Housing trends are changing; the American family is opting to pool resources, care for relatives, and spend more time with each other across different generations. Housing prices are climbing, as are expectations for care and connection with younger and older relatives. Multigenerational homes fit the bill for both physical and psychological comfort, although they’re not without their trials.
When undertaken with planning, a multigenerational home can offer comfortable, peaceful housing for any size household.
Multigenerational living is the dwelling of at least two adult generations in the same home. It could mean two, three, or more adults in a household related by blood or marriage – such as a grandparent living with their adult child and grandchildren, or an adult child caring for their aging parent, and also having their own child in the home. Families in multigenerational homes might share communal spaces or assign their own private areas.
The interest in a multi-family home stems from a combination of economic factors and shifts in familial values, such as rising costs of housing and long-term care, greater emphasis on connecting and supporting family members of all ages, longer life spans of family members, and the growing need to find mutually beneficial solutions to these realities.
Several factors contribute to the rise of multi-generational living in the US. Whether the motivation is cost savings, family members in need of a secure and stable home life, or the increased desire to create a close-knit family support structure, many households are pursuing the multigenerational housing option. Another reason is that moving in with adult children in retirement offers increased social support and access to care if needed by either spouse.
As a rule, when the need for care arises, and a decision has to be made, family first is usually the order of the day, and moving in with children in retirement is the most economical decision if at all possible. In return, adult children get reliable assistance with childcare and household management as well as with elderly relative care.
Explore Further: Family Bonding in Retirement: Build Stronger Connections
The single most powerful motivating factor for multigenerational homes is money, making multigenerational living work for everyone. It is cost-effective to have two, three, or more adults contributing to mortgage, utilities, maintenance, groceries, car expenses, and any number of day-to-day costs. Beyond reducing monthly bills, multigenerational homes allow multiple households to avoid expensive care facilities, while enabling young family members to be more financially secure and save more quickly for the future.
Families often find that when they group the finances together, a substantial amount of savings is put into the family pot, helping all generations avoid such financially burdensome situations as:
Most people interested in multigenerational living often wonder, "How does a multigenerational home actually work on a day-to-day basis for my family members?" Having your parents live with you and your spouse, while simultaneously having your own children live with your parents and spouse under one roof, benefits everybody, but seniors, in particular, benefit immensely from having people physically present within the home.
Before jumping headfirst into a shared living arrangement, families must understand the pros and cons of living together with loved ones. Each individual in the family may have different habits, expectations, and daily schedules – the sooner families work out the differences, the smoother the multigenerational household will function.
Knowing the pros and cons of living in multi-generational housing can help your family better prepare and anticipate challenges that you may encounter:
Success comes from thoughtful communication and a willingness to accommodate one another. The key to making a multigenerational living situation work is in the planning and preparation. Before you actually move into your home, talk thoroughly and honestly with each person about finances, division of labor, and each person's expectations of co-living.
Prior to becoming housemates, you should set some house rules, create a chore rotation calendar, and decide on each person’s contribution to bills. One key is to always be mindful of each person’s privacy and personal space, be sure to carve out time to connect with both family and individual time, and be willing to compromise throughout.
The households that succeed in living together as a family use these tips for harmony in the house: Households should practice open communication, sacrifice, and compromise while also setting time for group family time. Many families make an appointment every week for everyone to sit down and address problems and create solutions for issues.
Other families, while enforcing their household rules, assign every person specific tasks to be carried out, making sure every person fulfills a part in maintaining the house. Consistency is one key element for all family members to feel important and secure in their living environment and respect one another’s place, generations, and age.
The shift toward multigenerational homes stems from people seeking tighter relationships with their families, as well as the advantages of the money saved through these arrangements and even shared services among family. The financial benefits alone make exploring shared living a worthy option to consider, especially with economic pressures rising around families.
For young adults dealing with the stress of becoming financially independent, family sharing of a living space offers much practical support while increasing family bonds between generations.
Some multigenerational homes may also be more appealing to potential buyers and have a greater resale value. Houses with additional bedrooms, a main floor bedroom, or a secondary suite are desirable features in family homes looking for multi-generational layouts.
The family should plan and discuss house rules, such as implementing quiet hours, establishing quiet spaces where family members can go if they feel overwhelmed, and being cognizant of different people's work or sleep schedules to promote family harmony.
A home with features that include main floor bedrooms, walk-in showers, wider doorways, and a separate entrance allows the whole family ease of access and a greater sense of independence for residents. These homes often feature a very flexible living space layout to make it possible for a multigenerational household to live comfortably for many years.
As family members contemplate sharing a home, it’s critical that they communicate as a group what financial arrangements will be made, what household duties will be performed by each member of the house, what long-range plans the group plans to have, and if those plans require additional resources, space, and/or a larger family dwelling.
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