7 Benefits of Living in a Backyard House as a Young Adult

In 2018, the national average on rent for a 1-bedroom apartment was $1,140. And in California it ranges from $1,000 for just a bedroom, not to mention a one 1-bedroom apartment for anywhere between $2,000 and $3,000 depending on the area. As you can imagine, this amount isn’t within budget for a lot of people, especially young adults who are just starting on the next chapters of their lives.

A viable alternative to renting a 1-bedroom apartment is living in a backyard house. This is a solution that parents can help with so you have somewhere to live while transitioning to adulthood–helping in a way to provides not just a home for their kids starting up, but a long-term flexible investment that can help the family for years to come.

Here are 7 benefits of living in a backyard house as a young adult.

1. You’re Close to Your Family

A backyard house enables multi-generational families to live together without feeling cramped inside the family home. You’ll get to live in your own home, have your space, and gain independence..

All of life’s challenges will be the same, but if you ever have any difficulties, or you just miss your family members, all you have to do is walk out your backyard house and into the family house, and you’re among your loved ones again. This can be a great cure for homesickness, but really it’s a fantastic way to cherish and celebrate the continuity between a nuclear family. In a busy, crazy world quality time becomes precious.

2. It’s Less Expensive

Pooling the family resources to build a backyard house is a common strategy. Many families invest together for the long-term benefit of lower cost living and mortgages that in many areas in california are nearly half the cost of monthly rent, even three times less that care facilities for older homeowners.

Either way, in most cases, this will work out to be cheaper than moving into your own apartment month to month. Plus, you’ll have the support of your loved ones conveniently outside your door.

3. You’ll Have a Smaller Carbon Footprint

Since your backyard house will be smaller than a single family home, it’ll naturally use up fewer resources to heat up or cool down your home. This also means it’ll produce less waste and less monthly cost, even in expensive utility areas. If you’re an eco-conscious person, this can be a great plus to living in a backyard house as opposed to a larger apartment or home.

Consuming fewer resources andlower utility bills is something we can all support. This will help you save up more money while you’re living on your parents’ property.

4. It’s a Unique Living Experience

The majority of people live with their parents, move out to an apartment in college, and then purchase either a larger apartment, and eventually a home so they can accommodate their partners and future children.

But how many of them ever live in a backyard house? More than you’d think. Having the connectivity of family and multigenerational living is on the rise, especially in California. Generations are living together, longer and we see dozens of families every month that are looking to create a unique living experience and long-term family plan. Many families currently building ADUs or backyard houses, are mentioning things like closeness to family, a shared yard, and even built in babysitting as unique, but rewarding perks for the life style.

5. You Get a Yard

Even if you could afford rent on your own, most apartments don’t have a great view or yard to enjoy. The backyard house would go in the yard of your parents’ property, which means you probably have a nice, natural place right outside your door.

The exterior living space of a backyard house is as important as the interior, in fact, considering landscaping is an important part of any real ADU design process.

6. You Get Privacy

The only way to truly get privacy is if you live somewhere that doesn’t have shared walls. If you rent a room in an apartment or home, you’ll definitely have shared walls, roomates, or share utilities and amenities. If you rent your own apartment, you may get lucky and have one or two walls that aren’t shared, but the greater space will never really be your own.

In a detached ADU, backyard house, none of your walls are shared, which means you enjoy a great deal of privacy when compared with other housing options.

7. Your House Can Be Repurposed

Once you’reyou’re ready to move out and make it on your own, the money you or your parents have spent on the backyard house won’t be wasted. It can be used for your siblings, guests, elderly family, or even by your parents for aging-in-place. You backyard house can even become a source of revenue. Either for you or your parents and be rented it out to new tenants to earn a little bit of extra money on the side.

Whatever it is you do with your backyard house, it certainly won’t sit empty and unused.

Consider Moving into a Backyard House

If you’re a young adult who wants to get out of your parents’ house but aren’t quite ready to move out yet, we highly suggest living in a backyard house. That way, you’re still within reach of your family, but can lead a comfortable, private,independent life away from them.

Its a story we hear every day and an investment that makes sense for a lot of families. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch with us today.