have to go through any special processes in order to be able to build even though it is on your property?
JZ: Our first step was to check the zoning laws to make sure short-term rentals were allowed. We had to get a building permit like you would with any new build. As well as pass all building inspections to get the final certificate of occupancy – no easy task in NC!
CG: Did you have any pushback from neighbors?
JZ: Nope, we made our neighbors aware of what we were doing from the get-go. They’ve had no issues. I’d say because it’s such a small house the most people we rent to is 4…so we’ve never run into the issue of noise or disturbances to neighbors.
CG: Did you two design the house, or did you use plans? The design is really fantastic. There’s so much room even though it’s tiny, and all the personal touches really make it very inviting. How many square feet is it?
JZ: Ourselves…along with a couple knowledgeable builder friends of ours. Thank you! We love hearing that. We poured our heart and soul into our little Bird’s Nest. Every detail was pretty thought out. It is 512 square feet.
CG: How long was your building process?
JZ: 1 year. With twin boys, both of us working other jobs and doing a lot of the work ourselves it went slower than we’d hoped.
CG: How far from the parkway is the house? What are your favorite things about the area that made you think it would be perfect for visitors and vacationers?
JZ: About 10 minutes. Quiet and secluded for a relaxing escape, yet close enough to the area’s attractions (Fairview is in between Chimney Rock and Asheville…everything seems to be about 20 minutes from us. Very convenient!
CG: Do you have a steady stream of renters?
JZ: Yes!
CG: When we stayed there, we noticed that you had an even tinier house that looked like it could be used for camping. Is that it’s purpose? I love that it matches The Bird’s Nest.
JZ: Because the Bird’s Nest has done so well, we decided to try renting out another property, this one even tinier! But, it will have everything the Bird’s Nest offers- bathroom, kitchen, and a comfy queen bed. We’re going with the “glamping” trend I guess you could say, ha! Good to hear! I wanted it to be cohesive, and not just an afterthought. We still have lots of work to do, including exterior paint that will match the Bird’s Nest.
The Bird’s Nest is a great example of how you can utilize a small amount of space on your property as a worthwhile investment for the future. If you’d like to check out The Bird’s Nest further, you can find details and rental information on their Airbnb page here.
Tags: build, downsize, tiny house
