Surprisingly, Austin, Texas ranks number one for the most overpriced housing area in the nation. Los Angeles metros rank number two according to Trulia.com.

I’m hooked on small houses and can’t pass up Pinterest posts that share adorable, small homes, which is how I came across Hobbitat Spaces. A small house company based out of Maryland, they’ve built 13 cabins around Deep Creek Lake which are all available for rent through BlueMoonRising.org.

Last year, I came across a website that offered free, small house plans, The Small House Catalog. The owners of the site at that time were building a quaint cottage called the Beekeeper’s Bungalow. Well, they finished building their bungalow and it’s now for sale in Washington.

I’m in a mad frenzy to save money and buy a home by late next fall. That gives me a little more than a year (14 – 16 months) to save up enough cash for a down payment. However, in Southern California, homes are crazy expensive! I’ve budgeted a reasonable amount for a “starter” home and am hoping to snag one for under $410,000.

I love the idea of tiny homes, but recently I wrote about the viability of actually living in one. There are plenty of people out there (just look at the popularity of the tiny house movement) who can live in a home that’s under 200 square feet, but I’m sure downsizing is the biggest hurdle.