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The interior of a home at South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
Micro-home community South Park Cottages offers locals an affordable alternative to renting. Homes in the community start at $190,000, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is around $1,500.South Park Cottages is so popular that its developer is building another community in Georgia.
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Booker Washington dreamed of building a community where everyday people could afford to buy a home
Enter South Park Cottages, a village of 29 tiny homes just outside Atlanta that opened in 2023 with prices from $190,000 to $230,000.
Compare that to the typical home sold in Atlanta, which Redfin found cost $431,250 as of February 2024.
The demand was clear: All 29 homes — one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 400 to 650 square feet — sold out over a year before they were even built and less than two months after hitting the market.
Washington, the 41-year-old owner and founder of micro-home-builder Techie Homes, wanted to offer locals an alternative to renting or buying a traditional single-family home.
“Accessible homeownership is an issue in Atlanta,” he said. “Our goal is to provide homes at a price point where mortgages are equal to or less than the cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment.”
Located in College Park, Georgia, South Park Cottages has been so successful that Washington is building a second community, Union Park Cottages, nearby. Sales for its 26 homes launch later this month.
South Park Cottages is also the first Black-owned micro-home community in the Atlanta area. Take a look around.
In 2022, after being rejected by investors and banks, Washington crowdsourced $2 million for the development’s construction.
The first sketch of the South Park Cottages’ layout.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
Washington spread the word about his vision by word of mouth, garnering support from locals and Bianca Motley Broom, the mayor of College Park since 2020.
“Because no one believed in my dream, we went to the people in order to build that community,” Washington said.”I think there’s pent-up anger in urban areas about capital equality. Even if it’s a marginal investment return, people want to be a part of something good.”
Backers, who contributed amounts as low as $1,000, were promised a return on their investment once the homes were sold, Washington said.
The average rate of return was 12%, he added.
Techie Homes acquired the land for South Park Cottages for $150,000 in October 2021 and construction was completed 18 months later.
Homes in construction at South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
Homes in the community range from 400 to 650 square feet and are two stories tall.
Some homes have one bedroom and others have two. All homes have one bathroom, along with a complete kitchen, living room, and laundry.
The 29 homes in South Park Cottages went up for presale in January 2022, and sold out within 50 days of hitting the market. Homes were sold on a first-come, first-served basis rather than via bidding wars.
Washington wanted each home to feel both luxurious and comfortable.
Homes at South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
Each home is furnished with smart technology, including self-learning and programmable thermostats, Bluetooth surround-sound speakers, and smart refrigerators, Washington said.
Their high ceilings and large windows provide ample natural light and a spacious feel.
“We can provide what are called ‘luxuries’ in other new-construction builds,” he added.
The community covers two and a half acres.
An aerial shot of South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
South Park Cottages has some communal amenities, including a quarter-mile trail for bikers and pedestrians and a 2,000-square-foot fruit and vegetable garden.
Residents enjoy gathering around the fire pit.
The fire pit at South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
“We don’t have a gym or a clubhouse because of the density of homes,” Washington said. “But we do have a lot of communal and connection touch points within the community.”
South Park Cottages residents have the opportunity to build equity.
Another angle of the homes at South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
Many tiny-home villages in the US are geared toward renters, but South Park Cottages homes were available for purchase.
Homeowners were allowed to choose their preferred lender, Washington said, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is about $1,500.
The average rent in Atlanta is $2,100 a month, according to Zillow.
Washington said he feels homeowners at South Park Cottages get good value for their money.
A living room in a home at South Park Cottages.
Courtesy of Techie Homes
Home prices in Atlanta have been steadily increasing. According to Redfin, the median home price in Atlanta of $431,250 is 12% higher than the same time in 2023.
The high cost of housing in Atlanta is partly due to an influx of new residents attracted by the city’s booming job market and relatively low home prices compared to cities like California and New York.
Transplants often make housing more expensive, pricing out some locals.
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