I'm a 64-year-old retiree who bought a tiny home after my divorce. It gave me a fresh start I could afford.
Margot Hollander Samira Kafala for BI After her divorce, Margot Hollander bought a tiny home in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Hollander, 64, bought the house in cash as it was difficult to get a mortgage as a retiree. Hollander said living in a tiny home village is sociable and has given her a fresh start in life. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Margot Hollander, 64, a retired dance teacher and project manager. She lives in the Dutch tiny home village of Minitopia, Eindhoven. The piece has been edited for length and clarity. After my divorce , I had to find somewhere to live. The rental market was tough, and as a retiree, my options for buying were limited without a mortgage. I first came across Eindhoven's Minitopia project in the news a few years back. When I started looking for a home in late 2023, at age 62, I found a tiny house there on a real-estate website. I booked a viewing and quickly made an offer. I paid about $143,000 in cash for the ti...
