The appeal of yurts is growing both nationally and internationally. More and more people are craving to live in a natural setting. Of course, there are a lot of unique details to look into before buying a yurt. Below we provide some ideas and questions for you to consider prior to purchasing your new yurt.

What Is Your Yurt’s Purpose?

How your yurt will be used should be decided first as it determines so many design details and the amenities you choose. Deciding whether it will be a primary home, a vacation cottage, an office, fitness studio, or a source of additional income through rental or an Airbnb-type option will make a difference in budget, size, and much more.

Where Will You Put Your Yurt?

The next thing to nail down is where you will build your yurt. You need to consider the energy sources you will use, such as solar power,  and water sources when thinking of your ideal location. You will want to research your options for heating, electricity, and plumbing. Every state has different zoning requirements and codes that must be adhered to so researching and understanding those restrictions are important before building your yurt platform begins.

Choosing a Yurt Size and Features

Yurts for sale come in various sizes. Pacific Yurts offers yurt sizes from 12’ in diameter (115 square feet), to 30’ in diameter (706 square feet). Based on how you choose to use your yurt, you’ll need to plan what furniture or items you’ll want to fit into your floor plan. We offer a helpful gallery, virtual tours, and an online 3D Yurt Builder Tool to help you visualize and plan your dream yurt.

Yurt sizes are measured by diameter. A standard yurt kit will include the lattice wall, the rafters, a center ring, doors, windows, top cover, and hardware, such as the tension cable. Custom features, which include various wall, door, window and roof options, and more are also available.

Financing Your Yurt

Financing a yurt is usually done via a personal line of credit through a local credit union or a bank. Many will also just use a credit card. Keep in mind that since yurts are often viewed as portable living spaces, some lenders may not recognize them as traditional homes. In that case, you may be taking out a loan on the land for the yurt.

Affordable yurts make great options as an investment. Yurts are very straightforward to set up as vacation rentals. They also make wonderful office spaces and business sites. In general, they have a very quick return on investment, especially as rental properties for vacations. Many of our customers have purchased a yurt to use as AirBnb rentals and successfully created additional income for themselves and their families.

Yurt Manufacturers

Choosing the company that you buy your yurt from will make all the difference. The best yurt companies don’t make claims of being the highest quality for the lowest price. Instead, they focus on what matters most to you. Offering the features, amenities, and customer service to make your yurt buying process as easy as possible. Keep in mind that yurt components are not compatible between different brands of yurt, so you will likely be dealing with the same company for a long time for repairs and service.

Talk to Other Customers

Look into the possibility of visiting customers near you to see the yurts they purchased or read other customers’ stories. Asking other yurt owners questions online or in forums and Facebook groups is a great way to better prepare your family for the process.

Here are some questions to explore with other yurt owners about the companies they purchased from:

• Was your yurt delivered on time and did it meet your expectations?
• Were there hidden costs to purchasing your yurt?
• How hard was it to construct your yurt?
• What would you have liked to have known before starting the yurt buying process?
• What are the pros and cons you would mention now that you have experienced living in a yurt?
• How was the customer experience with the yurt manufacturer throughout the buying process, and after?

Yurt companies are still somewhat few and far between, so it’s important to check them out thoroughly. Many have put up websites that make incredible claims, but that doesn’t mean they are a good company. You should look into their ratings on the Better Business Bureau site and on Dun & Bradstreet. Also, if you are doing comparison shopping for price, be aware that a lower price may mean poorer quality. A quality yurt is something that should last for decades. With less-than-quality materials, it may not last even a few years. Resorts and commercial operators will understand that purchases based solely on price lead to frustration, increased maintenance costs, and reduced revenue.

Difference in Designs

Because yurt companies’ designs are different, parts are not interchangeable between different brands. You are going to want to find a company that you can stick with long-term. Also, because yurts are such a unique product, you will want to work with a company that has a very good customer service department—one that is ready and willing to answer all of your questions.

Never be afraid to call a company to learn more about their brand and services. This can be a very eye-opening exercise for both research purposes and to get an idea of a company’s knowledge. What you want and need in a yurt can be discussed with representatives of any yurt company to get a fuller understanding of your options.

Purchasing a Yurt with Pacific Yurts

Pacific Yurts is rated very highly and is the most established and trusted modern yurt manufacturing company in the world. Prices for our standard yurts are very reasonable, especially considering the overall quality. We also offer custom features, such as our Glass Window System, our snow and wind kits, or one of the many stunning options we have for doors.

Visit our website for a full view of standard and custom features or contact our team directly to learn more about the yurt structures Pacific Yurts has for sale.

Looking for yurt inspiration? Check out our Instagram today!

Review our helpful “How to Buy a Yurt” infographic guide below, and download it here.