A popular tiny-home community near Tampa just added rentals under 400 square feet starting at $1,300 a month — take a look around

Brittany ChangJan 14, 2024, 04:19 IST

The new Palm Court extension of Escape Tampa Bay, Escape Home's neighborhood of tiny homes, includes six new rentals.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

Escape Homes added six rental units to its popular tiny-home community near Tampa, Florida in mid-October.
These rentals, which include a duplex, are between 200 to 390 square feet and go from $1,295 to $1,800 a month.

Escape Homes' popular tiny-home community near Tampa, Florida just got a little bit bigger. And this time, there's no need to shell out over $95,000 to call this tiny slice of tiny paradise home.

Throughout 2023, the Wisconsin-based company has been building out Escape Tampa Bay, a neighborhood of homes mostly under 400 square feet. As of several months ago, almost all of these units have been claimed. But in mid-October, Escape Homes finished the latest extension of this community: Palm Court, a collection of six tiny homes that are only available to rent.

Most of the homes in the previously completed section of this community, The Oaks, were sold for between about $95,000 to $160,000.

There's only one unit left in "The Oaks" section.Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Escape Homes wasn’t always a landlord: The company got its start building and selling modern tiny homes on wheels.

The Escape One XL is 388 square-feet including its two lofts.ESCAPE Homes

With this background in tiny-home building, the company is now conveniently using its own units to build out Escape Tampa Bay.

The new Palm Court extension has six units.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

Expanding its real estate portfolio in the greater Tampa market is a no-brainer.

Many millennials and Gen Zers have been moving to Tampa, Florida.littlenySTOCK/Shutterstock

But with this influx of people has inevitably come an increase in local rental and home prices.

Rent for these apartments starts at $1,295 a month for this duplex unit.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

To combat this, this tiny-home community’s goal is to be affordable to both buyers and renters.

This Palm Court extension was completed in mid-October.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

Here in the new Palm Court extension, rent starts at $1,295 a month for the smallest option — the 200-square-foot half of a duplex unit.

Up to four people can sleep in each half of the duplex.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

“This is how you create a 21st century neighborhood,” Dobrowolski said.

There's a park on the Escape Tampa Bay property.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

This ironic promise of space in a community that's proud of its small homes has caught the attention of many eager buyers and renters.

Homes in The Oaks started at about $95,000.Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

Apparently these six rentals were snatched up even faster: These six were claimed within 36 hours of being listed, the CEO said.

This rendering shows a tiny home equipped with almost all of the same amenities of a traditional apartment.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

The neighborhood’s residents now include people like a retired nurse, a radiologist, and a retail manager.

Palms surround this new extension.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

Despite their size, these homes have many of the same comforts of a typical apartment.

The duplex has comforts like a washing machine, small stovetop, and under-bed storage.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

But unlike the average apartment, they all have their own deck.

All of these units have their own private outdoor space.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

Two of the six units technically exist under one roof in what Escape is calling the US’ “first all-electric duplex tiny-home.”

Escape Homes says this is a first for the US.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

Renters also have access to the neighborhood's amenities.

Renters have access to amenities like the pool.Escape Tampa Bay The Oaks

If you weren't fast enough to claim one of these apartments, you could try again in the near future.

The duplex apartments come with a two-panel flip table.Escape Homes' Escape Tampa Bay

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A popular tiny-home community near Tampa just added rentals under 400 square feet starting at $1,300 a month &mdash; take a look around