From the Washington Post
Like many families who experienced the severe disruption of 2020, Janice and Don Markell made a major life change by asking Janice’s mother to live with them, accelerating their plan for an eventual move to Florida.
“We were living in Montvale, New Jersey, and my mother was in assisted living nearby, but she wasn’t able to leave, and we couldn’t visit her,” says Janice, 61.
The solution for the family is a newly built home in the Lake Club section of Lakewood Ranch designed specifically for multigenerational living.
“It was very important for my mom to have her own space and privacy, yet be with the family, too,” Janice says. Edna, 91, has a wing with a living room, bedroom, and bathroom as well as direct access to the kitchen. Janice’s husband, Don, 74, is a real estate broker in New Jersey who plans to get his license in Florida. Spencer, their 26-year-old son, has his own wing in the house with a sitting room, bedroom, and private bathroom.
The upheaval created by the events of 2020 led to an increase in the number of homes purchased for multigenerational households, which rose to 15 percent between April and June 2020, according to the National Association of Realtors. That represents the highest percentage of multigenerational homes since NAR began tracking the trend in 2012 after the Great Recession and was up from 11 percent between July 2019 and March 2020.
Multigenerational households include adults bringing their parents to live with them for caregiving purposes or to help with child care. In addition, multigenerational households can include adult children living with their parents for cost savings or because they prefer to share a home. During the pandemic, NAR researchers found the top reason to purchase a multigenerational home was for aging parents to move into the home. Prior to 2020, multigenerational home purchasers were evenly split between those with adult children moving back home and aging parents.
Here at TraVek, there has also been an increasing demand to convert single-family homes into multigenerational homes through remodeling the existing floor plan, adding on, or building a guest house on the property. Casitas allow a greater sense of independence while still staying close and connected.
Call and schedule an in-home consultation to see how you can create space in your home to keep your family close. 1-855-221-8286.