Boroughs & Burbs #55 || Bigger than Tiny, Smaller than Average: The Show on Downsizing and Living Large in a Small House
By John Engel
“Bigger Than Tiny
Smaller Than Average”
The Show on Downsizing and Living Large In a Small House
“The ongoing pandemic has changed the way we live. Many have left the big city, are working from home, and not going out as much. We have all heard about how our homes have to be healthier, more efficient, more flexible, and perhaps a bit bigger to accommodate all of this. Nobody follows these trends more closely than author Sheri Koones, who has written many books on home design, with the latest being “Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average.”
These homes are not as small as the ones in her last book, “Downsize: Living Large in a Small House,” which was aimed at a different market at a different time. Can these houses even be considered small, with many running around 1,800 square feet? But the average new American home in 2019 was 2,623 square feet so these are definitely smaller than average, even if a lot bigger than tiny.
Sheri Koones is a widely respected author who helps readers understand that getting the house of their dreams can be done in an ecologically responsible way.
No matter whether you call it downsizing or rightsizing, the trend toward living in a small home is here to stay. In Downsize: Living Large in a Small House (Taunton Press, October 29, 2019, $34.95), best-selling author Sheri Koones presents 33 exceptional houses that show how small can be comfortable, practical, energy efficient—and beautiful.
The small houses—all 2,000 square feet or less—presented in Downsize are owned by people who have made a conscious decision to downsize from a larger home to a smaller home—or who just decided to build small in the first place. Some of the houses are new (site-built or prefab), others are remodels. Presented as case studies, the featured homes showcase a variety of styles and locations; all boast numerous green features and space-efficiency strategies that can be applied to any small home.
Filled with over 275 inspirational photos, Downsize will help you discover how scaling back and simplifying where you live opens up a world where the demands of maintenance are lower, accessibility and convenience are enhanced, energy efficiency is elevated, and monthly bills are greatly reduced—all without sacrificing a well-built, beautiful home.
John Engel – John Engel can be found at http://www.JohnEngel.com. He is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is has been Chairman of the Town Council and is currently a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. John spent his earliest years in Stuyvesant Town in lower Manhattan and went to New Canaan High School before attending Davidson College in North Carolina. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army and spent some time leading a military intelligence platoon on the front lines of the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfield County.
Roberto Cabrera – Roberto can be found at http://www.RobertoCabrera.com. With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of “America’s Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. I was originally born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in Maryland, just one mile south of the Mason Dixon line. After graduating with a degree in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, the 10th oldest school in the country, I spent 5 years in Washington, DC working as a financial consultant. I also studied at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and I’m a former actor who once moonlighted as a stand-up comedian. Many years ago, I authored APPLE PIE – The Real Ingredients for Buying and Selling Your Slice.
