Land ahoy! - the search for a site

Having decided on my tiny house design, and paid Build Tiny a deposit to start the build phase, it was time to look for a suitable site for my tiny house. Naively I had presumed this would be easy; but it proved to be probably the most time-consuming and stressful of the pre-move activities.

Deciding to head to the far north

At this time I was based in the Karangahake Gorge, close to the Coromandel Peninsula, and about a two-hour drive south-east of Auckland. A friend who lives up in Kerikeri in Northland was keen to set up an intentional community, with tiny houses and small buildings providing accommodation for the community. She lives on a large property with her husband, and has a beautiful garden which she maintains largely on her own.

Some years prior, a group of my friends had been in discussion with her about moving up to Kerikeri to set up a community. Initially, I had been reluctant to consider a move so far from my preferred location. However, as my tiny house dream was taking shape, I was open to the idea of starting afresh in a really beautiful part of New Zealand, despite its remoteness. Kerikeri is a popular holiday destination for overseas tourists, noted for its stunning scenery and benevolent climate.

A young couple had previously been living in a tiny house on my friend’s property, so I knew it was theoretically suitable for me. However, I needed to see the proposed site and discuss our arrangements before any decision could be made. Aligning both our busy schedules proved difficult, and I had to wait some weeks before making arrangements for the long drive. However, I became ill the day before and had to cancel. A second date was arranged for a month later, but again my health was not up to travelling so far on that date. In the end the couple decided that a community on their land was not for them, so that possibility fell through.

The search begins in earnest

Instead, I discovered that there is a thriving virtual tiny house community on a website as well as a Facebook page. Tiny house owners can introduce themselves and request a suitable tiny house site, while land owners offer portions of their land either for sale or lease.

In order to find a suitable house site I needed to define the parameters for my search. First was the location: I wanted a rural location and I decided to restrict my search area to north of Auckland, the Waikato around Hamilton including Cambridge, the Karangahake Gorge area where I was living, and the Coromandel.

Defining the parameters of the search is key

A critical requirement is that the house be sited on a flat concrete or hard-packed gravel pad (shown left). Placing the tiny house on a grassy site runs the risk of one side sinking more than another. When the house is no longer level, doors and windows won’t open or shut easily.

I would be leasing land so I was dependent on the utilities being offered. I strongly preferred a water connection to avoid the investment in a water tank, as well as the problems of supply in dry seasons. I was being set up for off-grid solar, but a backup power source would be a bonus. And I had ordered a compost toilet, so was not dependent on a septic tank connection.

As I was planning to source power from solar panels, my tiny house was designed to face north or north-west. I also wanted to capture as much sun as possible for passive solar heating through the big windows at the front. And another critical requirement is that the site is accessible by truck, with sufficient manoeuvring room and with no low overhanging trees, when moving the tiny house onto the site.

A final important requirement was a good wireless internet and mobile phone connection, as I work from home. In this mountainous country, this requirement proved harder to meet than I expected, and I rejected a number of possibilities, in particular several with intentional communities, as a result.

Will I find a site in time?

With all this in mind I checked the tiny house landshare websites daily. I visited a number of sites, but rejected most of them due to critical requirements not being met. In most cases only a grass paddock was on offer, although for some of them the owner would commit to providing a suitably prepared hard-packed site. In others the mobile or internet connections were not adequate.

In the meantime the build phase of my tiny house was progressing and I was under pressure to find a suitable location very soon. On the other hand, I didn’t want to rush as this was an important decision for my future. A tiny house as big as mine is not easily moved!

Delays in building proved to be advantageous for me. We were experiencing an exceptionally wet summer, with flooding, slips and damage to roads in some areas a constant risk. As a result I gave up the idea of moving to the far north or the Coromandel, as the roads are too easily rendered inaccessible. Later when Cyclone Gabrielle struck and caused immense damage around the upper North Island, I was relieved at this decision.

Meanwhile, by the end of January the pressure was mounting to find suitable land. I reviewed my requirements and decided to extend the search further south. I contacted someone from the inland Bay of Plenty area who had messaged me early on. I had rejected her offer then simply based on the location. Now, with a more open mind, I contacted her again, but she had already filled the space on her land. Very kindly, she offered to share my details with her “neighbours”. And that is how, after visiting several of them, my search came to an end and I found what I was looking for.

A new home site at last!

The tiny house site is at the front of a large property. It's in rural Hamurana, north of Lake Rotorua, up in the ranges. The owners had prepared a series of hard-packed gravel areas for camper vans to stay overnight, but this had not proved to be a viable business for them.

The site I chose faces north-west, and so captures more of the afternoon sun. Behind the house is a gentle slope planted with native trees for protection from southerly winds. A hill to the north-east protects from the prevailing winds from that direction.

The owners have connected a water supply from their tank, but they could offer no backup power source. A nearby mobile phone tower ensures I have good wireless internet, although I had to change mobile phone providers before my mobile connection was viable.

The real bonus is that I have the most amazing view. I look out over rolling hills of grazed farmland with a big expanse of sky. In the far distance to the north, on a fine day, there is a glimpse of the sea at the Bay of Plenty.

And from the rear window where my desk will be placed, I have a restful view of the trees behind. The area is quiet and peaceful, with only the occasional car or tractor passing by on the road.

Standing at the site that first day I imbibed the peace and tranquillity, the beauty of the surrounding countryside, and knew I had found a home.