SEATTLE AVENUE

Being a native, I can say that Seattle’s a pleasant, sensual place to live with a natural environment that promotes an active lifestyle. It’s no secret that small business owners here struggle with taxes and healthcare expenses. However, the IT industry is thriving here and our economy is strong thanks to large technology companies like Microsoft. Home prices in and around Seattle are soaring and that’s changing the look and feel of the city in every way. With $100,000 income, excellent credit, and little to no debt you’ll still struggle to buy a decent Seattle home as prices for an average nice home near half a million dollars. We need options so that average income earners, seniors, and single people can enjoy a home here. Marianne Cusato thinks so, too.

An architect living in New York, Marianne has gotten good press and awards for her Katrina Cottages. She designed these cottages as beautiful, dignified, affordable housing alternatives to the FEMA trailers after Hurricane Katrina. Props to Marianne for designing delightful cottages that are not only utterly cute and functional but that can be built at a cost of about $55 per square foot. Not only that, the cottages can be easily moved. Originally designed as a lovely alternative to a depressing living situation, many fancy these homes and are buying them as vacation homes, offices, and rental units. But what I find most exciting is the momentum of the Small House Movement and how many people are rethinking and resizing their lives and physical spaces — trading in their 3000 sf houses for 800 or 1000 sf of cozy, beautiful, affordable, functional, and smart living spaces.
I’ve read that some don’t think these small homes would fly in Seattle … who would pay $300,000 for a lot and put one of these houses on it? Well … I WOULD. And I just might.

Learn more about Marianne Cusato and her work at Cusato Cottages.