Have you been thinking about adding a detached mother-in-law suite to your home? Adding a personalized build to your property is a big decision, but if you have the means, it can come with some serious benefits.
You may not think that the benefits outweigh the cost of building the suite in the first place. While it can be expensive to build a mother-in-law suite, you'd be shocked at just how useful it can be, even if you don't yet have aging parents who are ready to move in.
We want to talk to you about some of the top benefits of building a detached mother-in-law suite. Read on to learn more.
You'll Improve the Quality of Life for Older Family Members
Many older adults would prefer to not move into a retirement home or active seniors community. They'd prefer to age in place, at least for the time being.
With that in mind, aging in place isn't always safe if the senior stays in their own home, especially if the home is far away from friends or family members. Many seniors experience injuries when they're at home alone, and isolation is a large problem amongst senior citizens.
So, how can you honor your loved one's desire to age independently without letting them put themselves at risk? Yes, you could move closer to your aging loved one, but there's a better option.
You could move them home with you. This is a good option, but both you and your family members may not love the idea of living in such close quarters. Everyone will have to make lifestyle adjustments and it's not uncommon for people to experience "power struggles" or conflict when aging parents move in with their adult children.
An in-law suite is the perfect solution. Your loved one will get their own private home to do with as they please and you get to stay nearby to check on them if necessary. Everyone gets to maintain their privacy and their lifestyle.
Guide the Design of Your Suite
This is a huge benefit of adding a mother-in-law apartment as one of your new home additions. You have complete control over what goes inside. It's fully customizable (within reason) so you can modify it for safety, aesthetics, and any other personal needs.
If you're moving a senior loved one into the backyard mother-in-law suite, you want to make sure that it's a safe environment. You'll likely want to avoid stairs or any other potential hazards.
You might decide to create an accessible restroom with plenty of shower bars, a place where they can sit while they bathe, and even a modified toilet. If your loved one uses a mobility device, you may also want to modify the home to make it easier for them to get around.
You can make sure that the kitchen area is safe and large enough for your loved one, that the floors are all secure, and that there are plenty of safety devices around the building.
This is also a great time to fit the home to your personal aesthetic. You can decorate and paint it as you please (or allow your loved one to do that when they move in). That's not possible if your loved one moves into a care facility or apartment.
Create a Long-Term Investment
While this isn't its primary purpose, an unused in-law suite can be a great long-term investment for the right owners.
If you've been looking for more ways to generate passive income, you can do this with your in-law suite. Whether you decide to charge your family members a small fee for staying there or you choose to make it available to travelers, this is a great option for anyone who would like to make a secondary stream of income.
You should always be thinking about generating retirement income with your home. While you should include other investments in your portfolio, this one will help boost your overall income and property value.
You also have the benefit of using it for investment purposes short-term while you wait for family members to need it. It's always better to build an in-law suite before you actually need one. You never know what's going to happen, and you want to be prepared.
Private Space for Traveling Guests
Do you love hosting people who travel to your area, but you never feel like you have enough room for everyone to get their privacy? You can use an in-law suite as a perfect guest house for all of your visitors.
An in-law suite is comfortable for long stays.. There's a full kitchen, a private sleeping area, a living area, and a private bathroom. There won't be any reason for your friends to venture into your living space unless they want to.
Your friends will be able to leave your property and go out on the town without disturbing anyone in your household, even if they stay out late or leave early in the morning.
This is also great for guests who are moving to your local area, but don't yet have a home or apartment nailed down. You can provide a safe and comfortable place for them to live short-term (with or without a small fee) so they have plenty of time to visit potential housing options without feeling too rushed.
Bonus: if your guests have pets, you're providing a much more valuable space to them than a hotel or Airbnb. They can bring their furry friends because you own the property.
Room for Your Children
Do you have children or other young family members? While they may be comfortable living in the family home, for now, there will come a time when they want to venture out on their own. Unfortunately, with the current housing crisis, this is going to be challenging.
Having a separate in-law suite might be the solution. It's not completely private, but it's private enough for adult children to feel comfortable living on your property even when they want to boost their own independence.
