We’ve all heard the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover,' but here is a true story that would certainly teach us to never jump to conclusions! This story starts with a 96-year-old woman, living in her West Toronto home for nearly three-quarters of a century. When the old woman decides she wants to sell the place, she calls real estate agents but shares her reluctance to move.

Of course, the realtors would jump to the conclusion that the home was in poor condition and that the old woman was likely hoarding decades upon decades worth of artifacts in her home. Just you wait till you find out just what they would discover!

Sister Agents

Meet Carla and Gladys Spizzirri. These two sisters are a force to reckon with in the world of buying and selling homes. The sisters had an advantage of several years of experience behind them and they had the sales process down to a recipe.

Together, they aimed to dominate the realtors’ industry and there was no sale that was too great a challenge for these two women!  However, in spite of the tons of experience that they had in the industry, nothing had prepared them for what this 96-year-old woman had in store for them in her home...

It Began With A Call

It all started with the ringing of the telephone. It was Carla who was in the office that day, and of course, there was nothing unusual about the phone ringing. However, it was to be the beginning of an unusual experience for these realtors – but they didn’t know it just yet.

Cara took the call and found herself conversing with a hesitant, slightly weary woman who introduced herself as Joyce. Of course, Carla handled the call professionally as she had handled every other call in her many years of success in the business. But this one was different.

Carla Expected The Worst

The telephone conversation continued as any other would have, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. In Carla’s opinion, Joyce was simply another potential seller looking to get the best price on the sale of her dear home, and Carla responded to the call as she would have for anybody else.

Carla assured Joyce that she would most certainly get the best price-tag on her home as she could. Carla was not expecting a cool mansion. In fact, when Joyce revealed her age, Carla began to form a mental picture of her own...

Joyce Revealed Her Age

Joyce revealed to Carla that she was 96 years old. Of course, it is understandable for someone to assume that if a homeowner is of such an old age, then his or her home is very likely in a state of neglect, as it is no easy task to maintain a home over the years.

Oftentimes, an elderly homeowner’s house tends to become dilapidated because of poor (or lack of) maintenance. Carla and her sister Gladys know that very well, especially if the owner has no hefty income. It was only natural for Carla to conclude that the home might not attract buyers or command a good price.

Joyce Revealed That She Had Collected Memories

With Joyce’s age already suggesting to Carla that the house was likely unkempt, the fact that Joyce shared that she's been collecting in her lifetime an assortment of mementos in her home just deepened Carla’s impression about not setting foot in a deluxe house.

However, something about Joyce’s lucid communication for her age has intrigued Carla, making her feel eager to meet this 96-year-old woman who seemed so full of life. Still, Carla was not expecting the home to be in good condition, even though Joyce’s mind seemed as sharp as a needle – and she didn’t need a doctor to tell her that!

Joyce Had a Plan For the Future

Here is a little more about Joyce, the old lady who had lived the greater part of her life in West Toronto, in Canada. Joyce, being 96 years of age, was beginning to feel it was the right time for her to move to a retirement home and rest for her last years.

She was formerly a seamstress, and of course, her age would have resulted in her having to give up the needlework as her fine motor skills and eyesight deteriorated. Being a seamstress also meant she had decorated her home as well, though she had never taken up the work professionally. But there was a problem...

Joyce Became Hesitant

Joyce was half-hearted to leave her home. It was only natural for a woman who had invested so many years of her life in a private space to struggle with letting go of it and moving on. After all, Joyce had been living there since she was 24 years old!

Being a homeowner is no easy task at 96, with maintenance expenses for the house's continuous upkeep to deal with. Beyond that, Joyce had decorated the home herself, and it was very personal and held dear memories for her – decades worth of memories! It was hard to let go – even for a retirement investment she would get from the sale!

The Deal Was On Hold

Joyce’s hesitance to sell, and her struggle between wanting to and not wanting to, was creating a headache for Gladys and Carla. The realtors couldn’t market the home properly if the homeowner was not committed to the sale completely.

In addition to slowing down the sales process, Joyce’s ambivalence also further deepened Carla and Gladys’ suspicions about the condition of the home. They jumped to the conclusion that the home was not fit for sale and that perhaps the old woman was hesitant because of the money and time involved in tidying and renovating that would be required for the sale...

The Real Estate Agents Prepared For The Worst

In Carla and Gladys’ experience, a hesitant mentality and lack of willingness to sell equated with the seller knowing how much work was involved in the refurbishment of the home to get it ready for a good sale. Not all sellers were prepared for such a great investment of time and effort.

Thus, the realtors’ concerns grew substantially as the standoff drew out even longer. Carla and Gladys were expecting that the home was awful after years of hoarding and probably neglect – but they didn’t have a clue what was really in store for them!

Eventually, Joyce Came Around

Eventually, Joyce came round. She finally decided that she would sell her home. Carla and Gladys, being good realtors, pushed aside all their worries and placed their efforts and concentration into the sale. They tried their best to rid their thoughts of their worries about the condition of the property and they were instead determined to sell the home.

They began formulating strategies already, thinking perhaps that they could encourage potential buyers to consider remodeling if the house was in a poor state. They were not deterred by all their concerns, but they were not at ease just yet either...

 Prime Location

When Carla and Gladys eventually found out where the home was actually located, they were, for the first time, a bit relieved. They were pleased that the home was in an area of West Toronto where sales of houses happen rather quickly, relative to other areas.

