It may simply be a reaction to real estate market woes, but housing "alternatives" seem to be getting increased exposure in the mainstream press. While the occasional Wall Street Journal or New York Times article might be attributed to broad-based pubs keeping their readers apprised of trends, the more targeted business publication Forbes, perhaps best known for its annual lists of the richest individuals (by country, age, etc), specializes in aspirational marketing (readers are enticed by advertising for products they cannot yet afford). Nonetheless, Forbes.com has recently run a couple of interesting pieces under "Places & Spaces" in the Lifestyle section. The March 1st piece entitled "The Tiniest Homes For Sale", already one of the most popular posts its author has on the site, includes photos from a variety of interesting tiny homes, and the whimsical "Homes Made From Wacky Materials" presents an assortment of unusual homes.
Admittedly these are online op-eds comprised mostly of photos, and they may function primarily as a quick fanciful escape from the workday drudgery required to pay the mortgage. Still, it could be something more: a different type of aspirational branding based not on exclusivity and conspicuous consumption, but instead on creativity and simplification.
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