What homeowners say about Bigelow Neighborhoods and Homes…
“We really love our home and the neighborhood. There is a very warm feeling when you enter the subdivision. Our lot is perfect. Even our friends have commented that there is a good feeling in the neighborhood.”
– Michael & Verna B.
“We love our house. It is above and beyond our expectations. The quality of the construction is better than the homes twice the price across the street. Thank you Bigelow Homes!”
– F. Mulligan
“I believe that the HomeTown subdivision is one of the best I’ve seen. It is so inviting to everyone that visits me. They always ask, “are they still building and can I see a model?” The neighborhood is beautifully arranged with landscaping, the pond, the ducks, and the friendly atmosphere.”
– J. Club
Beautiful, built extremely well from slab up, and I feel blessed to have an energy efficient, quality home in a unique spot for a great price!
– Gwendolyn K.
We are extremely pleased with Bigelow Homes. We’ve been recommending you to friends and family and even blogged about your great work. The home is beautiful and as we expected.
In February 2011, we were living in Michigan. After a brutal winter, I wanted sunshine! Todd was reluctant to leave. After 3 months, he came to me and said, “Okay, baby, I’m up for any adventure with you!” Within one month, we were touring The great state of Texas and four months later, we moved in to our first house in Kerrville, Texas. Fast forward six years when I asked Todd if he would build me a tiny house to live in full-time. He waited six months to concede because he wanted to make sure it was what I really wanted. And so began our romantic Tiny House adventure. As they say, the rest is history… #tinyhouses #tinyhouse #tinyhome #tinyhouseonwheels #tinyhousemovement #tinyhousenation #tinyhouseliving #tinyhouselife #tinyhomes #tinyhouselove #tinyhousebuild #tinyhousedesign #tinyliving #tinyhousebigliving #tinyhousecommunity #tinyhomeonwheels #cabinlife #tinyhouseideas #travel #tinyhouseproject #tinyhouseblog #houses #tinyhouseswoon #livingtiny #tinyhousedesigns #tinyspaces #tinyhousetalk #tinyhousebuilder #hgtv #bhfyp
I’m so proud of Andrew and his friend Salem, two 14 year old boys, serving at the Tim Tebow event for special needs kids to be king and queen for a night!
They were the youngest volunteers and worked harder than anyone else at registration and food service!
If you ever get a chance to serve, you will be blessed indeed!
Trading Ordinary Space for Extraordinary Adventures
by Shari Snyder
Two years ago, our family designed and built 384 square feet of “tiny luxury on wheels” to replace our 4 bedroom/2 bath “forever home”. Our “why” was to realize our family values and mission, living in a real house, without a 30-year mortgage haunting us. We didn’t want to be a slave to debt and experience the pain of regret. Having two children leave the nest and a 12 year old still at home, experience told us you can never go back. Relationships produce the greatest joy in life. As pioneers and business owners in the tiny house movement, our journey has not been easy, but we can honestly say the adventure, simplicity, freedom, and family closeness, that tiny living has brought us, are worth it!
Trading Stuff for Adventure
Since becoming minimalists, we have found many unexpected joys and adventures. We have found the joy of collecting memories, not stuff! Life is short. You only live once. Why not go on an adventure, take a risk, and try something new? We have launched two companies, been featured on HGTV, Daily Mail, The Sun, New Atlas, and travelled the country in our tiny home. Doing the things that awaken passion and make you feel alive, is an adventure worth pursuing!
Trading Space for Freedom
We traded unused space in our big house for more time and freedom. We have the power to choose where we want to live, what we want to do, and how we want to spend our increased free time. Every day is a new adventure full of new choices, including our career paths. We are passionate about building environmentally healthy tiny home communities for families to thrive in. We are on a mission to pay it forward and help others discover adventure, freedom, and simplicity, through tiny house living. Our motto is, “Shrink your house, not your dreams.”
Trading Stress for Simplicity
Live MORE by owning LESS! Less stuff equates less stress, plain and simple. We had no idea how heavy the burden of financial debt was until it was gone. Being debt free and mortgage free cannot be underestimated or understood until one experiences it! To kiss our debt good-bye after 23 years of marriage, is priceless! The weight of all our possessions was keeping us from a life of true freedom. Instead of spending 3 ½ hours cleaning, we are done in 30 minutes. We don’t have to maintain a big yard, clean the pool, or fix things around the house. We have claimed back our weekends for hobbies, fun, and family adventures!