When buyers consider where to buy a home, they tend to opt for this area even for a higher price. Hence, there was a chance that since Joyce's house was in a prime location, even if it was in poor condition or unkempt, there would be a better chance of a potential buyer grabbing it anyway. The home was estimated in the price-tag region of around $968K!

The Agents Expected A Mess

During the time that passed, the sisters deliberated over the possibilities and grew more worried again. They imagined the heaps of hoarded items piled around the house. They could not imagine the 96-year-old woman being able to have kept her home neat or clean over the many decades she had spent in the home.

The restoration costs could be high enough to deter potential buyers in spite of the prime location the home was situated in. Also, they could not imagine any potential buyers who would be happy to know that they were buying a home that had been standing untouched for over seven decades – 72 years to be precise.

The Realtor Sisters Still Haven't Seen the Place

Not having seen the inside of the home that they were meant to sell was becoming increasingly troubling for both Gladys and Carla. Their concerns loomed above their heads like a dark cloud, and they were very concerned about how much money it would take before the home would be presentable for potential buyers to even have a look at it.

The situation was becoming stressful for them both, as anybody who was tasked with the responsibility of selling a home needed to know exactly what they were dealing with! After all, buying a property costs a lot of financial resources.

The Time Had Come For a Visit

Any real estate agent knows when the right time to view it is, and Carla and Gladys believed that the time had come for them to finally see the 96-year-old Joyce’s home of 72 years. The unspoiled, untouched home held plenty of secrets.

Gladys and her sister were about to uncover them that would forever remind them never to give in to a close-minded ideology – or simply put, never to be narrow-minded or pessimistic! The two reactors were about to find out just how poor their misconceptions - of the house, of Joyce  - had been.

Joyce Invited The Sisters To Her Home

The negotiation period had been overdrawn and long-winded. There was no doubt that the long wait had stirred much anticipation by the time the day had arrived that the realtors would finally see the home and confirm or reject their assumptions.

As Joyce was back on track with selling her home, she had sent the sisters her address and had also sent them a picture of the exterior of the home. The picture, of course, didn’t say much – the property seemed much like any other in the street.  Of course, what was inside was completely different…

 A Standard-Looking House

When Gladys and Carla finally found themselves in 148 Jane Street, they were greeted by a rather normal-looking exterior, with nothing setting it apart from the others in the street. There was nothing derelict about the structure at all and certainly nothing suggesting of neglect in its seven-decade of existence!

But, of course, they had their preempted suspicions and were expecting the worst once they stepped closer, to have a look inside. After all, a home could look ordinary on the outside but have secrets of its own on the inside. In that part, the two women were right – this home had a secret alright (and not one that money could buy)!

Time Capsule

From the very second when the sisters stepped through the front door, every fear and worry that had crossed their minds simply vanished. It was an interior like nothing they had ever considered before, and most certainly like nothing they had ever before come across, in all their years of business in real estate.

The interior of Joyce’s home was immaculate! The pristine condition was only one of the things that took their breath away though. The home still had even more to it that set it completely apart from any other immaculate home there could have been either in Jane Street or in the whole of West Toronto…

What They Didn't Expect

The home was a classic beauty - like stepping right into a time capsule of sorts. It was a living museum of the 1950s to 1960s. It was spectacular, and the ladies sure must have felt very silly for having jumped to the ridiculous conclusions that they had!

Nobody could've guessed that the regular looking brick exterior was housing such a magnificent portal into the past. It was something they probably would never experience again. Joyce had lovingly preserved the home to the ‘T.' It was not a matter of how much she had in her account, but rather how much she had actually done to keep her home immaculate. It sure was surreal!

Awestruck

The more they saw of Joyce’s home, the more enamored the sisters were by the interior decorating and the wall-to-wall vintage style. The realtors were simply amazed. The home boasts three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and all of the rooms in the property are pristine and preserved in the best way there is.

Joyce shared that she had always enjoyed being unique, following her own preferences and style choices rather than the trend. Well, she sure had a great eye!  Perhaps Joyce should have gone into professional interior decorating after all!

Pristine & Perfect

The home was a palette of soft colors and everything matched - from the curtains to the wallpaper to the furniture. She certainly had been very selective and thoughtful with her choices in her decor, and her efforts were definitely evident! Carla and Gladys could not believe their eyes. The tone-on-tone palette worked fabulously with the metallic patterned wallpaper, baroque prints, and metal accented furnishings. The floral patterns were everywhere yet at the same time not overwhelming. The house was just perfection! The agents wouldn’t have believed it even if Joyce had told them!

The First Bathroom

The basement bathroom makes it to one of the most outstanding rooms in the house. The bathroom was designed in such a way that the sink was spacious and in some way, calming – perhaps because of its size, or something else. The lilac coloring added to the calming effect and the big mirror above the sink gave off a touch of luxury, also making it feel larger than it really was. The shower was rather practical, showing off an accordion stall door. It was a bathroom that would be suitable for anybody. It might not be a large bathroom, but it was a cleverly designed one, and most of all – unique! The home décor was superb!

The Second Bathroom

A second bathroom is a fantastic thing to have at home, especially if one has guests over or perhaps when entertaining many people. This second bathroom in Joyce’s residence strongly adhered to her preferences towards pastels and pink in particular. It was painted a salmon pink, with pink accents and even pink toweling. Quite cutely, there was even a pink toilet seat cover! Of course, changing the color scheme would never be difficult, but it truly had been a wonder for the sisters to behold such a picture of the ‘50s in this day and age! Joyce must have spent a lot from her savings account on pink accents for her home!

