Connecticut neighborhoods for a Tiny House?

[kittykat]

Hi, I’m looking to move into a Tiny House when my kid goes off to college in 2 years and FIRE. Im obsessed with the idea of buying some land and parking a custom Tiny House on it. Id like to stay as close to the Westport, CT area as possible, but I don’t want to pay Westport prices.
I wish there was some kind of tiny house community nearby with regen ag (agrihood) but internet searches aren’t bringing anything up.

Anybody here in the area have any ideas?
How are the tiny house neighborhoods in other areas?

[Archipelago]

Westport CT and the surrounding areas are amongst the wealthiest areas in the country. There's a reason that tiny house communities do not exist there. Local zoning laws are set up to prevent it. Towns fight tooth and nail to ensure higher density housing is not set up. Hence, NIMBY. Everyone likes the idea of affordable housing until it's in their own town (having more housing in their town presents an immediate conflict in that it would drive their own property values down). Then all of a sudden affordable housing is not OK anymore.

I'd suggest targeting another area that's more open to alternate & affordable housing solutions.

[classicrando]

You can browse ic.org (intentional communities) for places that might fit what you are looking for.  You mention an agrihood, so you might want to search for ecovillages.  I don't know that Connecticut has any intentional communities, but there are several in Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire, plus a few in New York, that might be within acceptable distance.  Good luck!

[jrhampt]

There are lots of tiny beach cottages to be had in other shoreline towns of CT...idk about Westport specifically, but we lived in a 600 sq ft cottage in Old Saybrook, and my neighbor's house was more like 400 sq ft.  You just need a town that has a mixture of mansions and old beach shacks that haven't been knocked down yet and replaced with mansions.

[kittykat]

Thank you! Please keep the suggestions coming.
The more I think about it, being close to water is a must have… ideally.
I guess there’s always the option to buy some land and park the house there… but I do hope more of these communities pop up!

[sonofsven]

I don't know anything about your area's real estate, but I've bought properties with aging mobile homes before for redevelopment.
The mobile homes can be rolled out, you may even be able to sell them for cash, and all the infrastructure (power, water, sewer) is already in place.

[horsemom]

There are lots of tiny beach cottages to be had in other shoreline towns of CT...idk about Westport specifically, but we lived in a 600 sq ft cottage in Old Saybrook, and my neighbor's house was more like 400 sq ft.  You just need a town that has a mixture of mansions and old beach shacks that haven't been knocked down yet and replaced with mansions.

Good morning - jumping in to say that this is (hopefully!) my retirement plan, as well.  We currently live just outside of NYC and after the kids are launched, I'd like to sell and potentially buy a small house on the coast of CT.  Any further town suggestions would be most appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

[moustachebar]

I've seen some of these beach shacks for sale. Those I have seen *seem* to have only septic tanks (no leach field, 'tight tanks'). Wondering if those who lived in these areas know if that's common, and if it is, is it expensive or unpleasant to deal with? Is looking for a cottage with town sewer important, and are those more common in certain areas?

[jrhampt]

I've seen some of these beach shacks for sale. Those I have seen *seem* to have only septic tanks (no leach field, 'tight tanks'). Wondering if those who lived in these areas know if that's common, and if it is, is it expensive or unpleasant to deal with? Is looking for a cottage with town sewer important, and are those more common in certain areas?

I can only speak to my own experience, but my town does not have a sewer system (although we do have city water, not wells).  I think that's pretty common in the smaller shoreline towns outside of places like New Haven and New London.  We have septic systems...it is my belief that eventually shoreline towns will be forced to convert to sewer as the water table continues to rise.  It would be good to look at what the town's plans are for climate mitigation and whether or not they are being pro-active about these sorts of things.  Thus far, I have not had an issue with our septic system - you get a reminder from the town to get it pumped out every couple of years, and we use Scott's tp. 

[moustachebar]

We have septic systems...it is my belief that eventually shoreline towns will be forced to convert to sewer as the water table continues to rise.  It would be good to look at what the town's plans are for climate mitigation and whether or not they are being pro-active about these sorts of things.  Thus far, I have not had an issue with our septic system - you get a reminder from the town to get it pumped out every couple of years, and we use Scott's tp.

Good point about sea level rise. I know the Cape Cod towns are adding sewer systems to address nearshore water quality, but it'll help with this too.

May I ask, because I love these places... Do you have a leach field and a tank or just a tank? Are you in an association where you own the cottage but have a ground lease, or is it standalone?

[jrhampt]

We have septic systems...it is my belief that eventually shoreline towns will be forced to convert to sewer as the water table continues to rise.  It would be good to look at what the town's plans are for climate mitigation and whether or not they are being pro-active about these sorts of things.  Thus far, I have not had an issue with our septic system - you get a reminder from the town to get it pumped out every couple of years, and we use Scott's tp.

Good point about sea level rise. I know the Cape Cod towns are adding sewer systems to address nearshore water quality, but it'll help with this too.

May I ask, because I love these places... Do you have a leach field and a tank or just a tank? Are you in an association where you own the cottage but have a ground lease, or is it standalone?

I think there's a leach field back there.  It's not large, though.  I'm not in an association/HOA.  The associations in this town do not own the land; the homeowner does.  They usually charge a small fee which is used for things like beach and tennis court maintenance.

[moustachebar]

Thank you! Sounds pretty ideal!

[kittykat]

I don't know anything about your area's real estate, but I've bought properties with aging mobile homes before for redevelopment.
The mobile homes can be rolled out, you may even be able to sell them for cash, and all the infrastructure (power, water, sewer) is already in place.

That sounds like a smart approach! Would appreciate any tips you have on land buying 🙏🏼