Shipping container home lands inside the Loop

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- One swashbuckling South Union-area entrepreneur is making a move in a nascent community while other real estate investors' interests are focused elsewhere.

Sean Krieger, originally from College Station, has worked in the Houston real estate market in some form or another for the past five years. The 24-year-old is taking on his most ambitious project to date: building a home from the ground up and putting it on the market.

What's unique about Krieger's listing is his material: four steel shipping containers compose the home's sidewalls, with a built-out section in between to lend some additional width. It allows him to keep his costs to a minimum while providing for amenities not normally found within the home's price range.

The South Union neighborhood hasn't attracted as much interest as other Houston-area neighborhoods from developers and renovators recently, but Krieger has planted his flag on LeHall Street and hopes to have gotten wise before everybody else.

Given the home's proximity to the medical center and higher learning -- there are three universities in a five square mile radius -- Krieger is pitching the duplex to investors as an ideal rental home for college students and young professionals. Each floor includes its own washer and dryer units and Krieger has plans to install stained wood floors, ceiling fans, granite counter tops and a floating island in the kitchen.

There were some learning curves along the way, as well as unique challenges resulting from his choice of building material. A pitched roof was built to combat potential issues stemming from standing water, and some electrical outlets needed re-spacing after initial installation, but Krieger's shipping container home is now ready to enter the market.

Krieger and his realtor have held a number of open houses already.

Krieger said, "I've had plenty of people who, after seeing the house, have asked me if I could build something similar on their lots. I've already drawn up several models in designing this home, and that's definitely an idea worth exploring."

Krieger can hardly contain himself when outlining his plans for his fledgling company in anticipation of knocking over the first domino. "Once this house sells we want to build ten or more right after, hopefully by the beginning of next year," he said.

The entire house is listed for $270,000 while each floor is individually priced at $140,000. For more information on the listing, including viewing dates, contact Jessica McCreary, and email kriegercontainers@gmail.com if you're interested in working with Sean and his container home company.