It is quite unreasonable to look for a house that has everything you could possibly want, and Carla and Gladys knew that potential buyers would have some things they would prefer that perhaps any home they'd show them might not have. However, what Carla and Gladys could appreciate in Joyce’s home was that it certainly was a very practical home – it even had its very own laundry room in the basement! The laundry boasts ample room for movement and plenty of counter space. It's a simple room, but certainly one with high potential! Any prospective buyer would realize the opportunity for improvement – but not one that would break the bank!

A Gorgeous Basement

As if two bathrooms and a laundry room weren’t enough practicality for the stunning home, the realtor sisters were led by Joyce into another hidden gem in her home – a cozy basement! Of course, space is limited, but it is spacious enough and complete with a bar for entertainment on one end and retro furniture. It's more than enough room for several guests to lounge about happily. The color scheme of this particular room deviated from the pastels and the pinks of the rest of the house, leaning more towards neutral with a natural wooden character to it, and some gold accents.

A Refreshing Space

The basement entertainment area was a sight to behold as it was a contrast in color scheme yet still in keeping with the ‘50s to ‘60s theme of the home, and its character was bold yet subtle. It was truly comforting and inviting, and Carla and Gladys could both see that the room would be a big stepping stone in the sales process. Few homes would boast such a spacious room with so much promise in its functionality. It would not be hard to convince buyers to invest money in the home and customize the room any which way they pleased – and very easily, too, which was just as important!

The Selling Point

A magnificent selling point must have been the large fireplace on one end of the entertainment space. Who wouldn’t want to reduce central heating costs and of course, enjoy the good old comfort of a real log fire burning in the home? Also, here one could see Joyce’s smart decorating skills, as she had scattered a bit of blue to blend with the large bold blue rug that was the centerpiece of the space. The effect might not scream affluence, but sheer coziness is essential, too. Overall, Carla and Gladys could not complain about this room, as it was just appealing even in this modern day, in spite of being 72 years old!

A Seamstress' Room

But of course, what would a former seamstress’ home be without a sewing room in which she could put into action her sewing skills and create beautiful clothes? Well, no woman like Joyce would have done without one back in the ‘50s, and Joyce haδ maintained her sewing room for 72 years. So when Carla and Gladys walked in, they felt as though they’d come in to sew their A-line swing dresses! Of course, a sewing room ςαs not the selling point here, but the potential to turn it into - say an office space, a lounge or even a guest bedroom if any prospective buyer so wished!

A Spacious Bedroom

The sisters expected the master bedroom to be rather small, but when Joyce showed them to her room, the sisters were greeted by a rather large bedroom of quite an enviable length. The room easily accommodated a double bed, and there was even a fixed cabinet for storage along one side of the room. Any fixed cabinet space is a bonus for those selling homes – and things kept getting better and better as Carla and Gladys saw more of Joyce’s home! Of course, her bedroom was keeping with her color palette of lilac and vivid purple carpets. However, the contrasts were actually rather pretty!

A Clever Design

This picture shows the master bedroom from another angle, and it truly gives a better idea of just how spacious it is. The built-in cabinets are tucked away neatly at one end of the room, allowing free use of the rest of the room. Unnecessary cabinets that look like they were simply placed as an afterthought to use up space are unsightly and not something a buyer might find appealing. This room is smartly designed in that respect. Joyce’s pastel designer color scheme continues, in shades of blue, green and – of course - pink.

The Only Refurbishment

It was hard for the sisters to believe that Joyce had left the house unspoiled for over seven decades, but there is just one room that is an exception to that. The kitchen had been renovated in the mid-sixties, and Joyce remodeled it, refurbished the cooking space, and the room underwent a general transformation. It seems to have been a good investment. However, the room is no doubt in keeping with the theme of the house and by no means a sore thumb! The rest of the house is exactly as Joyce had bought it! So far, it didn’t seem like selling it would be a problem…

The Wide Open Outdoors

When Carla and Gladys walked into the garden, they were overwhelmed by how spacious it was. It is another gem hidden away in this home! On the downside, the garden might not have enough space for a massive swimming pool (well, a swimming pool company would know better!), but for a house like Joyce’s, it is rather large! There was a shed, and a garden along the edges of the yard, and still ample room to walk around in. It's a welcoming space and it looks like a garden that a family with kids would be pleased to enjoy together. Things were only getting better!

A Clever Garden Hack

There's actually something great about the garden that Carla and Gladys would absolutely agree would be a fantastic sales advantage – the Astroturf lawn! Joyce is a clever old lady, as she decided to invest money in Astroturf for a lawn instead of a regular grass that would require regular trimming and maintenance! Well, this mow-free lawn is a high-selling point for any homeowner – nobody wants to mow their lawn if they really don’t have to! Not to mention how well a constantly groomed lawn showcases your flower garden! A garden is a beautiful feature in any yard – it is beautifying, calming, and grounding – everything anybody would want!

Time for Inspection

While it sure is great for a buyer to want to purchase a home, eventually it becomes mandatory to provide buyers with the inspection checklist and perhaps even a list of what faults need repair or what has been recently fixed. House insurance will not cover a home that has not been inspected for faults and the inspection is a very critical component of a sale as well as a purchase! Carla and Gladys knew the ins and outs of the inspection process very well, and they knew it was required, especially for a home that had been untouched for 72 years!

