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Accessory Apartment: A Home Within a Home

When you have more home than you need but you don't want to move, creating a separate apartment within your home – an accessory apartment – may be the answer. If you don't need that basement or attic, perhaps fixing it up and renting it out will bring you a small income, some help around the house, and some companionship.

What is an accessory apartment?

An accessory apartment is a completely separate, private living unit contained within a larger single family home. It has separate living and sleeping quarters, a place to cook, and a bathroom. It can be upstairs, in the basement, or over the garage. Sometimes called an "in-law" suite, at most it shares an entrance, driveway, and yard with the "main" house. Accessory apartments give the advantages of a tenant without the potential challenges of a roommate.

What is its appeal?

Many older people today live in homes they bought years ago when their young families needed the space. Now they find their house needs more cleaning than they wish to do, is costly to heat and cool, and has higher property taxes than they can easily afford. It may have a large yard that is difficult to maintain. Maybe you just feel lonely or insecure "rattling around" in a now-empty house.

An accessory apartment can bring in extra money, companionship, and help for house and yard work. Having a tenant may mean there's someone to bring in the mail and feed the cat when you travel, join you for a cup of coffee and an evening chat, or mow the lawn. Whether the tenant is your own age, older, or younger, a tenant can be a resource to help you stay independent Perhaps that tenant could be one of your adult children or grandchildren. Sometimes they're interested in this living arrangement.

Factors to Consider

Cost of home modification. The financial feasibility of creating an accessory apartment in your home depends largely on your home's design. In a home with a walkout basement or a split-level, construction costs may be low. However, raising the roof to add a second story and bathroom to a ranch-style home is costly. When deciding, weigh the cost of renovations against the potential for income or added value to the home.
Living with your adult children. Perhaps it is more feasible for you to build and live in an apartment in your adult child's home. The privacy an accessory apartment allows might make this option appealing to everyone. You could remain independent, yet have a loved one nearby if needed.
If this housing option interests you, contact your local zoning authority for information. If local zoning laws do not currently allow this type of housing, advocate for change. You might need to address zoning issues such as increased traffic, scarcity of parking, and fears of neighborhood deterioration. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to see if they can help