Renting is a great alternative to use something temporarily, instead of owning it. You can rent almost everything from cars to houses. But can you rent a tiny home which is a cross between a house and a recreational vehicle?

Absolutely, yes. You can even rent a tiny home at the click of a mouse or a swipe of your smartphone. Moreover, there are tons of tiny homes you can choose from depending on your preferences and budget.

Renting a tiny home through any online platform is easy. The process usually requires you to fill out a quick form and set the date you want to rent the unit. However, there are lots of differences between renting a tiny home and a traditional house or room. 

If You Rent a Tiny Home, Is It Legal?

Different states have varying zoning laws with regards to tiny homes. Some states ban the establishment of tiny homes in a lot of property. However, there are also some jurisdictions that allow them provided that they met several specifications. 

In certain states, tiny houses can be classified as accessory dwelling units (ADU). What this basically means is that they share the property with a larger house. Most of the tiny home rentals often have this kind of setup. You can also find tiny homes for rent that is part of a small house village. 

Just to be on the safe side, you can also check the zoning laws of the place you want to stay in to check if its legal or not. Also, you can ask the owner of the place regarding this issue. 

Where to Find Tiny Home Listings Online?

Booking a tiny house anywhere in the US and even in the world can be done online. There are numerous platforms that lists down mobile tiny homes and their fixed counterpart. Many of these sites have built-in filters which can narrow down the tiny home that best suits your preferences. 

Below are some of the online property listings where you can find the most unique tiny homes:

1. AirBnB

AirBnB is one of the largest rental properties listing site in the world. You can find almost every type of rentals here from small apartment rooms to luxury yachts. The renter can also directly deal with the owner of the private property. Sometimes you can even tour the inside of the house, before you decide to book it.

Renting a tiny house via AirBnB is a wise choice if you are on a tight budget. They are cheaper than hotel rooms or any commercial rentals. Moreover, some of these tiny homes are very proximate to the nature attractions in their respective areas.  

The San Diego cottage tiny home in California is one of the most booked tiny home listed in AirBnB.The trailer home is parked in a rural county just north of the city. A night’s stay only cost $97 and features an open-plan space. It also has  a large deck out, a sleeping loft and its own kitchenette. 

To find the tiny home, simply head over to their website. On the homepage, select the date of your stay and type in the area or place. Then, choose the number of occupants specifying the number of adults and children.

Finally, for a more specific search results, you can use the filter feature. On the initial results page, click on the “more filters” button  to unlock more preferences. Under the “unique stays” section click “show all unique stays” and tick the box for “tiny houses.”

2. Tiny House Listings

If you want a listing platform is very specific to tiny homes, then this is the website you should visit. TinyHouseListings.com has everything tiny home related including the renting and selling of tiny home properties. 

Many of the small houses listed are meant for long-term rentals of at least one month. The platform is quite well-designed and quite interactive. You can even filter based on the type of tiny home- from a park model to a converted bus type. Additionally, you can also filter based on the distance or proximity of the tiny house.

The website advertises tiny home builders and small home properties for sale. Another nifty feature that they have is the price history of the property. The change in the value of the tiny home can help you decide if it’s a worthy purchase or investment. 

Signing up on their platform unlocks numerous features including a “one-touch” contacting of the lister. Furthermore, most of the listings have separate prices for a night’s stay and a month-long rent.  

3. Try It Tiny   

Tryittiny.com is another property listing platform that caters tiny homes. While it’s fairly new compared to the previous platforms, its building its customer base fast. The platform has that minimalist and classical layout. 

Unlike most websites in the list, Try It Tiny publishes user reviews of each listing. The feedback from previous renters can help you decide if the tiny house matches your preferences. Furthermore, it can help you prepare for issues that may arise during your stay. 

The filters are pretty much standard and very specific to the nature and design of the small houses. Additionally, there is also a Google map integration into the website so you can have a better plan your visit. 

Try It Tiny also has a section dedicated to event and celebrations across the US. It also details the length of these happenings and their main highlights. The feature is quite useful in planning a vacation, especially in rural areas. 

4. Glamping Hub

“Glamorized camping” or glamping is an activity that everyone will surely love. It’s a more stylish version of your usual camping. However, you don’t have to remove yourself from your usual comforts to be closer with nature. 

When it comes to a chic camping experience, Glamping Hub has everything covered. The site has a huge collection of listings of every type of camping accommodation. Aside from tiny homes, they also have tree houses, safari tents, tipis, camper vans and more. However, we highly recommend their small homes as they are the most unique and convenient lodging in the bunch. 

While GlampingHub.com’s search bar is pretty standard, they have additional filters that makes everything easier. For example, you can even filter the type of structure you want to stay in. You can also indicate specific needs from your accommodation such as WiFi and allowing pets. 

The site shows the user reviews so you can get an idea of what to expect during your stay. Glamping Hub also has its own rating system, from one to five stars, based on said reviews. Moreover, it has Google maps integration so you’ll know right away where the glamping site is located. 

Where Else Can I Rent a Tiny House?

If you didn’t secure a tiny home you want to rent from the sites mentioned above, you can try other online sources. Most of these platforms aren’t technically listings done by a company. Hence, the transactions are often user-to-user which has both pros and cons.

The great thing about them is that you can personally deal with the owner of the tiny home. Thus, you can negotiate the price and even make special requests such as extra comforters or bedding. On the flip side, you need to double check that you are dealing with a legitimate tiny home owner. 

Below are other places on the Internet where you can find tiny homes for rent:

1. Craigslist

Almost everything is on Craigslist, from jobs to gadgets and even properties for sale or rent. There are a few tiny homes for rent posts in this advertisement website. You can find most small home accommodations under the “vacation rentals” tab.

