For many people, the chance of owning their own house is very slim indeed. However, the 20K House project by Rural Studio, an off-campus design-build program of Auburn University, aims to tackle this, and make house ownership possible for more people with an attractive and safe modern property for just US$20,000.
The 20K House project was launched in 2005 by Rural Studio in an effort to address the need for local affordable housing while offering an alternative to mobile homes. The price tag of $20,000 derives from what was felt to be the highest mortgage a person receiving Social Security checks could realistically afford to pay.
To date, Rural Studio has designed 12 different versions of the 20K House, each of which cost roughly $12,000 for materials, with $8,000 of the budget set aside for contracted labor and profit.
The houses themselves range greatly in size, shape, and materials used, but all sport a carefully-considered design and boast useful features such as a concrete safe room for protection from tornadoes, and passive cooling.
Rural Studio is currently raising funds to build eight new 20K Houses in the Hale County area, and the group is also aiming to change the 20K House from a project to a mass-marketed product. To this end, the organization is currently working on refining its production process, including ensuring the homes meet Federal Housing Administration standards.
Source: Rural Studio
BigWarpGuy - lol, what small house trend? People still want a bigger house then they can afford, there is no trend for the average person to move into a smaller home. Unless your talking about the hippy crowd, but that's a very small minority, hardly a trend.
I'd rather live in a small apartment or crappy trailer then this, so I could save up and buy a real house.
MB, land is dirt cheap in the south so land to put it on isn't a problem. And likely on donated land.
Derek, what is your problem? This is so much better than a trailer is obvious. If you want to pay high rents forever that is your rather not smart choice.
I paid my place off in 5 yrs at $300/month including 2 lots in town in Fla.
So I've been living for around $200/month since it's been paid off including everything like food, heat, A/C, charging my EV's, my workshops, etc.
So go ahead and work your rear off paying all those bills you have and I'll be on my 34' trimaran sunset sailing with some pretty girls thinking about why people pay so much for near nothing and working your rear off trying to stay ahead.
So who is the not bright one, you or me?
Sears, Montgomery Ward and some other companies did that for a long time. One lasted into the early 1980's.