Living in tiny homes and other alternative properties has become a normal way of life for a growing number of Americans. Some choose alternative forms of housing to simplify their lives or reduce their carbon footprints while others opt for smaller houses out of financial necessity.

Understanding why people choose these homes and the lifestyle that their occupants embrace is important because it will help CPAs and other financial advisors assist those of their clients who are interested in the ideals and advantages of living in nontraditional housing or of renting out alternative properties that they own for personal and/or investment purposes.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• describe the "tiny house movement" and the factors that attract some to tiny house living
• list the advantages and disadvantages of tiny house living
• explain the characteristics of, and differences between, tiny house villages, and micro-villages
• describe the characteristics of other types of small alternative houses including manufactured, modular, panel, log, and jewel box homes as well as converted school buses, RVs, and cob houses
• recall property tax, sales tax, and other tax implications of owning an alternative property
• remember the basic rules associated with rental income and expenses for income-generating property
• recognize some of the zoning and other types of state and local regulations that can affect an owner's overall tax burden

CPAs and other financial advisors at any stage in their careers