Craigslist’s layout, however, is very basic which equates to simple posts. The photos uploaded often have low resolution. The site also doesn’t have filters unlike the platforms discussed above. Overall, it’s still a great website to search for tiny home rentals.

2. Tiny House Communities and Forums  

These online communities abound the Internet. They usually discuss every topic on how to downsize to small homes. It serves as a direct link between small house owners to share their experiences and find solutions to their problems. 

You can even find them on popular websites such as Reddit under the TinyHouses sub-group. Some users also post their tiny home rentals on these websites. The great thing about browsing these pages is that you can get a lot of feedback from other users. Moreover, you can also get advice on living a simpler life. 

3. Tiny House Village Finder

The website searchtinyhousevillages.com is one of the sprawling tiny house village online locators. As the name suggests, it catalogs the many tiny house villages on the US. Most of the villages listed here have units that are also for rent. 

However, the website is fairly new so the number of villages listed are still quite a few. The great thing about the platform is that it has the contact info of the village and the starting price of a night’s stay in the village. Overall, it’s a great place to look for if you want to rent a tiny home with neighbors or a community around. 

Can I Rent a Tiny Home on Wheels?    

The concept of the Tiny House Movement is fairly new in the US and different states have varying laws about them. Some states consider tiny homes pulled by vehicles as recreational vehicles (RVs). Meanwhile, other states put them in a unique category of a “mobile” property.

Whichever the case, you can still rent a mobile tiny home albeit there are several guidelines to follow. For example, renting the small home unit may require a special certification or document while it is under your care. These papers are required so that ownership of the tiny home can still be traced back in case something unexpected happens.

In most cases, you also have to rent a vehicle that can pull the tiny home. There are even instances that you might need a commercial driver’s license to tow a small house. In short, you may also need to rent a car just so you can drive around your rented tiny home.

If you have decided to rent one, make sure to deal only with companies and not individual owners. Dealing with a company is much safer and there are fewer legal repercussions. Furthermore, some companies will also supply you with the “towing” car depending on the arrangement. 

However, renting a mobile home also requires you to sign a contract that has several stipulations. For example, the agreement can limit the areas where you can drive the mobile home. It can also stipulate penalties for delayed return of the tiny home unit.    

Should I Rent Short-Term or Long-Term?

When renting a tiny home, you usually have two options when it comes to the length of your stay. Much like every other property for rent, the owners typically bill you different rates depending on your accommodation period. 

Short-term rent usually covers a few days up to less than a month. On average, a tiny home can charge you $50 to $250 a night. Hence, if you stayed at a tiny home that charges $70 a night and you were there for 3 days, that’s $210 in total.

On the other hand, long-term rent usually covers a month’s worth of rent or more. Most small house owners charge you ten times their per night rate for a month-long stay. So, if they usually charge $70 a night, a month-long rent will cost you $700. 

In general, renting long-term is much cheaper. You can think of it like buying by the dozen or a bundle. However, there are some cases that staying longer than a few days might be more expensive. For example, if you are only booked for three-days and would like to extend, the owner might put additional charges.

Hence, before renting a tiny home make sure you have a plan and an itinerary during your stay. If you are renting for less than 10 days then go short-term. Anything longer than that, you should consider booking long-term especially if the owner added it as an option. 

Renting to Own a Tiny Home

Vacation isn’t the only reason why you may want to rent a tiny home. Some companies also offer tiny homes in a “rent to own” agreement. Basically, what it means is that you rent it for a specific period and once all payments are met the unit is yours. 

There are two main types of rent to own agreements:

1. Lease purchase which ends on a given period gives you the option to buy the house
2. Lease purchase which ends at the end of the lease legally obliges you to buy it.

On average, most tiny homes cost anywhere between $20,000 to $60,000 for the contractors to build. Monthly rentals for tiny homes usually have a price tag of $120 to $480 a month. 

If you want to enter a rent to own agreement you need to pay a downpayment of $500 to $3,000, depending on the amount you loaned. Some tiny house builders also offer financing options.

You can use a mortgage calculator to calculate the payments involved in this kind of agreement. 

Conclusion

Renting a tiny home is legal in most states, especially if they are used for recreational purposes. A small house is a great place to stay in during your vacation. Its a practical accommodation that brings you closer to nature.

Related Questions 

Are pets allowed in a tiny home for rent?

That depends entirely on the owner. Some rentals allow pets, however, they also limit the number and types of animals you can bring. Some breeds of large dogs are often not allowed in a tiny home. However, some units also have their own dog houses where you can put your canine companions.

Before booking a tiny home for rent, make sure to address the owner regarding your pets. Sometimes, they can charge you extra for non-disclosure of you bringing your fur babies inside their home. 

What determines the price of a tiny home rental?

There are numerous factors that can contribute to the price of a tiny home rental. For example, the size of the house and the number of beds or rooms are some of the largest contributors. The amenities, such as a kitchenette and appliances, also factor in to the cost of the rent.

Other factors such as the proximity of the tiny home to the different tourist destinations in the area also contribute to the price. Below are some of the other factors that can affect the rental fee:

• Water and power rates in the area
• Allowing pets inside the home
• Proximity to the city or tourist spots
• Home features such as a balcony or patio
• The view which surrounds the tiny home

Can You Make Money Renting a Tiny Home?

Definitely, yes. All things considered, building a tiny home is much cheaper than your conventional house. While the rent may be lower and the demands are not as high, you can still make a generous amount of money in it. 

On average, tiny home rentals go anywhere between $50 to $250 a night. Which is not bad considering that you can build one for just over $20,000. Meaning, you only need around 100 to 500  booked nights to get a Return on Investment (ROI).