The housing market has exploded in many parts of North American, making first time home buying considerably more expensive, and even unaffordable to many individuals. Because of this, more and more potential home owners are thinking outside of the box to meet their housing needs. With that in mind, here are a few unique and unconventional trends that have swept the housing market over the past few years:

1. Shipping container conversions
Human beings have been converting buildings for as long as we’ve been buying homes. However, one of the more surprising trends has been an increase toward shipping container conversions as homes. Shipping container architecture employs steel intermodal containers (or shipping containers) as structural elements, turned into beautiful, elaborate, and modern homes. Shipping container homes are also considered more eco-friendly than traditional building materials such as brick and cement builds.

2. Trailers and recreational vehicles
Mobile homes have always been popular among homeowners, although used trailers or recreational vehicles, known as RVs, are still considered outside the box. Having said that, many who can’t afford a traditional brick or cement home are converting trailers into cozy living spaces. While they may not offer the same amount of space as a traditional home, RVs can be customized and upgraded to include every aspect of a home-sweet-home, with full baths and soaker tubs, full kitchens, etc.

3. Earthships
If you’re after eco-friendly, self-sustaining living, an earthship may be your next home sweet home. Earthships are constructed from all recycled or natural materials. They also depend on natural sources of energy, such as geothermal, wind-powered, and/or solar power, with water taken from rain barrels.

4. Tiny houses
These prefabricated houses are often called tiny homes, are built to owner specifications off-site and transported to the property. The premade nature of tiny homes ensures zero waste during construction. Tiny Homes are designed and built based on a solo (or in some cases a couples) exact needs so they use a lot of hidden compartments and foldaway furniture (i.e., kitchen table, beds, etc.) so they don’t feel cramped.