Living With Extended Family

Multigenerational homes are becoming increasingly popular as families look for ways to help each other out, both financially and emotionally.

Multigenerational homes have been growing in popularity as buyers continue to look for ways to bring their families together.

Feelings of isolation and loneliness are often alleviated when grandparents live with extended family as they’re able to spend more time with their grandkids which in turn helps reduce childcare costs.

The cost of living has also risen sharply over the past few years so students who are already used to studying from home may choose to extend their stay in order to save up for a downpayment.

Conflicts can however arise when relatives live in such close quarters so here are a few things to consider before everyone packs their bags and moves in together:

Know Your Needs

Discuss details such as separate entrances, a second kitchen and parking before you begin looking at homes or decide to renovate your existing home so you have a clear understanding of your needs and wants.

Who Does What

The sharing of responsibilities such as child care, cooking, cleaning, yard work and paying the bills should be agreed upon ahead of time. You should also discuss what happens if a member of the family wants to sell and move elsewhere.

United Front

Parenting styles vary from generation to generation so if there are young children sharing the home, it’s very important that you clearly set out the rules that revolve around playtimes, mealtimes and bedtimes so parental authority isn’t undermined.

Buffer Zone

Spending so much time together under one roof has its challenges so you’ll want to make sure everyone has their own personal space. Have an honest and open discussion about privacy and boundaries before you move in together to ensure everyone’s on the same page.

Multigenerational family households are making a huge comeback as they provide common sense solutions to a variety of social and financial obstacles.

That said, the key to successfully living under the same roof is to discuss all of the available options ahead of time and then keep an open line of communication with regular family meetings.