There is a hobbit village in Tennessee, and the houses in it cost only $ 20: how does life live there

In a field near Knoxville, Tennessee, a fast-growing community is housing residents in hobbit-style homes for as little as $20. Insider.

Photo: IStock

"A family of 170 complete strangers"

E.J. Runyon, a writer, moved to the community after living in New Mexico and New Hampshire when she realized she could afford to buy a house right away.

In 2020, the 65-year-old spent $25 on a custom-made Hobbit-style home, another $000 on renovations and a three-year land lease to live in the community. The house was designed by Incredible Tiny Homes, who made some adjustments to the property at Runyon's request.

The house is a wooden structure with a round door, reminiscent of those in the fictional Shire. The interior is 15 square meters and there is also a raised sleeping area of ​​3,5 square meters that can be accessed by stairs.

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She has since appraised the property with an insurance company that said it was now worth more than $50. But the financial windfall pales in comparison to other benefits Runyon has taken from living in a tiny house.

Runyon says she "didn't like cuddling" before she moved into the community. But after she created a support group for residents of the tiny neighborhood before moving to Tennessee, closeness became easier for her.

Runyon will go to breakfast with other residents on Sundays and there are four libraries in the area. She says others helped her get through the loss of a friend last July.

The village also hosts dinners where everyone brings treats and develops a section for outdoor games.

"I'm just blown away by the sense of family you can find among 170 complete strangers," Runyon said.

Runyon is one of several residents who can pay little to no mortgage while living in affordable homes built by Incredible Tiny Homes. Residents pay $200 a month for a plot in the village.

The story echoes Nomadland, a film about older Americans who lived a nomadic life in vans or motorhomes after losing their jobs or homes.

As home prices skyrocket and mortgage rates hit their highest levels since 2006, Americans are finding new ways to settle down. Many have chosen to live in vans, and sometimes just in cars.

However, this tiny village allows people to stay put and make connections while cutting their costs.

Incredible tiny houses

Randy Jones, owner of Incredible Tiny Homes, started building a tiny community that has grown into a thriving village of over 170 people. Now he builds hundreds of tiny houses a year.

The community has been a hit with retirees. Jones estimates that about 70% of residents are single women over 45. Some are widows, others are divorced.

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“Those we spoke to mostly lived alone, either in an apartment or in a large house that they couldn’t support. Now they have their own tiny house,” said Amanda Hayes, who leads the community with Jones.

“They go shopping together. They go hiking together, they visit each other. They needed this community vitally,” she said.

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