This Modern Tiny House Rental Brings in Extra Income for Retiree

Built in an older woman's backyard, this modern tiny house rental brings in extra cash to help pay the bills.

tiny house 2 for rent interior

FieldTrip ATL

The idea of having a smaller (and potentially mortgage-free) house is appealing to more and more people, whether they be writers, rock climbers, yoga teachers, architects, young or old.

But tiny houses can help bring greater financial freedom in more ways than one. In fact, for some, a tiny home might not be their place of principal residence – it may be a source of extra income, if built out back in a yard and rented out for either short-term stays, or even to long-term tenants. There are some benefits here: those who rent a tiny house for a short holiday get to have a tiny taste (pun intended) of what it's like to live in a small space, while those who invest in building one – and then renting it out – have a bit of extra cash coming in to help cover monthly expenses.

That's the case with this lovely tiny house in Atlanta, Georgia, one of two which were commissioned and constructed by tiny house builder TruForm Tiny (previously) in the backyard of a retiree. Brandi, who is the woman's daughter, helps to manage the two tiny houses under the banner of FieldTrip ATL. She tells us: "We built these to support my elderly mom who lives in the main house."

tiny house 2 for rent FieldTrip ATL
FieldTrip ATL

Here's a quick tour of this gorgeous house via Levi Kelly:

The 16-foot tiny house is located in its own fenced-off area with a nearby fire pit and outdoor seating area, right beside the main house. It features gray metal siding, which contrasts nicely with the cedar planks that line the front entry and door. The tiny house is actually on wheels, but these are hidden by custom-built wooden planters and firewood storage.

tiny house 2 for rent outdoor area
FieldTrip ATL 

Coming inside, one is greeted with a generously sized kitchen. There's lots of natural light streaming in, thanks to the gigantic windows on all three sides of the main living space, as well as the glass in the main door.

tiny house 2 for rent kitchen
FieldTrip ATL

Taking a closer look at the kitchen area, we can see that it's mostly integrated off to one wall of the main space, with a relatively large counter space for preparing food. There are beautiful modern details here in the minimalist wooden cabinetry, which includes stylish black metal pulls, with the hexagonal tiled backsplash offering some nice patterning contrast to the flat wood cabinets.

There is a huge sink with a tall faucet and pull-out sprayer, which makes dishwashing that much easier when counter space is limited. One could easily envision some kind of in-sink or over-the-sink dish-drying rack to save even more space.

As this tiny house functions as a short-term rental, rather than have a full-sized appliance, the stove is an energy-efficient induction cooktop with only two burners (though we had to wince a bit at the Keurig machine, which works with not-so-green single-use pods).

tiny house 2 for rent kitchen stove
FieldTrip ATL

To continue to the tiny theme, there's a mini-fridge and microwave tucked under the counter.

tiny house 2 for rent refrigerator
FieldTrip ATL

We love the huge dining table, perfect for seating two comfortably for dinner, or getting some work done, or for playing some board games.

tiny house 2 for rent dining table
FieldTrip ATL

Looking over at the full-sized bed at the other end of the house, we can see that it's outfitted with hidden storage underneath, as well as an awesome cabinet at the foot of the bed that hides a retracting television set!

tiny house 2 for rent bed
FieldTrip ATL

Another great storage idea here is the industrial black piping that curves down beside the bed, complete with an integrated bedside table.

tiny house 2 for rent bed
FieldTrip ATL

This is a great space-saving design idea – a multifunctional, convenient place to hang up clothes for a few days and place your eyeglasses or jewelry, without having to create a dedicated closet or clunky bedside furniture.

tiny house 2 for rent bedside table
 Levi Kelly

Going into the bathroom, we see that the toilet is located in a bump-out, a kind of "toilet extension" if you will, and with two windows on either side. It's a smart design that lets in light, and effectively uses that awkward space right over the tongue of the tiny house trailer.

tiny house 2 for rent bathroom
FieldTrip ATL 

This is a wonderful example of how versatile tiny houses can be – not only can they cut down on housing costs, they can also bring in a bit of extra income for those looking to invest in one, and who have the land to install one (local regulations permitting). All told, Brandi tells us that this Tiny House #2 of FieldTrip ATL cost USD $60,000 to build. It's available to rent via Airbnb, and you can check out the FieldTrip ATL website for more information.