Damage Inspection Underway

While Joyce’s home looked fabulous to the plain eye, what might still be lurking? Would an inspection uncover internal heating issues? Perhaps water leaks? Or maybe even electrical faults? Structural faults would be another cause for concern with regard to a home that was built over seven decades before. There was no doubt about the fact that Joyce’s house had exceeded every single expectation that Carla and Gladys had had over her home, but there was absolutely no guarantee that faults would not be uncovered during an inspection! Hopefully, Joyce would have enough funds in the bank to foot the bill if repairs would be needed! The realtor sisters were nervous indeed…

What They Found

When you buy a house, general insurance is a great thing to have as it will cover any future uncontrollable occurrences, but purchasing a home that has a bad structure already gives you no guarantee that your insurance would cover it at all! Buyers are often very cautious when it comes to this, as nobody wants to be caught up in a bunch of expenses fixing previous owners’ messes! But what shocked the realtors was that Joyce’s home passed the inspection. She had managed to maintain not only the look of her home but even the structural integrity and functionality of her house!

The Only Problem

Gladys and Carla were definitely very pleased with the entire tour of Joyce’s home as well as the results of the house inspections, but there was just one issue that they could see standing in the way of the sale of Joyce’s home. While a buyer couldn’t possibly complain about the condition of Joyce's house, perhaps the pastel color palette and the home décor itself might prove to be an issue in itself. It might not be everyone’s taste, and it is hardly a neutral scheme. The entire home was very feminine and that limited the range of people who would be interested in the sale…

Joyce's House Became a Hit

In spite of their new concerns, Carla and Gladys posted a picture of Joyce’s pristinely preserved home on the Internet. They were shocked to find that the public loved Joyce’s home! They felt that her house was authentic and boasted history and character like no home designed to mimic the ‘50s and ‘60s could ever achieve! It was one for the books! People appreciated that it was not simply decorated as such – the home was literally a step into the past! Thanks to Joyce’s hard work over the years and wise spending of her money, her home could be appreciated by millions!  She had protected her home from modernization!

Double Story Home

The price-tag on Joyce’s house got a boost from the fact that it's a two-story structure and it allows for spacious bedrooms as a result. It is a solid house, built to last and built from strong brickwork and stonework. The home’s sturdy build also meant that renovations or remodeling would be a possibility if desired, as the home could manage some work. Given the size of the house, a remodeling could be the answer for any buyer who would want to change things up a bit. The possibilities were endless – or limited by the funds in the lucky buyer's account!

A Handsome Price Tag

While imagining anybody else living in Joyce’s home is difficult to envision after having walked through the time warp that is her home, it may well be so one day. Joyce has left her mark and her hard work over the years would go to waste if anybody who bought it would decide to put some money into changing the décor or the layout completely. Joyce’s home was eventually listed for $699K and that is a wonderful price for a home that has not been remodeled in 72 years! In fact, the fact that the picture of Joyce’s home went viral tells us that she would likely have no trouble finding a buyer!

The Secret is Out

The bottom line is that this story does teach us to never judge a book by its cover! Looking at the condition of Joyce’s home now makes us wonder how it happened that she was not the talk of the town or how nobody knew that her home was a portal into the ‘50s and ‘60s! Joyce might not have been a designer, but she certainly was gifted enough to have been a successful one and with great earnings at that, had she ever pursued it in her life! Now, Joyce's long-kept secret is out - a secret that these walls have kept hidden from the world for many decades!

Healing Through Creativity

During WWII, many people suffered, either economically or physically, and the 96-year-old Joyce lived through tough times, coming out a winner in the end. She first moved in around 1942, when the war knocked on Canada's front door. Joyce used to work as a seamstress and a knitter, and her designs were as elegant as her home ended up being. However, as she claimed, she always dreamed of becoming a professional interior designer, but since she couldn't do it, she decided to shape her house the way she wanted to. She changed numerous details and kept it in mint condition throughout the years.

Not Too Flashy

Many people had visited Joyce's house, and what they noticed at first was its unimpressive exterior design. It was made out of bricks and it looked almost identical to the buildings right next to it. They completely changed their mind though when they entered the old lady's home, as it looked like someone had built a new home inside it. For someone her age and who had moved in when she was just 24, she's not that much into bright colors, as she prefers tone-on-tone designs. Moreover, she had filled her home with metallic wallpaper, but it was more than obvious that she loved floral details, which were all over the place.

It Had Its Cons

Buying a home can be a rather difficult task, and it always requires a lot of cash. That's why many people want it to be fully furnished and ready to host a family when they buy it. Unfortunately, in Joyce's case, there were some difficulties. Joyce had decorated the house with numerous vintage pieces of furniture. However, they weren't included in the listing. Some were intended to be kept by the new owners, but this wasn't the case for most of them. This was a huge 'con' when it came to selling Joyce's unique home, especially when the asking price is about $700K.

Inheriting Its Treasures

Joyce really wanted to sell the house, but the furniture inside it was something that she preferred keeping. In fact, it wasn't her who intended to keep it, but her daughter, who was expected to inherit those invaluable retro pieces. Some of them are several years old, and in order to be kept clean and intact, they needed to be well taken care of - and that's where her daughter comes in. Joyce wanted to sell her home in order to move to a retirement community. That didn't mean though that she wasn't going to pass anything on to her beloved daughter.

