BACKYARD INNOVATION

Minimal Living Concepts’ Zander Diamont and Jared Amzallag offer a modern twist on casitas

BY MELISSA HIRSCHL / PHOTO BY CLAUDIA JOHNSTONE

The brainchild of entrepreneurs Zander Diamont and Jared Amzallag, Minimal Living Concepts (MLC) is revolutionizing the world of guest houses. Sleek, streamlined, and versatile, they are ideal as casitas, office spaces, hobby rooms, pool houses, or detached guest homes for multigenerational living. Plus, they have the same ambiance as a contemporary condo.

“It is exciting to be in this new sector of development,” Diamont says.

Friends and business partners, Diamont and Amzallag garnered a wealth of business savvy while living in Los Angeles. Diamont’s background is selling luxury real estate, and Amzallag’s is running a creative advertising agency. Their complementary skills paved the way for their future endeavor.

While in Los Angeles, the duo contemplated possibilities for their shared passion: real estate. Amzallag had returned to his hometown of Scottsdale to visit relatives many times during the pandemic and was familiar with the atmosphere. They ultimately chose Arizona, a fast-growing state with a business-friendly climate and booming real estate market.

“We quickly realized this was the place for us to be,” Diamont says. “The first thing we did was buy an acre of land in the central corridor of Phoenix to build townhomes on. However, due to a drawn-out zoning issue, we had time to focus on the alternative housing business, which was always of interest to us.”

In 2020, COVID-19 emerged and working from home became the “new normal.” This provided the genesis for their endeavor. Realizing the challenge of working without distractions, Diamont and Amzallag devised their innovative solution that would benefit not only those working from home but anyone needing a home extension or casita – and that’s how MLC (www. minimallivingconcepts.com) was born.

Currently, MLC homes come in four styles with varying square footage and floor plans range from studios to three bedrooms. The service is completely turnkey, meaning the company handles everything –builders, project managers, schedules, architectural documents, soil testing, plumbers, and electricians. Cabinetry and flooring (concrete or white oak) are included as well. The entire process is seamless as customers can go to their website, select one of their predesigned floor plans, and have a finished unit in six to seven months.