When Yeli Heidecker and her husband, Benjamin, both 32, decided they were going to downsize to a barndominium — a building designed to look like a barn, but with a traditional living space inside — they started looking for the perfect lot.
In early 2024, the couple purchased a two-acre lot in west-central Texas for $45,000 and began construction on the barndominium. Around the same time, they convinced Yeli’s mom, Liliana Villanueva, to move down and live in an RV on the property.
Yeli says Villanueva was experiencing some health issues at the time. And because she is a stay-at-home mom and content creator, Yeli says it would be easy to be around to help her mom. Plus, the idea of having her kids’ grandmother close by sounded amazing, she adds.
But shortly after the couple moved into the barndominium in late 2025, they began considering a more permanent living arrangement for Villanueva, Yeli says.
“We were afraid she was gonna trip and fall and hurt herself or something. We had the bright idea to do a tiny barndo like ours, but we’ll do it ourselves,” Yeli tells CNBC Make It.
