The real estate world is constantly changing and evolving to bend to homeowners’ wants and needs.

As many economically savvy homeowners realize that some big homes (aka McMansions) take up more space, time and energy than is necessary, many are looking to small homes as their new abodes. 

And when we say small, we mean teeny-tiny.

A recent article posted on MSN’s Real Estate site by Christopher Solomon, “The 400-sqaure-foot dream home,” discusses how small homes are becoming popular across the nation.

“Teeny-tiny houses are the next big thing on the horizon. Those who've downsized say you can save a ton of money and time -- if you can handle the challenges of living small.”

Obviously, adjusting to life in a small home takes a lot of getting used to, especially these days when most people think small is a three-bedroom two-bath house.

“Could you live in a home that's 400 square feet? How about less than 200 square feet? Greg Johnson does. His house in Iowa City, Iowa, is 140 square feet -- a mere 7 feet by 10 feet.  It's just large enough for a little kitchen on one side, across from a desk where Johnson can work and eat. Upstairs is a loft that fits a queen-sized bed and is ‘just big enough to crawl upstairs and go to sleep. It's cozy,’ says Johnson, co-founder and coordinator of the Small House Society, which encourages people to get interested in living small -- and he means really small.”

It seems that this philosophy is not just reserved for people who live in isolated parts of the Midwest, but the idea is catching on across the country.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests that a growing number of Americans are intrigued by so-called ‘micro-homes.’ Call it a fringe offshoot of the anti-McMansion trend. (Praise for the cute and small Katrina cottage has also helped.) Johnson says his monthly e-newsletter has grown to 477 recipients from just a handful since the Small House Society began in 2002.”

More and more people are realizing the benefits of living small.

Not only are smaller homes much cheaper (although the prices vary widely from about $20,000 to $100,000 and up), but they also require a lot less work than standard big houses.

You also do a lot less cleaning and overall upkeep is trimmed too due to the small quarters. This gives homeowners more time to do the things they love and actually want to do.

“Johnson says he started the Small House Society after seeing that if people bought and lived in smaller, less expensive spaces, they'd have more time to get out in their communities and do the things they love to help affect society. ‘I'm looking at ways to empower activists,’ he explains. A smaller home ‘saves incredible amounts of time. It saves incredible dollars.’”

But small homes also have their many challenges that some people just aren’t cut out to deal with. It is very tough to have people over for a gathering and if you have a lot of belongings, this type of home is probably not right for you. “Johnson, of the Small House Society, says micro-homes seem best suited to ‘people under 25 and over 45’ -- that is, people who haven't yet had children, and those whose children have left the nest.”

If you are thinking of joining in on the small home trend try moving all of your belongings into your master bedroom and do not use any other rooms for the weekend. This will give you a good idea of how living in a tiny house would be, although your master bedroom is probably much bigger than any of the small homes out there.