by bobhenry » Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:06 pm
MARKETING IS NOT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE , ZONING IS ! Folks love the idea but where to build it without interference is a problem. Where to park it and be left alone is an even bigger problem. The tax base is predicated on bigger more expensive homes generating bigger tax dollars, The tiny home is a threat to this revenue stream for local and state government. Yet there are homeless and homeowners hanging on by their toenails trying to remain homeowners by cutting much needed corners for the roof over their head. I let go and did a free fall out of homeownership allowing my home to go into foreclosure. No I am not proud of that fact but I spent 2 years trying to work with the bank and government agencies to keep my house of 20+ years. A house I had poured almost 75,000 dollars into and thousands of hours of my own time to hone it to the home I wanted to cruise out of life in. It wasn't fancy. Nothing that would cause you to stop and stare but it had been rebuilt from the inside out almost exclusively by my own hands. So it was not without tears and crushing heartache that I let it go. The bank sold it to the next guy after my begging and pleading for any concession for $3000.00 . I had almost 45,000 in the new 14 x20 ,from the ground up, kitchen addition which led to a new roof and siding to the home just to tie it all in. I built my tiny caboose in the driveway during the foreclosure time and bought a scrap of land from the state to place my 8x20 caboose onto. After placing it on my new property I was fine and threatened by local zoning to the point I had to abandon this dream and move on. In the next county I was beneath the 700 sq ft minimum and was now it THEIR crosshairs. I had to have a place to live so I rented a large storage building of 3000 sq ft with 14 foot ceilings and built a second tiny hidden inside where I call home today. I was able to place my tiny home on wheels in a 4th Yes 4th county where it has been for almost 2 years with no blessing but no curse as well. Maybe I will be able to enjoy it finally. During this 4 year adventure despite fines and moving costs I have paid off every dime I owed the world (except the bank). It felt so good to finally escape the 14k of credit cards strangling me and to reach the end of vehicle payments. I recover a harassing phone call last week from a collection agency that has apparently bought the foreclosure from the bank. It was a very interesting conversation. I was advised I now owed 86k plus and they wanted to know how I intended to pay it. ( It was 60k ?? when I bailed) I told them I was incapable as I was "homeless" (neither of my tinies are legal) I reminded them the bank took the home but they insisted that the contractual agreement STILL had to be met! I pressed forward. And when I have paid this debt will I once again be allowed into my home. Will they replace the kitchen back into the room I built it into and return it as it was found. They assured me that may not be possible. I pressed on, by adding " You mean if I fulfill my contractual agreement you as representative for the bank will not transfer title free and clear and return the home to me as you received it? He assured me that this would be impossible ! I asked why I would fulfill the contractual agreement if they as representatives of "the bank" have no intention of fulfilling their end of the contractual agreement of giving me back my home free and clear. The voice excused himself and assured me he would LOOK INTO IT ! I love verbal fencing !!!
Growing older but not up !