Multiple family generations living under the same roof can be easier than it seems with a new homebuilding trend designed to keep families together in all stages of life.
It’s what’s called a multigenerational home-within-a-home concept. Homebuilders Lennar and Village Builders were the first to offer a Next Gen design in Houston, but more are catching on.
“It’s becoming more popular as the cost of skilled care and independent living is on the rise,” says Realtor Carol Knott Tefft. “It is a fairly new concept, or I guess it’s a return to an old concept.”
The idea is simple: aging parents or adult children have their own suite built onto an existing home floor plan. They can maintain their own bedroom, living space, even a separate kitchen space apart from the main family home. The extra suite allows residents—especially aging parents—to feel independent, maintain their own lives and privacy, yet remain close to loved ones. No more taking a long drive or flight to visit grandparents who live far away. This concept keeps families seamlessly connected.
“It seems to strike a balance between convenience and assistance,” Carol says.
In recent years, a record 64 million people—roughly 20 percent of the country’s population—reported living in a multigenerational home. Buyers choose multigenerational homes for different reasons. Some want to keep a close watch on their aging parents’ health or safety. Some young families might need a grandparent around to help with small children. Still others might want a living space for working-aged children who might be in a transition between college and career. The extra space can even come in handy when extended family members decide to visit.
“In a lot of cases you design it to fit your lifestyle,” Carol says.
Designs can be simple or complex. This month’s featured home is a semi-custom build from luxury home builders, Toll Brothers. The house, located in Woodson’s Reserve in Spring, was designed for a retired couple and an elderly mother. It is a one story, three bedroom, four bathroom design with an attached living suite for the mother. The family chose a floor plan they liked, Carol says, and Toll Brothers remade the design. Everyone has their own private patio access and the family even added extra storage space for the mother’s collectibles.
“You allow for things that are important for the resident,” Carol says.
With so many custom additions, Carol advises buyers interested in next generation homes to allow for extra building time and costs. These are not the type of homes a buyer can simply purchase, as they are seldom built with specifications to fit each family's unique needs. Costs can also vary widely depending on how luxurious or modest features the owners prefer. In the long run, however, Carol says the homes have the potential to save homeowners money. Families can combine incomes or retirement savings and share costs such as mortgage payments, property taxes or home maintenance.
Photographs courtesy of Carol Knott Tefft