Tiny homes have been done to death but what if you could haul your two-bedroom house right down the American highways? That was the ambitious goal of Jessie Lipskin, a visionary who is reluctantly parting with the retrofitted bus, which she first found on eBay.
“It was love at first sight,” she told Apartment Therapy. “It took three years from purchase to completion, with lots of ups and downs. It was a labor of love and I felt a true sense of accomplishment once everything came together.”
Lipskin, who grew up in Manhattan, was used to living and working in smaller square footage and limited space so the bus became something of a luxury for her.
The bus has two sleeping areas and a full-sized bath, with room to sleep up to four people. Brand-new hardwood flooring is accented by LED lighting throughout, including dimmers for tranquil ambience. A full kitchen is accompanied by an energy-efficient washing machine and drying spinner as well as two central air-conditioning units.
Lipskin’s introduction to this alternative sustainable lifestyle came via the documentary Garbage Warrior, in which eco-architect Michael Reynolds designs and builds earthships comprised entirely of recycled materials. However, traditional recreational vehicles didn’t ring her bell, so she landed on this vintage bus conversion that she was able to register and insure as an RV.
All in all, Lipskin spent more than $70,000 on mechanics, restoration and even a master carpenter to do all the custom woodwork. The only thing that embarrasses her about her mobile home? She can’t drive it herself — she learned to drive in New York City in her mid-twenties and hasn’t learned how to drive a stick shift.
Alas, all good things must come to an end and Lipskin has put the old girl on the market for $149,000.
“I am selling my home mainly due to the large size,” she told Apartment Therapy. It’s just too big for me to drive on my own. I work remotely, and have the opportunity to travel internationally for a while, which I want to experience in full. After that I’d love to return to tiny home life, something a bit more manageable to me to drive on my own — a Sprinter conversion or a towed Airstream trailer.”
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