An Airbnb cofounder's new startup wants to drop factory-made tiny homes into California backyards — see inside its $324,000, two-bedroom unit

Brittany ChangMar 2, 2024, 21:53 IST

Samara, cofounded by Joe Gebbia, is riding California's backyard accessory dwelling unit hype with its own modular tiny homes. The largest two-bedroom unit, shown in a rendering, starts at $324,000.Samara

Samara, cofounded by Airbnb's Joe Gebbia, is selling modular accessory dwelling units.
In late February, the startup acquired a 150,000-square-foot factory in Mexico.

A new startup wants to drop tiny homes into your backyard.

No, this isn't some new spin on "The Wizard of Oz" (Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater already have that covered). It's California-based Samara.

If the name doesn't ring a bell, you might recognize one of its cofounders, Joe Gebbia. And if Gebbia doesn't sound familiar, you'll surely recognize the other company he cofounded: Airbnb.

Like its cofounder, Samara has roots in the home rental giant, having previously functioned as its in-house think tank and design studio for six years. (Samara is backed by Airbnb and its other cofounder, Brian Chesky.)

But the startup — which became its own entity in 2022 — isn't in the business of renting homes.

Quite the opposite: It's manufacturing factory-built accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or tiny homes, that can be dropped into Californians' backyards.

These days, Samara looks less like an arm of Airbnb and more like a fully grounded startup.

Samara's founders Joe Gebbia (left) and Mike McNamara (right)Samara

The two-bed is currently Samara’s largest and most expensive product, starting at $324,000, including delivery and installation.

Samara unveiled the two-bedroom unit, shown in a rendering, in May 2023.Samara

It wouldn't be a California home without a deck.

The two-bed unit, seen in a rendering, is 15 feet deep.Samara

Not big enough? A two-bedroom, two-bathroom option will be ready in April.

Samara's new manufacturing facility is located in Mexico, about five miles south of the border.Samara

Despite their heftier costs and sizes, the startup’s CEO believes its largest units will also be its most popular.

The two-bedroom option, shown in a rendering, looks like any single-family home.Samara

ADUs have varying uses, from home offices to guest residences.

Backyard ADUs, shown in a rendering, can be used as a source of passive income.Samara

No, its customers aren’t exclusively Silicon Valley tech bros.

Northern California is an "attractive market" for Samara, its CEO said. A rendering of its studio is shown above. Samara

Of course, it wouldn’t be a modular, factory-built home without a manufacturing facility.

Unlike traditional construction sites, Samara won't have to plan its projects around poor weather conditions.Samara

In February, the startup announced it had acquired its own 150,000-square-foot factory in Mexico, about five miles south of the US border.

Samara's factory is located in Mexicali, Mexico.Samara

Armed with a manufacturing facility, the startup says it can now cut delivery times while increasing quality control.

McNamara said the factory's first unit will be shipped out in the next few weeks. Samara

Don’t expect Amazon Prime-level delivery times.

Every model has a kitchen, as shown in a rendering.Samara

When the ADU, foundation, and permits are finally complete, a truck will deliver the product to the customer's home.

It takes about 20 minutes for the home to be craned onto its foundation, Samara's CEO said.Samara

Regulations, such as building codes, have been a roadblock for modular home startups across the US.

Samara employees 35 workers at its factory. Samara

"If you're living in California, you almost need a unit in the backyard to help you live life," he said.

Samara's ADUs are only available in California.Samara

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An Airbnb cofounder's new startup wants to drop factory-made tiny homes into California backyards &mdash; see inside its $324,000, two-bedroom unit