Is your growing family starting to make your house feel cramped? Do you have aging relatives or children who need a semi-independent living space? Or are you simply getting restless in your current home and need a change?
Either way, a backyard apartment can easily meet these needs and more.
Building an apartment in your backyard may sound daunting, but it’s much simpler than it sounds. It’s also well worth the cost, especially if you intend to rent it out occasionally. For someone who needs more space but can’t afford to move, it‘s a convenient solution.
Not feeling convinced? Then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss four reasons to build apartments in backyards. To find out why a backyard apartment or accessory dwelling unit is a great idea, keep reading.
Table of Contents
1. Enjoy a Backyard Study, Den, or Getaway
Have you ever felt like you just needed to get away from it all?
If you have a family, you’ve probably felt the need to escape from the noise and activity now and then. Even if you love your family very much, sometimes the distraction can get in the way of your work and relaxation.
Fortunately, a backyard apartment offers just the sort of solution you need.
A backyard apartment or ADU is essentially a small house. Most of the time, they feature all the amenities a person needs to live comfortably and productively, albeit on a small scale.
Maybe you recently started working from home and you need a special office space to work in. Or you might simply like a place to hang out and watch TV undisturbed. With an accessory dwelling unit, you can do both without a fuss—and without hurting the feelings of your family members.
2. Invite Guests Over Without Over-Crowding
Most people enjoy having guests over, but not everyone has a home that can accommodate visitors. If your house doesn’t have any special guest rooms, you may not be able to invite loved ones over as much as you would like.
Even if you have extra space indoors, having guests can be an even bigger challenge if you also have children. Then, not only do you have space concerns but you also have noise and bedtimes to worry about.
Once again, backyard apartments can come to the rescue.
Because backyard apartments have all the important features of a home, they make for very comfortable places to stay. Your guests will love having the space all to themselves during the night.
And your family will no doubt appreciate the added privacy and space, too.
3. Let a Family Member Live Semi-Independently
Do you have aging parents or loved ones who need a place to live under a relative’s watchful eye to ensure their wellbeing? Or a grown child who will need a place to live temporarily between college semesters or after getting married?
In circumstances like these, nothing is quite as convenient as a backyard apartment.
Housing costs have exploded in recent years. There was a time when a single income could support a growing family, even at starting wages. Nowadays, it’s more difficult than ever for young people to break out into the world.
Young adults aren’t the only ones disadvantaged by rising costs. The elderly are facing increasing pressures from dwindling retirement funds accompanied by a need for increased care. It isn’t an easy world to be old or young in.
If you have relatives in either of these uncomfortable (and often embarrassing) situations, you may be able to help come to their rescue with an ADU.
Having a backyard apartment has many advantages. When your relatives no longer need it, you could rent it out and have extra income. Either way, building an apartment in your backyard is sure to have a positive impact on your family.
4. Rent Out Your Backyard Apartment for Extra Income
Are you on the lookout for new investment opportunities? If so, then you may have to look no further than your own backyard.
With housing prices continuing to increase in many areas, countless people are looking for acceptable homes. Many of them can’t afford to be overly particular, and they’re willing to pay well for appropriate housing.
Depending on the demand in your city, this might be the perfect opportunity to set up a backyard apartment for rent.
Even if you don’t like the idea of being a landlord or having strangers in your backyard, there are several ways to earn money with an ADU. You might rent it out to friends or family members who need a place to stay. Or you could make some extra money on weekends with Airbnb.
Whichever way you go about it, the profit potential may well outweigh any backyard apartment costs. And if you need some help funding the project, you can learn how to finance an ADU here.
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And with that, you now know four of the biggest reasons to build a backyard apartment or ADU. Whether you’re just starting to consider your backyard apartment plans or have been planning one for a while, these four reasons should more than justify the project.
When you have questions about home improvement, Electric Mela has answers. Keep reading our blog to learn everything you need to know to improve your home and lifestyle, from installing solar panels to warming your home in the winter.