While there are still cheaper models available, tiny houses seem to have risen in price lately, reaching the kind of money that could buy a full-size home in some areas. For those who can afford it, these higher prices do offer attractive features like off-grid tech, additional space and high quality materials. With this in mind, we've chosen our five favorite luxury tiny houses on the market today.
To be clear, by luxury we mean homes that cost around US$70,000 and up, with a focus on novel features, comfort, quality materials, or additional space. We're also only covering homes and firms that we're familiar with and are available to purchase or pre-order at the time of writing.
Our selection aims to highlight the variety in the small living movement and includes a tiny house that can sleep up to eight people, another model that can operate completely off-the-grid, and a home that can expand in size at the push of a button.
Head to the gallery for more images and information on each tiny house.
Alpha Tiny House
The Alpha Tiny House, by New Frontier Tiny Homes, is an attractive dwelling clad in cedar siding, some of which is treated in the Shou Sugi Ban method of charring wood to increase its durability.
Sitting atop a double-axle trailer, the home has a total floorspace of 240 sq ft (22 sq m), and can be opened up to the outside both with its sliding glass doors and a large garage-style door which is raised upward. The latter also sports a drop-down wall that creates a large porch space.
Inside, the Alpha's notable features include an impressive eight-person dining table with bench seating, a mini-dishwasher, and a jacuzzi tub and shower. A turnkey model exactly as pictured is available for $105,000.
Vintage XL
Escape's Vintage XL is based on a 25 ft (7.6 m)-long trailer and comprises 355 sq ft (32 sq m) of floorspace. Thanks to its three bedrooms and sofa bed, the towable tiny house can sleep an impressive eight people under its small roof.
The Vintage XL's layout is centered around an open living space with a couch that pulls out into a double bed. Nearby lies a dining table, kitchenette and bathroom with toilet, bathtub and shower. The primary bedroom is on the ground floor and includes a queen-size bed, while a maximum of two upstairs lofts are accessed by ladder and contain a double bed each.
Optional extras include the second sleeping loft and off-grid tech like solar panels and composting toilet. Pricing starts at $73,400.
Greenmoxie
The Greenmoxie tiny house, by the green living firm of the same name, is the first towable home we've seen that has an electric drawbridge. While the idea may seem a little frivolous, it actually serves a useful purpose. The idea is, the drawbridge provides additional outdoor living space when parked up, while still keeping the home a reasonable length for towing.
Access to the 340 sq ft (31.5 sq m) home is gained by combination lock door and inside lies a colorful living area, kitchen, and a bathroom with shower, sink, and composting toilet. Access to the upstairs sleeping loft is gained by storage staircase.
The Greenmoxie runs totally off-the-grid and is heated with a wood burner and propane heater. A roof-mounted solar array provides electricity, and a rainwater collection system reduces water requirements. If you'd like to purchase the Greenmoxie, it's currently up for sale at around $65,000.
Aurora
Tiny house firms are always trying to find that sweet spot between size and portability, but Zero Squared may offer the best of both worlds with its Aurora tiny house. The high-tech home borrows a trick from RV's and is relatively svelte for easy towing, but expands in width at the push of a button to offer more living space when parked.
The Aurora offers a maximum floorspace of 337 sq ft (31 sq m) when in its expanded state, and its electrically-operated slide-out system increases its width from 8.6 ft (2.6 m) when being towed, to 15.1 ft (4.6 m) when stationary. Its interior includes a dining area with seating for up to four people, a kitchenette, a small lounge, and a bathroom with shower and toilet. In addition, the office space has a Murphy-style bed that can be pulled-down to turn it into a bedroom.
The Aurora tiny house is still in development but pre-orders are open for roughly $75,000, depending on the options chosen.
Brown Bear
Utah's Alpine Tiny Homes offers a towable tiny house suitable for a family of four with the Brown Bear.
Measuring 28 x 8 x 13.6 ft (8.5 x 2.4 x 4.14 m), the majority of the tiny home's ground floor is taken up by a very large kitchen and dining area (by tiny house standards) which includes a breakfast bar that seats four. The lounge is very small and, at the other side of the home, there's a mid-sized bathroom includes sink, composting toilet and shower.
The Brown Bear is heated and cooled with a mini-split air-conditioning and heating unit, while power comes a roof-based solar panel array and a backup Humless solar generator. You can purchase one, including the solar setup, for $73,000.
Honorable mentions
That completes our look at the best luxury tiny houses for sale right now but a few more that didn't make our list because they're not currently for sale include the Moon Dragon, which looks like it belongs in a fairytale, and the Tiny Adventure Home, which has a neat climbing wall exterior. The Vintage Glam boasts a motorized platform that includes a bed, storage space and stairs, and the non-towable Koda, is a prototype prefabricated concrete micro-home that can be disassembled and moved with relative ease.