Tiny homes are very “in” right now, as Americans everywhere have realized that they are both cozy and cost effective.
Jessie Lipskin of Asbury Park, New Jersey grew up in a small home, so she always knew that she could make due living in a tiny home as an adult.
“I’ve always been very organized and love the idea of holding onto only what you really need,” she explained. “For me, that mainly includes things that hold sentimental value, particularly items that were handed down to me from my family.”
This is why Jessie made the unorthodox decision to buy a vintage bus and transform it into a beautiful tiny home!
Jessie spent three years renovating the bus after she found it on eBay, and it’s safe to say that her hard work paid off!
It cost Jessie $7,000 to buy the 1966 GMC Commuter Greyhound and another $125,000 on the renovation. For her, however, it was all worth it.
“When I walk in, it feels huge,” she said. “It feels even bigger than my New York City apartment.”
The bus is around 400-square-feet and has about 100,000 miles on it. Though Jessie typically likes doing projects herself, she knew she needed help to make this dream a reality.
“I love DIY, however, I don’t have experience with plumbing, electrical, carpentry needed for this project,” she said.
“The big challenge was that it was very different from working on a home that’s fixed in one location,” she continued. “I constantly had to account for movement, on top of that the angles of the bus and slanted style windows made it challenging to design the best possible layout and curved woodworking. Levels were useless as the bus incline changes depending on location, it was all about calculating angles. This added a lot of time onto the project.”
Jessie painted the interior of the bus white to make it look more modern, and she also removed all the seats and sold them to a local restaurant.
One of the best parts of the home is the large kitchen that includes a large sink and stove.
“Went with the IGLOO (33 in. W 5.5 cu. ft.) Side by Side Refrigerator in Silver, Counter Depth from Home Depot. It’s a fridge/freezer,” she said.
“The bathroom has mahogany wood slotted flooring that drains for drying off post-shower,” Jessie said. “The shower drain connects to the floor drain and they both lead to the gray water tank which is mounted under the bus.”
Believe it or not, Jessie did not have a driver’s license when she bought the bus!
“I can’t drive it myself! I grew up in New York City and I finally learned how to drive in my mid-twenties. Unfortunately, I have yet to learn how to drive a stick shift!” she said. “I have made lots of friends with the ability to drive a manual 40-foot bus without power steering!”
This is why Jessie is selling her tiny bus, and it is currently listed at $149,000!
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