More advancements in medicine, technology and communication have occurred since I graduated high school than in the entirety of all the calendar years beginning with 19. Yet, as the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
“Change does not change tradition,” lectured the late Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , “it strengthens it. Change is a challenge and an opportunity, not a threat.”
Being surrounded by the unknown is scary, I get it! Two decades ago, I was immersed in a different culture, limitedly learning a different language and new way of life. There were familiar characteristics in my new community like those where I came from: the local military presence reminded me of my own father’s army days, one corner of town had a mom-n-pop bakery and another housed a KFC similar to my Collin County roots, and the school I taught in had performance expectations that would make the most strict STAAR proctor proud.
Familiar felt safe. Familiar felt like home. Yet, I wasn’t home and the locals around me didn’t live like I was used to, they lived together as a multi-generational unit with grandparents and cousins and parents and grandchildren and aunts and uncles all under one roof. Coming from a culture of grown and flown, it was difficult to wrap my head around or appreciate.
Fast-forward to 2023, when what then seemed so odd, is becoming more the norm. It’s estimated that 18% of the US population shares a multi-generation household, quadrupling from 1971-2021. Those choosing this dynamic site 3 specific reasons: financial, emotional and care-giving (of children and elderly alike).
As a Realtor, multi-generational living … having a household including 2 or more adult generations, typically over 25, under one roof or a household with skipped generations (grandparents raising grandchildren) … has become more than a buzz-word for marketing. Multi-generational is a way of life for many of clients!
There are three layout plans that anyone needing a multi-generation configuration should consider:
Split Bedrooms: In a property with a split bedroom floor plan, the main bedroom or suite is separated from the rest of the rooms in the house. So you’ll have the main bedroom on one end of the house, then the common living spaces in the middle, and the other bedrooms grouped together on the other side of the house. This plan is often sought out by parents whose older children still live at home or have returned after college. The secondary bedrooms likely share a common bath, yet the separation from the primary bedroom affords everyone privacy.
Dual Masters: A home with dual master suites comes with two separate (and spacious) master bedrooms with their own en-suite bathrooms, often at opposite sides of the home. This plan is desirable for families with two adult couples residing in the home, especially if one is elderly and needs assistance with cooking or other daily care items. Each couple has their space to retreat, and the ability to share the day-to-day living.
Separate suite with private entry: A property with a contained multi-generation wing with similarities to an apartment having its own kitchen, bath, and living within the exterior walls and under the same “roof” as the primary residence. It may or may not have direct access from the suite to the primary residence. Homeowners who have adult children not ready to fly the coop, or elderly parents that are self-reliant though need financial assistance appreciate this arrangement. The property has one address and is not to be confused with a duplex or townhouse.
Given my past life, the concept of multi-generational living is not new, yet for the DFW market it is, and it’s a growing concept that is fast becoming the a family tradition.