From A Simple House To A Gem Pad

Though Joyce couldn't afford to become a professional in the field of interior designing, she had the chance to practice her love for home decor in her own house. When she moved in, her home looked nothing like it is nowadays. Step by step, she upgraded its features and added numerous new pieces and details. Gradually, Joyce's not-so-unique abode became something that looked more like a costly '50s mansion. In fact, Joyce did such a great job that, years later, people would have never imagined that she achieved all this by herself, and with such a low budget!

Leaving The War Behind

As we've said, Joyce didn't recruit any experts to achieve her incredible home remodeling. However, she did have her whole family on her side during the whole procedure. After WWII's end, the financial situation in Canada started to pick up, and soon enough, it was easier for Joyce and her family to make the changes they wanted in their house. With the economy improving, they could now afford to buy some new stuff to decorate their vintage pad, and Joyce's house is full of retro details and pieces, which are of course accompanied by modern-day equipment. 

The Era's Style

The '40s, and especially the '50s, had a very different style compared to our time's decor options. While nowadays, minimal details and styles dominate the field of home decor, back then, people always decorated their houses with bright colors and especially pastel palette. Light blue, red, and yellow were the most popular colors, and this probably indicated the people's desire to leave the war behind and hope for a brighter future. However, Joyce wasn't really fond of flamboyant colors and extreme decoration.  Instead, she liked her home simpler, and less multi-colored.

Color Options

At a time when most people loved flashy colors and combined many different colors together, Joyce had a much different opinion. According to her, tone-to-tone combinations were the best, and she didn't want to fill her house with bright colors. Her time's designers would probably disagree with her, but she insisted that soft colors were much more comfortable on the eyes, and she didn't want to exaggerate when it came to combinations. If you take a look at her home's pictures, you'll realize that most of her furnishings and ornaments come in shades of pink, purple, and light red. 

Retro Madness

The '50s and the '60s had more features that differed from what he have in our homes today. For instance, most of the appliances always came in shiny colors and were covered in nickel, while today, we opt for something more minimal and less glimmering. A feature which people loved during the '50s was the checkerboard tile, which was primarily used to decorate floors. It's a detail that vintage lovers often opt for nowadays, and there many more trends from the past that are often brought back and used again in our days. You can choose much more than just where to buy a home; most importantly, you can decide how to decorate it!

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The Next Story About A 13-Year-Old Boy Who Built His Own House Will Amaze You >>
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Purchasing your own house is probably one of the biggest financial challenges an adult can face. It's no surprise that many people often tend to get a home loan for an existing house or start building one from scratch. Our next hero though is not an adult, and maybe that's why he managed to pull off something amazing: build his own house. Meet Luke Thill, a 14-year-old boy from Iowa, who engaged in some home-construction hobbies during the summer of 2017. However, this house is definitely not what you expect it to be. Thill was inspired by a brand-new housing movement, and he had the strength and motivation to do the unthinkable.

Youngest Builder Ever

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It was just another ordinary year for Luke Thill, a 13-year-old boy living in Dubuque, Iowa. Schools were about to close once again, and summer was just around the corner. Most kids look forward to going to the beach or playing video games without worrying about studying. However, Thill was not one of those children. As he felt the holidays coming closer and closer, Luke turned on his laptop and started browsing through the Internet to find something satisfying to do during his free time. He certainly didn't expect the idea of building a new home to excite him, but YouTube and some interesting videos had a different opinion!

How He did it Is Incredibly Inspiring >>
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An Interesting Movement

Just as we've mentioned before, Luke was on YouTube watching videos after videos to look for something to do during the summer. That's when he stumbled upon the "Tiny House Movement." The movement actually promotes constructing your own house, whose size will be much smaller than a regular home, but without missing anything when it comes to usability. Moreover, tiny houses are built with eco-friendly and cheap materials, without spending thousands of dollars on its construction, and guess what: you also skip house insurance. But how did Luke feel about this?

Challenge Accepted

All this sounded rather challenging for Luke, but smart kids usually like challenges, and he decided to give it a twist. Being a young teenager means you don't have the financial resources and technical expertise to do something like that on your own, so Luke told his parents about the whole procedure, and they were actually thrilled. However, they made it clear that they would not be supporting him financially, so he had to find other ways of getting the cash that he needed. It was a nice way of letting a child understand the challenges of life, and leading him to take responsibility for his decisions and actions.

Let's Get Started

Luke knew that he now had to get down to work. Some neighbors were quick to find out about his summer project, but there were others he informed himself. As you now know, Luke wouldn't be funded by his mother and father, thus, he needed to find ways to finance his upcoming project. He mowed some neighbors' lawn for some fast bucks, while at the same time, he searched trash cans and other places for junk that he could recycle and use. Home financing can be pretty hard, especially when you start from zero. And in Luke's case, he was just a 13-year-old boy with a wild dream.

Respecting the Environment

The tiny house movement supports tiny houses which are built from scratch. However, the materials must be recycled and environment-friendly, while this also helps to keep the cost low. During Luke's efforts to get cash in order to build a new home, he also cleaned out several garages, and while he worked, he also got his hands on some stuff that would later prove to be very useful. After all, most of these things would end up being thrown away, but Luke intended to use them wisely. In fact, he even found a front door from a family friend, one that was a bit old but still in mint condition. 

