Unlocking Tiny Home Dreams: Stephanie Sundell’s Inspiring Journey

Kristen Knapp (00:01.636)

Hi, everyone. This is the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m Kristen Knapp, and I’m here with Stephanie Sandel, realtor, investor, and tiny home advocate, which I can’t wait to get more into. How about you just fill us in a little bit on your business and where you’re at today?

Stephanie Sundell (00:10.015)

you

Stephanie Sundell (00:17.42)

Yeah, sure. Hi, I’m Stephanie and I’m super excited about the tiny house movement. You can say that I’m like a realtor that has gone a little bit crazy with the tiny house industry. So it all did actually start with a dream. Talk about manifestation. I was actually in Thailand, couldn’t sleep. I had a really cool little bath on the patio. So I went out there with my phone.

And I created a tribe vest. And I was like, I’m going to get a bunch of women together. We’re going to create a tiny house village. So I just named it tiny house village, had no idea where it was or anything. Fast forward about four months and I’m at the Rheene real estate networking group in Dallas. It’s a bunch of women, real estate networking people. And a friend of mine goes, Hey, I found property in Groveland, California, right outside of Yosemite. And I was like, my gosh, no way. I know the postmaster.

funny, I did, a friend of, a high school friend, and I’m like, put an offer on it. So she did, and here we are. So we have 14 acres right outside of the front gate of Yosemite in the Tioga Pass. So it’s on the west side, go up the 120 through Buck Springs, it’s super pretty, Groveland, and it’s.

Supposedly, I hear that it is the oldest bar in California, the Iron Door. So we go there all the time for hamburgers. It’s great. It’s a little bar. So we are doing short term rentals. Right now we have four up there. One is supposed to be a property manager cabin, but right now we are renting it out. We also have a yoga dome, which we’re also renting out right now to travelers, to hikers. And then we have a two bed

one bath on this property. So all of them are all Airbnb’s right now.

Kristen Knapp (02:15.332)

That’s awesome. And could you tell the listeners just if someone’s not super educated on tiny homes, what constitutes as a tiny home?

Stephanie Sundell (02:24.397)

So it has to be under 500 square feet. Yeah. So they can be park models, which mine is. It’s 11 and a half, 11 and a half feet long. Um, and the true tiny home is eight and a half. I’m sorry. 11 and a half feet wide. A true tiny home is eight and a half feet wide. Uh, so rustic, which is on the property is eight and a half by 30 and mine is 11 and a half by 40. So it’s quite big and I could live in mine for sure.

and it has two lofts, so it fits really well for families.

Kristen Knapp (02:59.256)

bet in the construction process you get creative on saving space and combining certain areas.

Stephanie Sundell (03:05.867)

Yeah, mine’s made by Silverton. So I was able to meet with my tiny house designer, Jenny. And she, we walked through the whole thing. got to pick the carpeting, the everything, the tile, the shower, the cabinets. It’s really, it’s a little home on wheels. And, you know, that I believe being in San Diego here is truly the next movement. In fact, I have a, tiny home and a back of a home in Ramona.

I had one being built in Oregon and then lost out on a property up in Oregon. So then I was like, my God, I have a tiny home with no land. And I sold this home to a family up in Ramona. And I jokingly said, hey, Daniel, let me use that other half acre and put a tiny home there. And he’s like, okay. And I was like, no, I’m serious. And he’s like, me too. So there’s a tiny home in back of his home right now. And I pay him per month and the renter pays utilities and everybody makes money. So.

Works out great.

Kristen Knapp (04:04.836)

That’s awesome. Yeah, and I let, sorry, my cat is being a menace right now. But anyway, I’d love to hear about when you said that tiny homes are kind of like the next wave and the next movement. I would love to hear more about that and kind of what you’re seeing in the market to make you feel that way.

Stephanie Sundell (04:10.061)

You

Stephanie Sundell (04:24.045)

Oh, the ADU market is crazy when a client sees either land in back, like this gentleman’s home, you know, be like, oh, you could throw a tiny house on there and make 2000 a month, you know, their eyes light up. So whether that’s a stick built home, like it’s usually about 300, maybe 350 to build, you could roll up.

a park model like mine and a family can live in it for about $120,000. And all in. Yeah, all in. And you just hook up the sewer and or septic. That’s all additional. That’s not a part of the $125,000, but that’s decked out. That’s like really good insulation, really, really pretty, really gorgeous inside.

