Tiny LI home with no bedroom lists for ‘budget-friendly’ $330K as experts lament affordability crisis
A tiny home on Long Island with no bedrooms has just listed for $330,000, sparking concern among residents and housing experts who say it highlights the region’s extreme affordability crisis.
The 446-square-foot property on Wyona Avenue in Selden is being advertised as a “budget-friendly” entry point for buyers hoping to break into the Long Island housing market. However, real estate professionals called the price “absurd,” while potential first-time buyers described the listing as a harsh reflection of reality.
“Affordability is a serious problem here,” said local top Realtor Jacob Simon. “In most U.S. housing markets, this price would be considered outrageous, and here it is no different—it’s just the current reality on Long Island.” Simon added that Long Island continues to be the hottest seller’s market in the nation.
The home’s listing price of $330,000 means a prospective buyer would need to put down over $65,000 for a 20% down payment. Monthly mortgage payments would be around $2,000, not including utilities, maintenance, and roughly $3,750 in annual property taxes, according to the listing’s cost calculator.
For many first-time buyers, the situation is frustrating and discouraging. Christina Bolduc, 28, who is hoping to buy a home with her husband, said seeing the listing was shocking. “Even renting is insane—$3,000 a month for a two-bedroom, not counting utilities,” she said. “This shows how out of reach homeownership has become, even for people with stable, well-paying jobs.”
Brenda Scott, 27, echoed the sentiment. “This shouldn’t even be called a house,” she said. “It has no bedrooms, yet it’s listed for this much. It’s just unbelievable.”
The listing agent, Denise Beckman, defended the property, saying it offers a way for buyers to build equity rather than pay rising rents. “With Long Island rents increasing, this home is an opportunity to personalize a space while investing in your future instead of enriching a landlord,” she told People magazine.
Simon, while acknowledging the challenges, suggested there may be hope for buyers in the future. He pointed to recent government actions that could reduce market pressures. For years, large corporations have been buying up homes on Long Island, only to rent them back at rates higher than a mortgage, driving prices up for everyone else.
However, President Trump’s January executive order now restricts Wall Street firms from acquiring single-family homes. The U.S. Senate also recently passed legislation limiting the number of single-family homes institutional investors can own to 350. In addition, Trump signed executive orders addressing construction delays and easing mortgage rules, alongside advocating for lower interest rates.
Simon noted both positives and concerns with these policies. “The ban on large corporations buying single-family homes was a step in the right direction. But simply lowering interest rates doesn’t solve the underlying problem—it could just delay the impact, making it harder for first-time buyers in the long term,” he said.
“A true solution is still needed, and unfortunately, no clear answer exists yet,” Simon concluded.
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