Down To Business

Luke was highly motivated to get his project going, and after doing a lot of chores and weird jobs around the neighborhood, he managed to raise an impressive $1.5K. He didn't intend to buy all the materials he required though. According to him, he only bought 25% of what he was going to use. The other 75% came from all the stuff that he managed to salvage from the garages he cleaned up and all the junkyards he visited. Luke also received a lot of help from his family when it came to gathering materials, as he originally had no money to fund his project, and any help was obviously welcome.  

Assistance Required

Luke worked a lot to amass all the cash he required to start his project, but bucks weren't the only thing that he received for his services. In many instances, Luke exchanged his work for assistance in several things he couldn't do on his own. It's practically impossible for a 13-year-old to build a new home without any help, and for some procedures, like installing the electrical wiring or a toilet and on several occasions, Luke asked his neighbors for help. One of them offered to do the electrical work and help him with the plumbing if Luke cleaned up his garage, and Luke instantly accepted.

Father Knows Best

Luke’s father had told him that he wasn't going to help him financially, but that didn't mean that he would help at all. He was super-excited about his son's decision, and by helping him, it was also a great chance to teach him several technical things that Luke wasn't aware of. He didn't know much about plumber services, but there was stuff that Luke obviously couldn't do alone. Many wooden parts were really heavy, or they required at least two people to be put in place. Thill senior was there to give his son any assistance he needed to make Luke's summer project a reality.

Spreading the Word

Pretty soon, news about Luke's project spread like wildfire. There wasn't a single neighbor not hyped about the 13-year-old's ambitious plan, but Luke wasn't too pleased after being asked the same things over and over again. Answering the same questions about his project was tiring and time-consuming, so he decided to use the greatest tool we have today: the Internet business. He quickly set up his own YoutTube account, where he regularly uploaded new videos, showcasing his daily progress, while at the same time vlogging to give his followers the complete image behind his construction.

Setting An Example

At first, Luke made his own YouTube channel to let his neighbors, family, and friends keep track of his daily progress. Pretty soon though, he thought that making his channel public and letting everyone see what he was up to would increase his project's popularity, while it would also inspire more people to indulge in some tiny-house building. While he originally believed that his videos wouldn't become that popular, he soon found himself having more followers than he expected. 'Looks like more people were interested in building their own tiny "deluxe house."

No One Said It Would Be Easy

It's easy to realize that other kids, and even adults, would have given up much earlier than Luke, as his project began getting more and more difficult. He managed to find someone to help him with the plumbing services and other tough installations, but a new problem showed up, and it was much more serious. As Luke was midway to finishing, he suddenly ran out of funds, and he had no materials left. Thus, he had to start doing chores once more, while at the same time, he was forced to pause the construction. But there were more mishaps to come, as he would soon find out. 

Thinking Out Of the Box

DIY was key when it came to Luke's project, and Luke wanted to do everything himself indeed. He even wanted to make his own furniture, and he had a wonderful idea. Luke had collected some broken stained-glass pieces of different colors, and he thought that if he glued them together, they would make a wonderful counter-top. Luke believed that it would be perfect for his tiny house, while at the same time, it would teach him many technical things he didn't know then. Despite Luke's bright idea though, his original project would take a turn for the worse.

Saving the Day

The idea seemed perfect, so Luke got down to business and started putting the glass pieces next to each other. He slowly poured the lacquer on them and he waited for it to glue the pieces together. However, something totally different happened: the lacquer was unfortunately too thin and watery, and instead of gluing the pieces, it poured down on the floor! Luke was a bit disappointed at first, but he then found an ingenious way of using the lacquer. He recovered as much as he could, and he used it as a glue between the counter and the wall, making their bond stronger. Luckily, he fixed the problem without requiring more money.

Was He In Trouble?

Summer was over and Luke was back to school and attending classes. One day, Luke was unexpectedly called to the principal's office. He was a bit stunned at first, as he never did anything wrong and he worried that he would hear some bad news. He wondered what it could be, and he tried to recall anything wrong he could have done. However, when he stepped in the principal's office, he was dumbfounded by what the principal had to say. It seems that Luke's tiny house project had attracted the attention of a local journalist, who wanted to interview him and publish an article on a local paper!

The Movement

In the last couple of years, the tiny house movement has gained widespread attention, and it's becoming more and more popular. The idea behind it is to build self-efficient homes that lack nothing when it comes to comfort and functionality, while also using eco-friendly materials and stuff other people didn't need. The movement gained more fans after the global financial crisis which broke out some years ago, as home mortgage loans became a luxury most people could no longer afford. With housing prices always on the rise, tiny houses have become an affordable option many people embraced.

Size Doesn't Mean Anything

Of course, many originally believed that a house downsized that much would cause problems to its residents, and in their minds, it would also lack a lot of necessary equipment. However, such a belief is wrong, as tiny houses come with everything a normal house includes, while they can be fully customized when it comes to home decor and styling. This was proven in TV shows such as Tiny Luxury, a series featured by HGTV, where numerous tiny houses were showcased. Soon, audiences became convinced that, although tiny houses might have its space constraints, in the end, size doesn't matter that much at all!  

Voila! 

Luke had finally made his dream a reality: his tiny house was finished! It took him almost 1.5 years to get it done, and it was time for him to leave the hard work behind and enjoy his success, and of course, his own, brand-new tiny house. Luke's home featured the same amenities that a typical house would have, with some of the furniture inside it having being built by Luke himself. The only thing it lacked was a bathroom, as the plumbing was very complicated and it would have been much more time-consuming. After all, Luke doesn't need one; his tiny house is built in his family's yard!

