How A Hardware Store Chain Is Fighting The Maine Housing Crisis

Over the last few years, we have been hearing a lot about the housing crisis here in the State of Maine. Even before people started moving here during the pandemic, it was difficult to find a house or an apartment. And, because housing was in short supply, landlords had no issue increasing the rent they charged.

Of course, during 2020 and 2021, thousands of families packed up their lives and made the move from the cities of the northeast to the more rural New England states, including Maine. Flush with cash from their big city jobs, these new arrivals had no issue paying way over market value for a home. This, in most cases, prevented local families from buying the homes they had been looking at.

Now, it looks like one national hardware chain is helping to combat the housing crisis here in Maine, and elsewhere in the United States.

According to a Newbreak Original article, Home Depot is selling affordable, steel construction tiny homes.

They call them "getaway pads" and they are selling for just under $44,000. These small homes encompass just under 600 square feet and the renderings show that they include a living room, bedroom, and kitchen. We have seen documentation that says it only has one bathroom, but the renderings appear to show 1 1/2 bathrooms. These units also have a rooftop deck that is accessible through a spiral staircase.

One thing to keep in mind is that these homes are considered ADUs - Auxiliary Dwelling Units. So, they are meant to be a second home on a property. As a result, you'd want to take to your local zoning people to see if there are any issues with having them as a primary residence.

The other BIG catch with these is the fact that are just kits of the shell. So, the person who purchases these units need to do all of the interior fixtures. The toilets, shower, sinks, lights, electric cables, etc. So, they are really a DIY project.

On the plus side, even though it will cost you way more to get it move-i ready, Home Depot sells almost everything you need to finish the place.

This video dives deeper into what you actually get and what you would need to do to use the house:

Take a look and see the renderings HERE

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In the years leading up to the pandemic, Augusta (and the rest of Central Maine) was seeing a massive revitalization. It seemed like every few weeks, we were hearing about a new restaurant, store, or other business. That process did continue, at a slower pace, during the pandemic. Now that things are getting back to normal, we want to know what you'd like to see in these spaces. Take a look and then message us through Facebook or our app.

Source: How A Hardware Store Chain Is Fighting The Maine Housing Crisis

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