Samara
Airbnb’s Joe Gebbia is now the cofounder of Samara, a startup building backyard tiny homes.
Samara’s studio and one-bedroom ADUs start at $290,000 including instillation costs.
ADUs have been on the rise across the US over the last few years.
Airbnb’s cofounder Joe Gebbia has said goodbye to short-term rentals and hello to backyard tiny homes, signaling the continued boom of the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) market.
Mike Windle/Getty Images for Airbnb
Gebbia is now the cofounder of Samara, a tiny home startup with plans to factory-build studios and one-bedrooms that can be dropped into its customers’ backyards.
Samara
Samara started as Airbnb’s in-house design studio in 2016 before becoming its own entity this year, Konrad Putzier reported for The Wall Street Journal.
Samara
Source: Airbnb, The Wall Street Journal
But the startup hasn’t wholly abandoned its relationship with Silicon Valley’s beloved company.
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Instead, it’s backed by Airbnb.
Tero Vesalainen / Shutterstock
And Samara’s first employees — including its other cofounder Mike McNamara — all previously worked at the vacation rental company.
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The new Bay Area, California company isn’t selling a novel idea.
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Accessory dwelling units have been making waves in the real estate market for several years now.
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The detached ADUs — often affectionately called “tiny homes” — add extra square footage to a property, increasing value while giving homeowners a separate guest bedroom, office, or gym.
Samara
And when rented out (often for a price more affordable than traditional homes), these little units can generate a stable stream of income for the property owner.
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Homeowners on the West Coast have been increasingly adding these popular little living units to their backyards …
Samara
Source: The Atlantic
… and with the help of new local ordinances, the trend is now picking up on the east coast as well.
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Source: The New York Times
And as more states and cities begin promoting ADUs, these tiny but mighty homes could spur what The Atlantic has called a potential “housing revolution” in the suburbs.
Samara
Source: The Atlantic
Over the years, several tiny home makers have accumulated months-long waitlists.A photo shared with Insider appears to show Boxabl delivering a Casita to SpaceX.
Jorge Ramirez 9:44
Source: Insider
And now, Samara is looking to cash in on this skyrocketing ADU trend.
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Like any backyard tiny home, the startup says its units can be used as backyard sanctuaries, offices, rentals, and guest rooms.
Samara
Source: Samara
It currently has two models: a $290,000 studio and a $330,000 one-bedroom. Both prices include installation costs.
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The homes will power themselves using solar panels.
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And inside, the units will look akin to a small city apartment.
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Think window-lined walls, open floor plans, and modern amenities.
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The 430-square-foot studio has a kitchen with a cooktop and dishwasher, a full bathroom with a washer and dryer, and enough space in the living room for a bed …
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… while the larger 550-square-foot build has all the same amenities plus an additional bedroom that can accommodate a desk and a dresser.
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And customers won’t have to wait years for their build: Samara’s units have a seven-month lead time with the help of the manufacturing process.
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The steel-framed homes will be built in Samara’s factory and delivered to the customers’ backyards using a flatbed truck.
Samara
Source: Samara
To make the setup and delivery process easier on the buyer, Samara will also handle logistics like preparing the backyard foundation, handling the permitting process, and using a crane to install the home.
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For now, the startup’s tiny homes will only be available in California, a particularly ADU-friendly state.
Samara
Source: California Department of Housing and Community Development
But with the rapid growth of the tiny home market, don’t be surprised if you see a Samara — or any other tiny home — in your neighbor’s backyard soon.
Samara
Read the original article on Business Insider