Let's Test It

As you might expect, Luke didn't wait a single day to test his tiny house after finishing its construction. He instantly got all he needed from his home and stayed in his tiny house. Winter was just around the corner, so Luke also wanted to see how his home would cope with the chilling weather outside. He had worked a lot to insulate it properly, and he believed that his tiny property would be capable of keeping a warm temperature, despite being a bit snowy outside. The tiny home passed the test: Luke managed to spend a night inside it without having to be covered with a blanket all the time.

Enjoying Success

After testing his tiny house and realizing that it's as good as he imagined it would be, Luke was filled with Joy, and he wanted to show the world how he felt and how beautiful his home was. He recorded a video to give his YouTube followers an update on his project and to showcase the house to his tiny-house fans. Luke didn't believe his eyes when, in just a couple of days, the video reached over 8.5 million views, becoming viral rather quickly.  Just when you thought that people are only interested in watching stuff about cool mansions, Luke proved everyone wrong.

A Tiny House - A Grand Opening

We mentioned numerous times before that Luke received a lot of help from his family, his friends and his neighbors, and it was now time for him to thank them for their assistance. He gathered the people he wanted to thank the most, and he made a grand opening of his tiny house at his house's backyard. Luke even prepared a speech full of heartwarming words he dedicated to the people who trusted him and supported him since day one. Luke also talked about the challenges behind his property's construction, stating that it wouldn't have been successful without his guests.

Meeting People Like Him

As we've said, Luke's project quickly became popular, especially after he uploaded videos of his home on the Internet. Amazingly, he was invited to the TinyFest Midwest, an annual festival where tiny house builders around the region gather to view new technologies, mingle with one another, and share their passion for the tiny house movement. There are similar festivals for deluxe houses, so why shouldn't tiny ones have their event as well? Everyone was inspired by Luke's story, and the fact that a 13-year-old boy managed to achieve such a thing stunned the festival's attendees.

Will He Move In?

So, Luke's tiny house had almost everything in it, and after him spending a night there, it was also proven that it could provide insulation against very low temperatures and even snow. However, everybody wondered if someone could actually live in it permanently. The truth is that Luke's house had electricity and every possible electrical appliance one could require, but unfortunately, it didn't have a bathroom. This would require Luke to spend much more money on his project, something that he couldn't do at the time. At least, he could use his family's house's restroom, which was just nearby.

Having A Blast

Luke had the time of his life at the festival, but he was stunned to see that he was actually the youngest person to deliver a speech there. But he wasn't intimidated by that, and as you might know by now, he definitely isn't a kid who's afraid to face a challenge. There were many guests and lecturers whose tiny house portfolio was huge, but Luke tried to get the best out of the amazing chance he had been given, and he had a lot of fun. He also got in touch with a woman named Renee McLaughlin, the festival's organizer and a big tiny house supporter. 

The Man Who Inspired Him the Most

Luke inspired numerous people with his actions, but just like everyone else, he himself was inspired by someone to embark on this magical tiny-house journey. This man was Derek Diedricksen, one of the biggest tiny house advocates in the U.S. Diedricksen worked as an author, so when news about Luke's achievement broke out, he was one of the first people to hear about it. As you might expect, he contacted him, and Luke was as thrilled as it gets. Luke couldn't believe that he would once be considered a "home designer," and Derek encouraged him to keep building tiny houses, better and bigger next time.

Perfect For Him

The house's image is impressive, and Luke managed to customize that front door he got from a family friend to look even better. Moreover, the tiny home's little windows make it look fancy enough, but there were many people who still doubted that it could be a place where a person could live permanently. While this was definitely not a luxury mansion for sale, it did fit Luke and it perfectly satisfied all his needs at that age. He now had a place to chill and relax while also being alone, and even if he wanted to spend some days in it, he could absolutely do it.  

No Water, But Still...

If you think that Luke's house is less comfortable because it has no water, you're definitely wrong. The whole property is around 89 square feet big, and it comes with every possible appliance a modern house would require. Luke had even spread linoleum on the walls to give them a flashy tiled look! He even thought about a brilliant solution to fix his problems with water. He put a container full of water on one of the house's shelves, so he won't ever stay thirsty. The tiny house also has numerous power sockets at several different places, in order to plug in and use appliances inside.

Getting Comfy

Luke's tiny house isn't just a place where he can cook or sleep. Right next to the kitchen, there's a comfy living room, which features a big couch which can seat at least two people. Luke can sit there and relax, and there's also a big TV on the wall for such a purpose. It's placed on an adjustable frame so he can move it and watch anything he wants from every possible angle. His parents, of course, won't let him move in yet, mainly because of his age, but it's a place tailor-made for him, especially if he wants to relax or study quietly.

Local Celebrity

You already know that a local reporter approached Luke and interviewed him, but soon, word about his tiny house surpassed his region's borders. News about a 13-year-old building a house without even securing a home loan quickly spread throughout the country, with newspapers such as the Telegraph Herald and Des Moines Registers featuring him on their front cover. Even ABC News and Good Morning America made a presentation about his huge achievement, and it would be safe to say that he had become a local celebrity. Who would have ever thought?!