Kristen Knapp (04:57.934)

Wow.

Kristen Knapp (05:16.44)

Yeah, and I mean, that’s awesome. That’s an awesome opportunity. And I know that you’re very passionate about sustainability as well, as that kind of folded into this.

Stephanie Sundell (05:25.613)

Yeah, exactly. mean, the price of homes right now in San Diego, I’m not sure where you’re at, but it’s crazy. I don’t know how our next generation is going to do this. So say mom and dad right now, like a house that I’m closing on, um, 950,000, it’s on 0.7 of an acre. So almost a full acre. And there’s enough room in the back to build another house. This gentleman is going to pull a tiny on there.

And rent it out for two grand. I mean literally he pulls it in there. He’s either gonna build septic He’s not sure or pull the sewer back it is on sewer So he just has to cost that out. But yeah, he’s all in with and it has its own driveway It’s great. And that’s the only way that I can see like our next generation being able to live anywhere

Kristen Knapp (06:12.792)

Yeah

Kristen Knapp (06:19.64)

I agree. mean, I’m in California as well and the market is, it’s crazy and it’s so hard for young people to buy into it. you know, all of us want that. I think that that’s something that the younger generation still wants. It’s just not realistic. So I think this is a great pivot. So people aren’t, you know, renting for the rest of their lives. Cause rentals are small too. It’s not like, yeah.

Stephanie Sundell (06:40.0)

Yeah. And then, you know, you have nothing to kind of care for. And mean, it’s the best feeling in the world when you’re on your land or your whatever it is, you know, I mean, you really care for it.

Kristen Knapp (06:52.588)

Absolutely. So we kind of talked about where traditional real estate kind of gets affordability wrong. What about sustainability? What are you seeing right now that traditional real estate is sort of not doing correctly right now?

Stephanie Sundell (07:10.252)

Sustainability. I’m seeing prices drop so kind of drastically right now from inflated pricing that finally I think that the market is shifting and kind of leveling out, which thank God because it was getting a little crazy there. So sustainable as far as pricing goes, I think the elevated pricing of homes are now coming down to a low roar.

can actually start to purchase something. And now with the interest rates hopefully coming down, so there’s going to be that, you know, perfect storm happening. And if the interest rates come down and the prices keep coming down, then you might have hope.

Kristen Knapp (08:00.952)

Yeah, well I would love to talk more about your specific community that you’re building. I know you have some visuals that we can share.

Stephanie Sundell (08:09.612)

Let’s see if this will work.

Stephanie Sundell (08:16.758)

There we go. So this, yeah, so this is our artist rendering. Currently what’s on the property is that two bedroom, one bath right there, which is rented. That is the geodome, which has a bed in it at the moment, but it will be a yoga dome at one point with the pool in the front, we’re hoping. That’s going to be the very last thing we put in, but we also need that for fire.

Kristen Knapp (08:18.424)

That’s awesome. Tell us more about this.

Stephanie Sundell (08:44.076)

One thing that’s not noted on here is a hundred and fifty thousand gallon water tank that’s going to be there that we also need for fire. So we’re basically going to be our own little fire department until others can reach us. But we’re going to try to be self sustainable. so the parking lot right now is where the property manager cabin is. And then this is the first neighborhood that is built. So these

three are in right now and we’re just waiting for the fourth one to be delivered in September. And then the other two will be built in the next couple of years. So there’s no real plan on when that’s finished, but each one will get its own septic tank and that’s expensive. So we are looking for funding.

Kristen Knapp (09:30.724)

That’s great. And then you said that there was, you you’re looking for women to get involved in the business side of it.

Stephanie Sundell (09:36.459)

Yes. Yeah, definitely. So we do have two available right now for different reasons. There is a health complication and she needed to get out. But right now we have 12 homes and two of the ladies need to pop out. So we’re looking for two investor women. We asked to be all women. Sorry, guys. I’m sure there’s a law against that, but I don’t care. Has to be all women. you know, a husband is fine. That’s great. They’re allowed.

But we’re just really proud of that. And we want to make sure that that is carried through. That’s one thing we’re non-negotiable.

