What is a Cottage Community?

Cottage communities are becoming more popular in the United States, especially with first-time home-buyers, millennials, and retirees. We fully believe the trend is coming to the East Idaho Real Estate market and specifically to Sugar City and Rexburg.

The idea of cottage home communites is rooted in the idea that small energy efficent homes built around common areas create a sense of community and open space while reducing costs like maintenance and yardwork.  Some cottage communities share common gardens, or playgrounds, or sitting areas. Many cottages are designed with large porches that look out over the open space, which encourages friendly neighborhood interaction. Cottage homes create a sense of community.

Cottage Homes Make Great Starter Homes

There are many reasons why people become first-time home buyers. Regardless of the reasons, cottage homes make a great first home. One of the biggest advantages is that  they are less expensive than a full size house. This has to do with the square footage and how many homes a builder can put on one acre. The more homes a developer can put in a given space, the lower the cost of the land per home. As a cottage home owner, you beneifit from this cost savings. Another benefit is that cottage homes are grouped in small intimate courtyards or open spaces where people can gather and chidren can play. Because of these open spaces, cottage home owners usually don’t bother with a lawn, so they have less work to do. Instead, they plant small trees, flowers, and shrubs to beautify their outside living space adding character instead of work!  That is a big deal of you are a busy student or retired.

Smaller Homes Mean Lower Utilities

Lets face it, nobody likes to burn money. But in Idaho, that is exactly what we do every day during the long cold winters. The solution is simple. Design small, energey efficient cottage homes that make good use of space and lower the utilities significantly. With the average cottage home measuring in at just under 1300 square feet and the smallest around 950 square feet, it is easy to see that the energy savings can be significant.