There's only one home left at a popular tiny-home community near Tampa. It's $250,000 and 540 square feet — see inside.

Mon, 08/07/2023 - 05:02

The exterior of the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks at night — Of the 33 homes at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks, only one has left to be sold: the nearly nearly $250,000 N1.
Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Tiny-home builder Escape Homes built a community of its own units near Tampa, Florida.
Of the 33 tiny homes, only one has yet to be sold: the $249,550 540-square-foot "N1" build.
Take a look around the most expensive home on the property — complete with a carport and back deck.

There's only home left in a wildly popular tiny-home community near Tampa, Florida. But if you want to move in, be prepared to spend nearly $250,000 for 540 square feet.

Companies selling accessory dwelling units — colloquially known as tiny homes — have been seeing a spike in sales as more homeowners buy them to use as backyard guest houses, offices, or even home gyms.

But the little lodges at Escape Homes' "The Oaks" neighborhood aren't designed for short-term daytime use. Instead, they're being used as full-time residences.

Wisconsin-based Escape Homes made a name for itself by building and selling, you guessed it, tiny homes.

The N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

But as of late, Escape has been venturing into a new, albeit adjacent, industry: real estate development.

Escape Tampa Bay Village is a budding collection of four nearby neighborhoods.

An aerial view of in Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks with trees, hourses. — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Two of the four have yet to be built.

But the second community — The Oaks — is just about complete.

The Escape eBoho XLS and Escape eOne in Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

This gated neighborhood is located less than five miles from the University of South Florida and 20 miles from the Tampa International Airport.

The 33 homes went up for sale about four months ago.

The Escape eOneXL in Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Dan Dobrowolski, the founder of Escape Homes, told Insider some homes were purchased "immediately" from people who had been waiting for Escape to open reservations.

Now, only one is left. And at a price of $249,550, it's also the most expensive unit on the property.

The driveway leading up to the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

To compare, most of the homes in The Oaks were sold between $95,000 to $160,000.

At these prices, Dobrowolski says Escape is "trying to combat" rising rent as more people flood to Tampa.

Most of the homes in Escape's community are based on the tiny-home builder's popular existing designs.

The back patio of the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

But like its price, the home on lot 26 — the "N1" model — is an exception. This unit was custom-designed for the property.

Most of the homes in The Oaks are under 400 square feet.

The living room inside the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

But this one-off build stands out at 540 square-feet, a real whopper for the neighborhood.

The N1 was designed with mid-century modern sensibilities in mind, according to Dobrowolski.

The living room and deck of the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Inside, the interior's neutral and plain color palette is a peaceful contrast to the surrounding brush and tree-lined view.

Location, location, location: It's located right on the corner of the neighborhood's miniature "Central Park."

Besides this park, residents also have access to amenities like a pool, a community coworking space, and additional storage units.

The entry door on the front porch opens into the joint kitchen and living room.

Despite the home's small size, this space holds all of the same full-sized amenities available in any typical house, including a dishwasher, four-person dining table, electric convection range, and sectional.

A list of furniture, including the tables, couch, and rug, can be sold with the home for an additional $4,800.

A guest half-bathroom and the washer and dryer are located behind two closed doors next to the entry door and kitchen.

The kitchen and dining table inside the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Amenities like these make this tiny home more luxurious and accommodating than the typical New York City apartment.

On the other side, the primary bedroom is big enough to fit a king bed.

The bedroom inside the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

There's still enough space for the nightstands and a dresser, too.

From there, the owner can access the primary bathroom.

The bathroom inside the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Nothing is missing from this bathroom. Here, we have all the typical bathroom fixings — plus additional storage like a linen closet.

Tiny homes are just that: tiny.

But design features like large windows help make the small space bigger. In this case, the 32-foot-long glass wall that runs from the living room to the bedroom helps brighten up this unit.

This long glass wall then opens out to the back deck.

The back patio outside the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

On the opposite end of the house, a covered carport leads up to the home's front porch.

This unit is one of the gems of the community. Yet ironically, Dobrowolski says he hopes it never sells: "I want to keep it."

The front deck outsideThe bedroom inside the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks the N1 tiny home at Escape Tampa Bay's The Oaks — Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

"We have built thousands of buildings, [but] this building is extraordinary," he said, adding that it'll be a "sad day" when someone else buys it. "It is everything I would want."

But before you scramble to buy this nearly $250,000 home, you should be aware of the additional monthly $725 "lot rent."

This fee will cover amenities like water, landscaping, security maintenance, and parking.

If you're willing to splurge — relatively speaking — and looking to downsize, the N1 could be the tiny home of your dreams, especially if you're looking to claim some property near one of Florida's fastest growing cities.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Real Estate, tiny home, Tiny Home Village, tampa, Florida, Business Visual Features, Escape Homes, tiny homes, ADU, Accessory Dwelling Units

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There's only one home left at a popular tiny-home community near Tampa. It's $2…