a reality check
They Left NYC To Live In A Tiny House On A Farm In Oregon. To Their Surprise, Life Didn't Get Any Slower
Soo Jae Lee and Jeffrey Castro started following tiny-house videos on YouTube in 2015.
The couple were living in a 400-square-foot studio apartment in Manhattan at that time, and they were always trying to find ways to make the best use of their limited space. In their apartment, they even built a king-size loft bed to create a tiny living room space beneath it.
The idea of living in a tiny house started to take root. That, along with the desire to be near nature, led the couple to move to the West Coast in 2019.
[They bought a tiny house on wheels from Facebook Marketplace when their plans to customize their own fell through. @soojandjef]
They ended up buying a tiny house on wheels from a listing on Facebook Marketplace for about $60,000 and parked it on a lot they leased from farm owners on Sauvie Island — about a 30-minute drive from Portland. Rent was $675 each month and included utilities.
There were four other tiny houses — all occupied — on the farm, in addition to the owners in the main house, Castro said.
[Their tiny house was parked on a lot on a farm on Sauvie Island, near Portland. @soojandjef]
Sauvie Island measures about 24,000 acres, making it the largest island along the Columbia River. About 11,643 acres are designated as the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area. According to the Sauvie Island Fire District, there are about 445 households on the island.
The couple knew it wouldn't be easy, but they were eager to embark on a new adventure.
[The couple lived in their tiny house full time. @soojandjef]
When the couple moved into their new tiny house, they made several changes to the interiors.
They moved the existing bed into a fixed lofted position, installed a shower system, and updated the composting toilet. To brighten things up, they also gave their tiny house a fresh coat of paint. All these updates amounted to slightly under $2,000, Castro said.
[As part of their agreement with their landlord, the couple also had to help out around the farm. @soojandjef]
As part of their lease with their landlord, the couple were also required to help out around the farm, Castro said.
But because of their lack of farming skills, their duties were limited to garbage handling, composting, watering, and overseeing the quails on the farm.
As much as the couple enjoyed living in their tiny house, they eventually realized that adapting to their new environment was tougher than they'd anticipated.
[Frozen pipes were a huge problem during the harsh winters. @soojandjef]
When winter came, frozen pipes became a problem — even with heated hoses, Castro said: "In some cases, we faced water shortages for days."
They also frequently experienced power outages, especially during fire season when the power was turned off during high wind conditions, he said.
For Castro, that — coupled with the then-ongoing pandemic restrictions — felt like a "turning point" on their journey.
To read more about the couple's experience, head to Business Insider.