Total Wellness
My pantry
As a wellness lifestyle coach for 17 years, I have helped hundreds of clients improve their physical, environmental, financial, and personal health and wellness. My passion to achieve total wellness for body, soul, and spirit, was a perfect fit to embrace minimalism and tiny living. I’ve already shared some of the benefits for financial and personal health and wellness. Let’s review some of the mental and environmental health benefits we experienced too.
Mental Health
Clutter in my physical environment created chaos in my mental state. A lifestyle of minimalism, began to replace the stress and anxiety with more clarity and focus, resulting in more peace. Having a place for everything and everything in its place, simply helps you function at your best. We have found so much joy in living with less. We don’t collect things that don’t add value to our lives.
When I was downsizing, instead of asking, “What can I live without?”, I began to ask, “What do I need to live?”. The mindset of simplicity transformed our shopping habits and carried over into every area of our lives, including how we operate our companies.
Environmental Health
Of course, the actual build process is environmentally friendly and the ongoing costs of utilities are about 70% less, but the choice of materials we build with also promotes environmental health. For example, we use Rockwool insulation, a wool like material that is mildew and fire resistant, has a R value of 15, is very economical, and also deadens sound. We install a fresh air ventilation system and whole house water purification to promote wellness as well.
Why you want environmentally healthy products
These are the wellness products you will find in our tiny home
In addition, we use and promote a line of eco-friendly cleaning products that are up to 12 x concentrated. This saves an enormous amount of space inside, as well as plastic for the environment, and makes the air inside the tiny house free of outgassing and polution.
In an unprecedented study, PhD student Maria Saxton looked at 80 people who downsized to tiny homes to quantify whether their environmental footprints really got smaller. She reports an 86% positive effect on environment and a reduction of 45% in carbon footprint. In the final sentence, Maria says, “In sum, I found that downsizing was an important step toward reducing ecological footprints and encouraging pro-environmental behaviors.” Read entire article here.
I am an advocate for wellness, people, and community building. As a wellness lifestyle coach of 17 years, my focus is on total wellness for body, soul, and spirit. That includes physical, environmental, financial, and personal goals. As the Chief Hope Giver of Tiny Town Texas, my mission is helping people trade ordinary space for an extraordinary lifestyle
We are Tiny House Dwellers, Designers, and Builders. After downsizing from the large 4 bedrooms, a 2 car garage, and in-ground pool home, to live in the 390 square feet we built on HGTV, we are now educating the world on this high-quality, low-impact lifestyle. As pioneers of this movement of minimalism and tiny house living, our motto is: “Shrink your house, not your dreams”.
What’s NEXT for the Snyder Family? Our vision is to be a part of a community of likeminded people working towards a common goal of creating and sustaining meaningful relationships as part of a holistic lifestyle. Follow our journey as we design and develop beautiful inspiring communities for families to thrive in for years to come. We call it Tiny Town Texas, more than a place to be ~ a place to belong.
Hill Country Tiny Houses has partnered with the founder of Bigelow Homes to create an extraordinary solution for affordable housing in pocket neighborhoods that can be duplicated across the country. Stay tuned…
FEEL THE DIFFERENCE
Imagine for a moment that you are in your new home. You step out your front door onto a large porch and look out to see children playing catch in a spacious green park or trying to climb one of the many beautiful trees. Your neighbors across the park wave hello from their porches while the scent of roses from the park drifts over to you in the breeze. Your friend next door steps out to walk her dog and you invite her to sit with you for a cup of coffee. You enjoy the friendly conversation while the sound of children laughing, chatter from other porches and the wind in the trees melds in the background.
BIGELOW’S POCKET NEIGHBORHOOD *Used with permission from Bigelow Homes website
At Bigelow Homes we don’t do typical neighborhoods. You won’t find garage fronted houses facing high speed, unsafe streets with sidewalks that are unable to be walked on because cars are parked across them. Instead, you’ll find a real neighborhood that has been thoughtfully designed so that each home faces a welcoming and beautifully landscaped pocket park with a front porch that is meant to be lived on and enjoyed, making them the perfect place to work, play, and relax. We believe that neighborhoods are a way of life, not just where you go to sleep every night.
