Florida homeowner who built his skinny home ‘out of spite’ reveals why it’s a great investment

A homeowner who bought a narrow house built ‘out of spite’ on a small plot of land among other properties said it was a ‘solid investment’.

Mike Cavanagh, 51, said his friends have introduced him as “the guy who bought the skinny house” since he bought the 10-foot-wide property for $619,000 last year.

The two-story house was built by developer John Atkins, who was determined to build on the small lot despite fierce opposition from neighbors.

Less than a mile from the golden sands of Jacksonville Beach in northeast Florida, the house caused chaos in the peaceful area.

The narrow building, surrounded by a white picket fence, is more than 6 meters high and looms over the surrounding family homes, swimming pools and backyards.

Floor plans reveal the open plan design, with the garage opening into a hall with a toilet room, followed by a dining room, kitchen and living room.

A central staircase opens into a 3 meter vaulted loft space with two bathrooms, flanked by two double bedrooms at either end of the property.

Cavanagh, who works for a medical equipment company, said as a single man the controversial home is the “perfect size” for him.

“If I was 40 with young kids it wouldn’t have worked,” he wrote in one Business insider essay about his house.

‘Despite the narrow layout, the exterior has a grand appearance. Inside it has a modern look, with beautiful floors and tiling.’

“I’m definitely acclimated,” he added. ‘It doesn’t feel small; the punched-out walls give the house an almost container-like feel, reminiscent of a camper from the outside.’

Cavanagh praised the design of the 1,500 square meter property for making it feel bigger than it is – including ‘built-in nooks’ for furniture.

“The upstairs bedroom has a built-in platform that my mattress rests on, so I don’t need a bed frame,” he wrote.

The property also features a built-in dining table, carved from reclaimed wood from a local pier that was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

Cavanagh also praised the house for the abundance of natural light streaming in through windows in the three-metre-high walls on the first floor, and three-metre-high walls on the second.

“The builder did an excellent job positioning the windows to create a bright, inviting atmosphere,” he wrote.

Cavanagh also hired a local designer last year to add his own touches to the place, making it a peaceful haven for working from home and the occasional dinner party.

“We added a built-in white oak sofa in the living room with custom cushions,” he wrote.

‘It was a little pricey, but totally worth it because it’s incredibly comfortable and has an artsy atmosphere.

‘We also installed built-in white oak shelves and cabinets near the TV.’

Cavanagh said his meager home remains a “solid investment” because even if he decided to leave, he could rent it out through AirBnB, and Jacksonville’s gradual population growth means it would be easy to sell.

“Compared to other Florida cities, Jacksonville Beach has developed slowly, which keeps it affordable – especially compared to other beach towns,” he wrote.

“As more people discover it’s a great place to live, there’s an influx of movers from the Northeast, some from California and many from the Midwest.

‘But I plan to continue living in the house. It is my only property and my work is based in the area for the time being.’

“Overall, I think buying the house was a good decision,” Cavanagh concluded.

“Smart people just don’t buy real estate to make money; they buy to have a great place to live – and to avoid losing money.”

However, the controversial house still provokes reactions.

“I think the fact that my house was on Zillow Gone Wild and that there used to be a ‘For Sale’ sign in the yard both attracted a lot of attention,” Cavanagh admitted.

‘It’s a bit more subdued now, but I occasionally see random people driving by or walking by and making comments.

‘I still get jokes too. Some friends socially introduce me as “the guy who bought the skinny house.”

Cavanagh said he first came across the property during plans to downsize after his children moved out of their family home.

He sold his 3,700-square-foot home in 2020 and started renting a townhouse, hoping the market would adjust.

But after years of spending money on rent, Cavanagh decided it was time to invest in real estate again.

Last June, he called a real estate friend in Jacksonville Beach and they visited three houses.

“None of them felt right,” Cavanagh wrote. But when they found the skinny house, they called him back and said, ‘I have something you need to see. It’s really unique.’

“The moment I walked into the house, I turned to my real estate agent and said, ‘I’ll take it,’” Cavanagh recalls.

‘I made an offer the same day I viewed the house. It was accepted and we closed in just 30 days. I bought it in early June for just over $600,000.”

Cavanagh said he was attracted to the “quiet and peaceful” surrounding neighborhood.

He also eventually met the home’s builder, John Atkins, who explained that he had owned the lot for a long time.

Neighbors had wanted to buy the land from Atkins, but he declined, as he initially looked at plans to build a 15-foot-wide house.

The city shot down his first round of blueprints, so he downsized them to meet requirements. “That’s how the unique design came about,” Cavanagh said.