This is even applicable to teenagers. If your home is feeling a bit overcrowded and you have an older teen in your home, especially a first-year college student or 18-year-old worker, an in-law suite is a great first step into independence while you're still available to watch the child, cover some expenses, and provide help when necessary.
What if your children have already moved out?
When your children come to visit you, they may not want to spend time in the family home (especially if they have partners or children of their own). The mother-in-law suite is a perfect solution.
They get to maintain their privacy and spend time with the family when they're ready to do so.
Boost Your Property Value
Many people worry that building an in-law suite on their property isn't worthwhile because they don't plan on living there "forever." It's true that building an in-law suite is expensive, but it will boost your property value.
Again, it's an investment that you'll reap the benefits of long after you sell your home.
You're adding extra square footage to your home when you add an in-law suite. You're also giving any future owner the ability to do whatever they like with your in-law suite building.
Someone may choose to use the building as an investment property. Someone with that in mind will pay much more for your home than you'd expect.
Think of your in-law suite as you would any other potential home addition or renovation. There are many buyers out there who are just waiting for your home because of your in-law suite. And will pay a premium to get it.
Save Money
Yes, creating your own in-law suite is going to be expensive, but you may end up saving money in the long run if you play your cards right.
Consider the high costs of assisted living. Some people pay up to $4,000 per month just for a small assisted living room or apartment (It can be even more if you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area). While this fee comes with professional caregivers, it's still too much for most people to afford.
As long as your loved one doesn't need full-time medical care, it may be a better idea to have them live with you in their own in-law suite. The suite will pay for itself.
This is also true if you're giving that space to a child who would otherwise be living in a dorm or apartment. It's far more affordable for them to live in the in-law suite, even if you're charging them a small amount of rent than it would be for them to move elsewhere. All while growing your property value.
A Great Place for a Nanny, Caregiver, or Other Live-In Aid
So what if your aging loved one does need a caregiver? What if you love the idea of hiring a live-in nanny for your children, but you don't have enough room for them in your home?
When you have an in-law suite, this doesn't have to be an issue. You can have a full-time nanny or caregiver on your property without them having to sleep inside your home.
This is more comfortable for everyone involved. They get to keep their privacy and have friends over, while you get to spend time with your family without them being in the house.
They'll be available to help whenever you need them with no need for a long commute.
Family Will Be Closer Than Ever
Did you know that having close family relationships, especially between grandparents and grandchildren, is great for childhood development?
Children who have plenty of access to their grandparents have fewer behavioral and emotional issues. They also gain more access to their heritage and they may develop a stronger sense of self.
Having grandparents nearby can also take some stress off of parents. Grandparents are able to care for children and take on some responsibility (as long as they're in good health).
Building an in-law suite allows you to bring your aging parents closer so they can see their grandchildren as often as they'd like (without getting too overbearing or overwhelmed in the family home).
A Great Home Office
Are you one of the many people who switched to a remote work lifestyle? If you or someone in your household is working from home, an in-law suite is the perfect home office.
Having a dedicated home office is essential for full-time remote work. Working in a bedroom or living room can make it hard to separate "work" and "home." This can make it difficult to have a good work/life balance, even if you expected the balance to be better when you were no longer working in the office.
Set up your in-law suite as a home office and get ready to make work feel like "work" again.
Plenty of Alternative Uses
If you don't need a home office, you have no adult children, and you're not yet ready to bring an aging family member to stay with you, there are still plenty of alternative things that you can do with your in-law suite.
Consider using it for small gatherings so you don't disrupt other members of your household. You could also turn it into a temporary art or fitness studio.
This is a whole extra building that you're adding to your property. Use it as you please!
Time to Build Your Detached Mother-in-Law Suite
A detached mother-in-law suite is more than meets the eye. It's great for your entire family, even if no one needs to live in it full-time. It's a fantastic investment and it gives you plenty of extra room on your property.Are you ready to build your in-law suite? At Acton ADU, we aim to provide the best accessory dwelling units around. Contact us to learn more and get started today.