Bigelow Homes has been building neighborhoods for 40 years and was honored to receive the most prestigious award in the housing industry, the National Builder of the Year Award. We became the nation’s first developer and builder of highly energy efficient homes in the early 1980’s. Our emphasis on energy conservation naturally led to an interest in cultural and social sustainability. This interest became a deep rooted passion and has resulted in the following practices applied to each neighborhood we design.
Neighborhoods that encourage the residents to be as friendly with neighbors as they would like.
Neighborhoods where the streets and sidewalks are safe and enjoyable for pedestrians, without the worry of fast driving cars.
Sidewalks that are walkable and safe for children to play on.
Todd and I are buried in work, meeting a deadline to submit a pocket neighborhood Proposal to the city! The City came to us about a year ago to help with their housing crises. We have assembled a winning team of consultants and developers! Now to gain their approval for all the unique pieces this project will require…
Stay tuned…
We are honored to partner up with Perry Bigelow, Founder of Bigelow Homes, as our chosen Developer for this project. Video above explains how he built healthy communities.
<img src="https://sharisnyder.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/img_5518.jpg?w=768" alt="Mayor Blackburn Mayor Blackburn
<img src="https://sharisnyder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/jhvwnmdot6x4cx4uhmgww-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="City Hall City Hall
Armed with blueprints and Slide Deck
Our proposed project is a cottage-type neighborhood design that has every modern comfort with a little Hill Country flair.
Mr. Bigelow himself. His reputation and legacy for doing good by doing right is an honor to partner with.
A pocket neighborhood is essentially a cluster of homes gathered together around a shared open space that affords residents the chance to get to know their neighbors and be a part of the community.
(Think of a cul-de-sac, but with parking behind the homes and instead of facing concrete, picture a beautiful green space.)
It’s different from a traditional neighborhood because there’s a function: The front porch has to be big enough so you can sit on it on a Sunday morning as your neighbor walks by. Most of the pocket neighborhoods are groups of up to 12 homes and act like villages within towns.
They share a lot of the same traits:
They participate in common goals and practices
They depend on each other
They make decisions together
They identify themselves as part of something larger than the sum of their individual relationships
They commit themselves for the long term to their own well-being, to each other, and to the group
These type of neighborhoods started in Denmark and were introduced here in the 80’s but it took them a while to get a head steam
The 2 main books Mr. Bigelow used for 40 years to develop healthy communities across the U.S.
What homeowners say about Bigelow Neighborhoods and Homes…
“We really love our home and the neighborhood. There is a very warm feeling when you enter the subdivision. Our lot is perfect. Even our friends have commented that there is a good feeling in the neighborhood.” – Michael & Verna B.
“We love our house. It is above and beyond our expectations. The quality of the construction is better than the homes twice the price across the street. Thank you Bigelow Homes!” – F. Mulligan
“I believe that the HomeTown subdivision is one of the best I’ve seen. It is so inviting to everyone that visits me. They always ask, “are they still building and can I see a model?” The neighborhood is beautifully arranged with landscaping, the pond, the ducks, and the friendly atmosphere.”
– J. Club
Beautiful, built extremely well from slab up, and I feel blessed to have an energy efficient, quality home in a unique spot for a great price! – Gwendolyn K.
We are extremely pleased with Bigelow Homes. We’ve been recommending you to friends and family and even blogged about your great work. The home is beautiful and as we expected. – Eugene E.
Just finished journaling day 25 of 40 days of miracles for 2016. When I was a young mom, I quit reading and journaling like I had before. I regret this and see less growth during those years. Pick up your journal today and create the life you were meant to live, the life of your dreams. My journals are full of ups and downs, but mostly prayer letters to God. He is so faithful to hear my cries and answer me. I know he will for you too!
