Did you know that the Tampa Bay area has its own neighborhood of tiny homes?

Meet Escape Tampa Bay, a gated neighborhood in nearby Thonotosassa comprised entirely of sub-500-sqft homes.

Each petite residence in the neighborhood is custom-built by ESCAPE, a tiny home design and construction team based in Wisconsin. Interested in learning more? Read on.

Details

Where | 11008 US Hwy. 301 (13 miles from Water Street + 6 miles from Busch Gardens, for reference)
Size | All units are at or under 500 sqft, most sitting at around 400 sqft (roughly the size of a two-car garage)
Cost | Cost of living in the neighborhood encompasses the price of the unit itself + rent for the lot your unit is on. Ex: The price of owning an ESCAPE ONE XL tiny home would be $139,930, plus $575/month for rent in Village Lot-9.

The N1 unit, with a Mid-Century Modern-inspired design. | Photo via Escape/Roy Hawke

What's the neighborhood like?

Beyond being eco-friendly thanks to the size of the homes and features like Green Gold Certified insulating options and LED lighting, the neighborhood also features lots of green space + is fairly walkable.

For instance, it's a 14-minute walk to pick up your weekly groceries at Winn Dixie and an 11-minute walk to Taco Tuesday at Taqueria Lopez. We need no further convincing.

Neighborhood lots also include water, sewer, garbage and recycling services, private decks, landscaping maintenance, security with gated access, parking, and swimming pool access.

Can I buy one?

If you're ready to downsize, you're in luck — while the neighborhood is pretty full, there are a couple units still available. All sales inquiries should be made via email, according to the website.

ONE XL Tall unit | Village Lot-9 | Queen bedroom | This two-story tiny home includes a lofted extra bedroom, fireplace, and a large panoramic window.
N1 | Oaks Lot-26 | King bedroom | A Mid-Century Modern-inspired design, the N1 features full-size kitchen appliances, a built-in Smart TV, and two bathrooms.

An inside look at one of the units in The Oaks. | Photo via