MULTI-GENERATIONAL LIVING - ARE YOU IN THIS CATEGORY?

I do not have children and my parents are healthy and doing well. But many friends and colleagues fall into this category. We are Gen X. in our late 50’s or 60’s with kids living at home still or recently back from 4 years of college life and looking for that new job.

And whether you have one or both parents still alive, they may be living with you now as well due to finances or health issues they cannot manage on their own at a distance.

So, multi-generational housing isn’t a new phenomenon to the housing market. Immigration in the late 1800’s through the 1940’s shows families relocating to the US lived with multi-generations. In San Francisco, Victorian flats were a popular option, often built with 2, 3 or 4 floors of separate living spaces. Families would live in the same building on separate floors. At that time, gathering on Sunday for an ALL-family meal was commonplace. This living arrangement allowed for grandparents to be after-school caregivers and babysitters for other occasions. The adult kids were around to keep an eye on mom and dad.

Fast forward to today. People are building ADU’s to accommodate parents or kids or both. During the pandemic many households figured out that having everyone at home at once did not work or spaces were modified to accommodate the change in lifestyle. So, ADU’s, Accessory Dwelling Units, can be incorporated into an

existing home or be built detached. Most cities and counties provide an expedited process for detached units.

If you’ve been through this lifestyle of caring for adult children or aging parents or both, please share your experience with a younger person that is just starting or currently dealing with this type of situation. This is an area that most of us have not prepared for.

From a real estate perspective, I can help with an assessment of your current

home and possible solutions to accommodate 3 or even 4 generations under one roof. Whether that’s reconfiguring space, adding on, adding an ADU or possibly buying a larger home, call me!