Kristen Knapp (10:13.122)

Yeah, I love that. love giving opportunities to women, of course. And I would love to hear more about that and kind of how the market is now and how you see, when you’re partnering with women and you’re allowing them these opportunities, how that is different and how that stands out.

Stephanie Sundell (10:31.872)

You know, we’re kind of learning off of each other right now. We’re three years into this. So, and, and one year of actually really making money the first two years when we’re really making money, but we learned a lot. so it’s kind of funny. I guess we were paying for our education there, aren’t we? but, so, you know, just try to have 12 women in one zoom room and everybody has their own ideas and everything, but.

Right now we’re just trying to get through the permitting process through to Walla May County through GCSD. We’ve got our hearing coming up on August 20th. So we’re trying to get as many owners to that as possible, but it’s quite a good deal. I think in my eyes. So the two owners that we’re looking for, it’s a 50,000 buy-in. They get six years free lease. know, whatever, however many people they can get through on Airbnb.

And it’s just a 10 % kickback for utilities and stuff for us. And yeah, and then they get all of the, it’s pretty seasonal. So, you know, it does get slow in the winter, but yeah, we’re kicking, we’re at 71 % occupancy as we stand right now.

Kristen Knapp (11:47.172)

That’s wonderful, that’s so exciting. And just functioning off of Airbnb, you’re able to filter in so many people.

Stephanie Sundell (11:53.888)

Just Airbnb only. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Kristen Knapp (11:57.166)

Wow, that’s amazing. And I love the Yoga Dome. That’s really cool.

Stephanie Sundell (12:01.001)

Yeah, yeah, sorry I didn’t have other pictures set up, but we can do that on another one. yeah.

Kristen Knapp (12:05.668)

I don’t know, yeah. Yeah, and we can, if you wanna stop sharing your screen so then the video can get you as well. If that looks, I mean, that looks beautiful. How long has this been in making?

Stephanie Sundell (12:11.199)

Okay. Gotcha.

Stephanie Sundell (12:19.307)

We closed on July 6th of 2021 and here we are July 11th, 2025. So we have septic, we have got four units currently on there and a fifth one being delivered and then the dome and yeah, so we’re kicking, but we learn every single week something new.

Kristen Knapp (12:42.968)

Yeah, well it’s cool because you’re not just building homes, you’re really building community it feels like. Even for travelers who kind of have their own community and they have their own community spaces, I think that’s really awesome.

Stephanie Sundell (12:48.288)

Yeah.

Stephanie Sundell (12:54.857)

Yeah. So right now it’s just, you know, the picnic table with the barbecue, but, so the pool’s not there yet. but the yoga dome is, but yes, it’s a lot of dirt. have five usable acres in the area that you just saw there. And then the other acreage is all up the hill, which we recommend you go and hike. And then we’re right next to rainbow falls, which is 20 minutes. We would go jump in that when we were rebuilding the house. It’s gorgeous up there.

And then, like I said, 28 minutes to the gate. then, know, somebody is yours.

Kristen Knapp (13:31.49)

Yeah, and I guess how long have you been an advocate of these tiny homes and how have you seen the narrative shift from other people?

Stephanie Sundell (13:41.9)

Um, I want to say pretty early on, I went to my first tiny house fest and 20, I want to say it was during COVID 2021. And I invested in Boxable, which, uh, I’m sure you might’ve heard of, uh, they’re finally getting their stuff out. So I have a Boxable ready to go too. I just need to find land for that. I’m excited. Uh, but I have to stay on, you know, shiny object syndrome is my problem. Uh, but.

Kristen Knapp (14:07.012)

Totally.

Stephanie Sundell (14:10.475)

Yeah, since 2021 and then I met Jenny from the movable tiny houses and we created to actually tiny tuck, which is a podcast and trying to tell people how to do that in San Diego, like what I did for Daniel Daniel’s family. It’s different in San Diego. You have to call it a medical trailer in the county. Yeah, it’s don’t say tiny house. You’ll be kicked out of the county. But the city.

totally fine to say tiny house there. So it’s like, you know, you’ve got to jump through those hoops.

Kristen Knapp (14:43.428)

So there’s different regional and state regulations with these homes. And why is that the case?