My first tiny bathroomMy remodeled big kitchenMy 2nd tiny kitchen2nd tiny home
I’m launching ? an exclusive premiere course the end of February! (limit of 23 Founder’s Group spots)
The Magic of Minimalism: Shari’s “Downsize NOW Method”. This course empowers people to make space for more JOY, productivity, meaningful relationships, and quality of life.
Is this course for me?
? I want to trade ordinary stuff for an extra-ordinary lifestyle! ? I am sick of the energy-zapping stress of overwhelming clutter? ? I am ready to divorce clutter and chaos ? I want to marry peace and productivity for my future life ? I want MORE… ? emotional and mental peace ? quality of life
***Note: Although Shari downsized her family from 2,600 square feet to a tiny home of less than 400 square feet, the method works wherever you’re at right now. www.magicofminimalism.com
My first tiny home
WHO THIS COURSE IS NOT FOR:
? tire kickers
? Curious stalkers
? those who are unmotivated to change
? those who are fearful of change
If you are accepted, do you promise to complete the homework before our first day together?
Do you promise to participate and bring value to this exclusive group of like-minded world changers?
DO NOT SHARE THIS EXCLUSIVE INVITATION!
There are only 23 spots for this live premiere launch program so you will want to secure your spot BEFORE we launch it the end of February. That’s when we will open it to the public including our 37,000 followers on social media.
(after you go through it, you may share it with your friends and receive referral benefits, but subsequent courses will be pre-recorded, not LIVE!)
NEXT STEP: request to join the private facebook group “The Magic of Minimalism“, answer the questions. Only people in this group can apply to be a Founder’s Group Member.
3 motivations to downsize? take poll. not burden my children with all this stuff. get control of my life. 3?
Must answer questions before you can be invited. To be invited does not mean your application will be accepted. We have limited access to this first program to just 23 people.
POLL: What is your biggest challenge to downsizing your belongings? Multiple choice: Emotional attachment, family members, no extra time, no motivation.
Tanya is a woman on a mission! She started her wellness journey in August. Using Peak Performance Vitamins** and Fiberwise, she lost 20 pounds her first 20 days! Now she’s on a mission paying it forward.
Tanya is the chief assistant to the Mayor in North Vernon, Indiana. We met during my trip to Indiana this summer, through a mutual friend. She went on to share the products with 8 friends and received a bunch of free products, prizes and cash! She then achieved another milestone of Director II by helping more people shop to enjoy better health and more savings! I am so proud of her!
She has been married to Kevin for 28 years; they have 3 children and two grandchildren. She loves taking missions trips overseas with her family. Her WHY includes reviving businesses and families in the life of her small town, Dupont, Indiana.
She plans to buy and remodel a very old building to use for a non- profit community building, helping local single moms get more training and skills to create a better life and future.
She was my partner for a company challenge and we won awards and prizes together and received recognition at the January launch! I couldn’t have done it without her.
Watch the Tiny House Nation episode on Netflix. The family hired our company to build the shell on a trailer with the two slides and then finished it out on Television.
ATTN: Those of you who have been wanting to try out a tiny before deciding if you want to buy one! A client of ours was featured on Tiny House Nation and has listed their tiny house on Airbnb in Magnolia, TX. Check these gorgeous photos out on Airbnb!
San Antonio is one of those rare cities that combines food, scenery, culture and true beauty. The architecture and history make it a unique destination. The best part of the Alamo City? There are loads of free things to do in San Antonio!
1. SAN ANTONIO RIVER WALK – SA’s top tourist destination…enjoy a peaceful stroll while watching the boat rides and stopping along the way for some of the best food you’ll find in the city. The whole strip is filled with gorgeous vistas, stores to window shop, and lots of great restaurants.
2. THE ALAMO – Historical ground for the Battle of the Alamo between Texas and Mexico in the late 1800’s. Learn about the rich history of the state of Texas.
3. LONG BARRACKS MUSEUM – The oldest building in San Antonio was originally built in 1724 as a convent. Since then it has been used as a Spanish army barrack and hospital, a fortress, a U.S. Army quartermaster depot, and more. Today it’s a museum dedicated to the history of The Alamo.
4. SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK – One of the history-rich landmarks in town. Take your time exploring the grounds, full of beautiful art and artifacts from the original missions. Note: Keep in mind that each mission is about 2.5 miles from the next.
