I turned my backyard barn into a studio apartment

Damn the real estate market: this woman built her own house.

Indeed, the cunning Texan turned the backyard shack into a one-bedroom apartment.

“Hey everyone, watch me and my parents flip this [12-by-24-foot] a barn in a tiny house for me,” says TikTok user Annette in a video showing the barn before renovation. The clip, which has over 2.6 million views, is the first in a series in which a Southern woman documents the transformation of a building into her new home.

In later installments, Annette, her mom and dad set up a whole host of features. These include plumbing, dry walls (“The ceiling was an absolute nightmare,” she noted of this part of the process), electrical outlets, linoleum on the floor, and appliances reused from her parents’ home that they repair themselves. “We save a lot of money by doing it this way,” Annette commented on the parallel work.

When the building work was completed, Annette moved in, setting up an IKEA cork board with her sewing supplies, a Barbie shelf, a sofa, a bed, and a wall-mounted TV.

At the final inspection of the finished premises, it is hardly obvious that the device is homemade. Although hardly luxurious, it has everything you need, at least for those who are used to looking for an apartment in New York. There is a spacious living/sleeping/working area and a separate bathroom with a bathtub, sink and a rather clunky closet. The kitchen is missing the most, consisting only of a deep fryer, microwave and toaster tucked away in the corner of the bedroom.

Annette, however, says it’s more than enough and she’s “in love with the way it looks.”

The commentators were also delighted with the end result, leaving Annette messages of support and praise.

“That’s super cute! Congratulations on your new home!” one fan wrote. “Best NO RENT!” said the other.

Annette’s home is similar to that of the Georgia couple who named the 860-square-foot Home Depot home their sweet home, which they transformed into a stunning living space.