A Shocking Response

When Luke made headlines, there were still many people who weren't aware of what he'd been up to. When they read about him, many e-mailed him or commented below his videos, asking him what motivated a 13-year-old to build a new home. They obviously expected that the reason behind all this was probably summer boredom or a sense of curiosity. However, they were stunned to know what Luke had to say about this. Luke replied that building such a house requires the minimum amount of cash, while it's also made out of 100% eco-friendly materials. Nobody believed their eyes. 

Summer Again

Dubuque welcomed summer once again, and Luke noticed that the temperature inside his tiny house was dangerously rising. Most people would definitely go to the nearest shop and buy themselves an air conditioner, but as you know, Luke loves some DIY solutions. What he did was pretty amazing, and it required almost zero money. Luke bought furnace filters, which cost about $2 dollars and put them in front of his home's fan. However, he had previously sprayed them with water, so when the air passed through them, it was immediately cooler. A 13-year-old genius indeed!

Making A Step Forward

Now that Luke had completed his project, he started thinking about what he could do next. He already had thousands of followers who fully support him, so he thought about creating his own merchandise, like selling t-shirts with his name on them and such stuff. Apart from promoting the tiny house movement he loved so much, he also had the opportunity to have some earnings in order to fund his next projects. Tiny houses are sure cheap, but they do require a small budget, and Luke had to start getting some cash to make his next move. 

Shiny

One of the most important pros of having a tiny house is the tiny amount of time it requires to be cleaned. Usually, cleaning up a whole house is a task every person is intimidated by, however, that is not the case when you live inside a tiny home. As Luke showed on one of his vlogs, it takes a minimum amount of time to make it look as shiny as it gets, probably around half an hour. That would be impossible if you wanted to clean a big house. Just imagine having a property measured at hundreds of square feet and trying to clean it up. Absolute nightmare!

Dinner Is Served

It's just natural that many people might think that life in a house as small as this can be pretty lonely. It seems very hard to invite people over while throwing a party is probably impossible. However, we shouldn't exaggerate. A tiny house is big enough to host a family, and you can always invite friends and organize a barbecue party, just like Luke does with his parents. He often calls them at his home and makes dinner for them. It's often something simple, as he cooks on a hot plate, which definitely saves a lot of space, but it's not suitable for more complicated dishes.

Overcoming Your Obstacles

No matter how many instructions and tips you may receive about something, nothing works better than the traditional way: trial and error. Sometimes, you just have to try something and fail to understand how to make it right. That's what Luke realized, who admitted that his biggest mistake was the attempt he made on that colorful countertop and that there were also some other mistakes, mostly with the lights being too big. However, he didn't regret anything, as failing was what made him successful in the end, and fortunately, there weren't any accidents in the process.

It Runs In the Family

Luke's amazing story and strong motivation inspired thousands of people, but most importantly, it inspired his own family. Luke has an older brother named Cole, who started working on a DIY project of his own as well. When it came to Luke's case, he didn't just build a new home; he also put wheels on it! The idea behind it was to build a tiny house which worked more like a camper, which he could eventually use to travel in comfort. Just like he did in his own project, Luke recorded many parts of the process and uploaded them on his YouTube channel.

The Thills & Their Tiny Homes

Luke's mother Angie saw the whole process of her son's tiny house construction, and after seeing Cole starting his own DIY project as well, she got obsessed with tiny houses. She thought that she wanted her own too, but she's not that much into building it. In her case, she bought a 1972 Forester Kavot camper and practiced her passion: home remodeling. She wanted to transform it into a tiny house with wheels, just like Cole's, but it would be her who would decorate it and put her personal touch in it. Mama Thill will be featured on Luke's YouTube channel!

A Sign of Recognition

Luke believed he was done with fame and the newspapers' front covers, but then came another sign of recognition as well. He was invited to the Movers, Shakers & Newsmakers festival, an annual event taking place in Dubuque, that features people who are believed to have done extraordinary things. He was ranked the 9th most fascinating person that year, among the entire city. The tiny house project is probably the thing that would stand out the most in his portfolio even when he grows up and the best thing that happened in his whole life. Now, he was rewarded for the countless hours he worked for it. He definitely deserved it.

When It All Started

As new as this thing about tiny houses might sound, the original idea dates many years back. Most people regard its pioneer to be Sarah Susanka, an author who published a book called The Not So Big House in 1998. However, there are more materials talking about similar ideas which are even older. In 1973, a man called Lloyd Kahn released his book Shelter, which also talks about houses much smaller than usual ones. Some years later, in 1987, Les Walker released Tiny Houses. The movement might have become popular in the last couple of years, but the idea is really not that new.

A Tragic Event - A New Opportunity

People had been searching for new options for quite some time now, with housing prices and insurance premiums always being on the rise. However, many things changed in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated several homes. Marianne Cusato took the initiative to build much smaller houses called Katrina Cottages to shelter people who had lost their homes. Since then, more and more people have started supporting the tiny house movement and the solutions it offers regarding houses with a pretty low cost to build and sustain. In addition, the fear of another hurricane striking persuaded many not to overspend on housing again.

A Fascinating Year

When Luke was done with his project, and as 2017 came to an end, he uploaded a video called The Best Year Of My Life. Instantly, thousands of his followers watched him talking about how exciting 2017 was, mainly because of all the things he achieved. He also talked about his failures, and what he hopes to do in the future. He assured everyone that more DIY projects were coming. The bottom line of all this was, as the video's title shows, that Luke experienced the best year of his life, and building a new home was obviously just the beginning.