5. BRACKENRIDGE PARK – It’s home to the beautiful Japanese Tea Garden, Botanical Garden, San Antonio Zoo, and more. Although visiting some of these spots may cost a few bucks, you can still enjoy a nice walk in the park and enjoy the scenery for free. It’s a great area for bird watching, hiking, or biking if you’re into enjoying nature.
6. JAPANESE TEA GARDEN – If you are looking to see some beautiful sights, you’ll want to visit the Japanese Tea Garden. It features an amazing waterfall, exotic plants, and some of the most beautiful sights you will find in South Texas.
7. SAN PEDRO CREEK CULTURE PARK – Located in the downtown area, this park is a place where culture, beauty, and art collide. Take some time to admire the beautiful creek and the many structures and various arts throughout the park.
8. PHIL HARDBERGER PARK – The area is filled to the brim with plenty of gorgeous scenes full of heritage. This park includes a nature center, dog parks, play areas and walking, hiking and biking trails.
9. THE ARTPACE DOWNTOWN – The Artpace is the place to be if you’re an art fanatic or love modern culture. It’s a place where some of the best art in the city is on display for the community made by famous artists from all over the world, and is home to nine artists throughout the year.
10. YANAGUANA GARDEN – Here you will find some of the best exhibits in the city of San Antonio. The Yanaguana Garden is famous for its exotic art displays, and each one is a completely unique designs.
11. PUBLIC ART SAN ANTONIO STUDIO – The studio is open to the public and features some great exhibits, workshops, and educational events.
12. GO WINDOW SHOPPING AT THE MARKET SQUARE – EL MERCADO – The Market Square is a spot where the Mexican culture meets San Antonio. It’s a great spot to see and experience just how wonderful the mixing of the two cultures can be.
13. MAIN PLAZA – Situated in the city’s center, the historic Main Plaza dates back to the early 1700s. This innovative public space enhances the city’s core with mature trees and bubbling fountains. Known historically as the “Heart of the City,” this plaza is home to San Fernando Cathedral, the oldest cathedral sanctuary in the nation.
14. THE GUENTHER HOUSE MUSEUM – The Museum houses Pioneer Flour Mill memorabilia including antique baking accessories, cookie cutters and anniversary Dresden china plates which were given to customers by the mill. The re-purposed home also contains a popular restaurant and River Mill Store.
15. HEMISFAIR PARK – Built for the 1968 HemisFair in honor of the city’s 250th anniversary, this delightful park is home to water gardens and the kid-designed wood and sand playground. The highlight is the looming 750-foot tall Tower of the Americas, offering a terrific view of the city.
16. LA VILLITA HISTORIC ARTS VILLAGE – La Villita was one of San Antonio’s first neighborhoods. Over 25 galleries, boutiques, and restaurants in the nature-filled block offer unique art, oil paintings, sculptures, watercolors, metalwork, rock art, textiles, copper wares, jewelry, stained glass, regional folk-art, and award-winning culinary provisions.
17. EISENHOWER PARK – A 320-acre park with over 6 miles of paved and unpaved trails, the park features an observation tower at 1,278 feet, offering a stunning view of downntown San Antonio.
18. FORT SAM HOUSTON QUADRANGLE – While most military installations discourage visitors, the Quadrangle is just the opposite, visitors are encouraged. Inside the stone wall fortress you will immediately discover deer, ducks, rabbits, and other small animals who run free. The Fort Sam Houston Museum preserves and exhibits the history of Fort Sam Houston and the Army in this region.
19. MCNAY ART MUSEUM IN SAN ANTONIO – This 24-room, Spanish colonial revival-style mansion itself is a work of art. The museum has a superb art collection that focuses primarily on 19th and 20th century European and American art. Be sure to visit the absolutely stunning interior courtyard, complete with a Japanese-inspired garden and fishpond.
20. BRISCOE WESTERN ART MUSEUM – Located on the Riverwalk, the museum is a collections-based institution building upon art and artifacts that tell the vast and multifaceted story of the American West. The Briscoe Campus consists of the historic Museum, the Jack Guenther Pavilion and the adjacent McNutt Courtyard and Sculpture Garden.
