Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen and Mike Goins.
Like many blended families, Karen and Mike Goins had a lot of stress in their lives! Being a blended couple, for them meant there was always at least one child who needed extra attention and support due to personal conflicts/ addiction/abandonment/depression/school/or financial issues. Their favorite way of healthily dealing with the stress of life was to sneak away whenever they could to find healing and rest in the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country.
When the last child moved out, the search for the “perfect” land and the eco-friendly house began. They found 9.75 hilltop acres just outside of San Antonio which came with a small 1950’s home that needed major updating and signed a contract on it the same day they saw it for the first time with the intent of transitioning it into a well-designed “green” home that took advantage of all the spectacular views. Their plan was to remodel the poor house there into an eco-friendly energy efficient 1-bedroom home.
Unfortunately, with that plan, there was no place for the children to stay when they wanted to visit. With that challenge in mind, they built a 2-bedroom guesthouse with screened porch attached to the main house by a deck. This allowed them to remail energy efficient (heating and cooling only that square footage that they lived for most of the time) while affording everyone both privacy and connectivity. While the kids loved it, much of the time, the beautiful space was not being used.
Mike had a brainstorm and suggested they share that space and the beautiful land with others. If the Hill Country helped keep them sane, it probably would help others – and indeed it has.
“Everyone has some sort of stress,” shares Karen, “and benefits from tucking into nature.” As the guest house was specifically built so those who stay could watch the sun go down, feel the breeze on their faces in order to “help blow away the stress of the day.”
Within the year, Karen and Mike had their guest house set up with Air B&B and they were renting it to others like them who needed a peaceful getaway and appreciated the Hill Country views, the dark star-filled skies, and watching birds gracefully glide along the thermals all while exploring some of the coolest small cities in Texas. Because Karen and Mike both like to cook, the breakfasts they serve are a 5-star, Artisan, organic, beautifully plated and breakfast is usually where they get a chance to get to know their guests on a personal basis. Karen is also a licensed massage therapist and former wellness director, so solo wellness retreats are one of the specialty items they like to fold into the mix at Bella Green. Mike really enjoys meeting and greeting people from all over the world and is happy to share his expertise on everything Tiny.
Karen and Mike added an escape Tiny House to their rental mix last year and people from all over the US, Europe, and the Pacific Rim Stayed there during 2017. Forbes magazine has called this model “the most beautiful Tiny House in the World” and those who have stayed there agree! Tucked into the trees away from both the main house and guest house, it has its own private view and fire pit area.
In 2017, both retired from teaching college and they now focus exclusively on their B&B and their own line of Tiny Houses. They find it to be an entrepreneur’s dream and dare we say, a match made in heaven as blended partners who consider it their Mission to help others rebalance, refresh, and create a perfect getaway experience.
At the moment, Bella Green has their guesthouse and two tiny houses listed with air B&B and one of their former guests recently made them a collaborative offer that was too good to pass up. Starting in February, Bella Green will tout a new high-end Planisphere on the property (think Yurt – but better!). Owned by their former guest and managed by Bella Green, Karen and Mike are also now representatives for PlenipherE for those seeking alternative eco-friendly spaces.
When asked, Karen always says, “It’s been a wonderful journey – one we feel very blessed to be a part of. It has been a true joy to provide esthetically beautiful small spaces and share with others so that they too can experience the joy that comes from magical views, healthy organic food, and being far, far away from the maddening crowd.” Mike could not agree more!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There was a sign above the driveway gate when they went to the property the first time that that made them know moving here was the right decision. Etched in wood was Jeremiah 29:11 ” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ”
With that as a spiritual compass, they placed an offer and owned it within 30 days. Overall, it is has been a very positive journey with very few challenges overall.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Bella Green B&B I Tiny Houses story. Tell us more about the business.
Karen and Mike Goins, along with their rescue cockapoo, Sadie, welcome you to the “little piece of heaven” they lovingly call Bella (Beautiful in Italian) and Green (because of the green hills and because it is eco-friendly).
Karen is a “people person” who enjoys nurture, nature, and life. She is a licensed massage therapist, a certified wellness practitioner/life coach and retreat facilitator. She has been a communications professor, healthy living magazine publisher, wellness director and talk-radio show host. Her passions include living creatively, finding joy and sacred in simple things, eating healthy and giving back. She is originally from the suburbs of Chicago, and loves abstract art, relaxing in nature, eclectic music and dancing, reading clubs, sculpture, photography, sustainable living and healthy cooking.
Mike is an introspective and creative thinker, a tiny house advocate, designer and sales representative, a self-taught chef, and has a passion for writing novels. A former English professor, business consultant, and real estate broker he loves his eclectic life of helping others reach their Tiny House goals, writing in between, and supporting the B&B. He has a historical fiction trilogy with his agent. A natural born Texan, he spends a large chunk of his time reading, writing, visiting guests, and on rare occasions, watching cooking shows and the history channel.
Together, they moved to this beautiful just under 10-acre property to establish Natural Awakenings “healthy living” Magazine, wanting to educate the community on all things healthy, well, and green with a goal of connecting readers to quality providers in the area. After selling the magazine in 2011, they opened their guest house to those wanting a warm, welcoming and peaceful get-away. They added their first Tiny House to their rental options in 2016, and shortly thereafter, started selling Tiny Houses and Tiny Shells to the community at a very affordable price which can be shipped anywhere in the Continental U.S.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
We were lucky to have found the property where we live and work. It was exactly at the maximum price point we could afford, and for not really knowing what we were doing, we have done a great job overall. When it came time to find the correct tiny house builders to work with, Karen had a job working at Southwest Airlines for about 8 months, so flying to California, Wisconsin, and Oregon to interview prospective Tiny House companies with which to collaborate with, was free – as long as we flew “stand-by”.
Pricing:
- * B&B Overnight start at $135/night
- * Well Built Tiny House Shells for DIYs start at $26,500
- * Well Built fully Functional Tiny Houses start at $38,900
Contact Info:
- Website: bella-green.com / bellagreentinyhouses.com
- Phone: 210-251-5766
- Email: askkaren@gmail.com
- Instagram: bellagreentinyhouses
- Facebook: facebook.com/BellaGreenBnB/
- Twitter: BellaGreebBnB
- Yelp: https://www.facebook.com/BellaGreenBnB/
- Other: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21562033?
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