Stephanie Sundell (14:47.231)

Yes.

They just haven’t caught up yet. San Diego as you can, San Diego Metro, as you can imagine is very tightly condensed. They’re like, if you’ve got room, bring on a tiny home. It’s they’ve even done zero lot lines. So you can pull it right up to the corner of your lot. Out here in Vista, California, it’s a four foot setback and Ramona it’s a three foot setback. So, you know, just depending on, and we had to get

permits and the guy come out and yeah it was a whole project it took a long time but now I know that so I can also bring other clients in San Diego County through that process and in about a matter of about three months.

Kristen Knapp (15:35.224)

And I know that there’s, you know, there’s like the, I don’t know if it’s HGTV or TLC, but there’s like the reality shows talking about tiny homes now where I feel like it’s more of a cultural conversation. Have you seen just culturally that conversation shift a little bit from when you first started getting into it to people think it was kind of a crazy idea.

Stephanie Sundell (15:54.828)

Yes, absolutely. Everybody called me crazy. Everybody called me crazy. Like, what are you thinking? And I was like, this is going to be the next wave. mean, people cannot keep affording a $900,000 homes around here. And in Vista, everything is just about on a half acre or a quarter of an acre, which is why I farm this area. And when I sell people a house, I’m like, Hey, you should get a tiny house. Oh, hey, you should do this.

The ADUs are wonderful, but again, you’re stuck in that permit process. It could be up to a year before you get that, where depending on the county or if you’re in Metro, it could be a matter of four hours to get your permit or three months. So yeah, if you do it right, you can do it same day.

Kristen Knapp (16:44.74)

That’s a huge selling point for sure. And then how important, you know, as you’re growing these communities and getting more involved in this, how important is networking to you and building your own real estate community, especially with women as well? And do you have any tips on that?

Stephanie Sundell (16:57.716)

Yeah.

Stephanie Sundell (17:01.547)

Well, with the real estate networking group that I’m in, Rheene, I’m still in their Facebook group and everyone is like cheering us on. Because we’re one of the only groups that actually produced something, which is insane. This has been an act of God and it’s still an act of God. But that is how we started was networking.

So that is gigantic and huge and having that, well, the 11 other ladies behind me like push you and like, yes, we can do this, you cause it just seems like we take one step forward and two steps back, one step forward, two steps back. And it’s nothing to do that we’re an all women-owned project. It is just the way that the County of Tuolumne and all of their rules and regulations are. So.

Kristen Knapp (17:53.614)

Yeah, it sounds like perseverance is a big theme in your whole career.

Stephanie Sundell (17:58.271)

very much so. Yeah, try to get her done.

Kristen Knapp (18:02.54)

Yeah, absolutely. And then if someone was interested in learning more about what you’re building, how can they get a hold of you?

Stephanie Sundell (18:11.027)

let’s see, probably the best would just be through my Instagram, just the Stephanie underscore Sundell and just message me through that. That gets me directly. And, then I can turn them on to whatever they may need. know, Jenny from the movable tiny house, I can turn them on to land if they want to do this themselves, and kind of give them the rundown of how long and how much this might cost them.

Kristen Knapp (18:39.972)

That’s awesome. I think this is such an interesting part of the market and I agree with you. I think that it’s solving a problem that’s definitely there.

Stephanie Sundell (18:48.467)

Yeah, definitely. Yep, because we’re going to need it.

Kristen Knapp (18:52.772)

Absolutely, yeah, we have to get a little bit more creative in the way that we can own property.

Stephanie Sundell (18:57.151)

Yep, exactly. Thank you.

Kristen Knapp (18:59.364)

Well, that’s awesome. Well, thank you so much for sitting down with me. This has been really, you know, for me, I actually, learned a lot about this. This has been very helpful for me, but I know the listeners probably got such value out of this. So thank you so much.

Stephanie Sundell (19:14.347)

Thanks, thanks for having me.

Kristen Knapp (19:16.044)

Yeah, awesome. So everybody please reach out to Stephanie if you’re interested in tiny homes. She can educate you on all things tiny homes and yeah, please check out our Instagram and you know, subscribe if you love this podcast. All right. Bye. Thank you.

Stephanie Sundell (19:28.787)

Yep, thanks. Bye.