Leave a Message

By providing your contact information to LivingWell Realty, your personal information will be processed in accordance with LivingWell Realty's Privacy Policy. By checking the box(es) below, you expressly consent to receive marketing or promotional real estate communication from LivingWell Realty in the manner selected by you. For SMS text messages, message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Consent is not a condition of purchase of any goods or services. You may opt out of receiving further communications from LivingWell Realty at any time. To opt out of receiving SMS text messages, reply STOP to unsubscribe. SMS text messaging is subject to our Terms of Use.

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Multigenerational Households May Be the Answer to Price Increases

Brent Wells November 15, 2017

Multigenerational homes are coming back in a big way! In the 1950s, about 21%, or 32.2 million Americans shared a roof with their grown children or parents. According to an article by Realtor.com, “Nearly 1 in 5 Americans is now living in a multigenerational household – a household with two or more adult generations, or grandparents living with grandchildren – a level that hasn’t been seen in the U.S. since 1950.”

Another report that proves this point is the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers which states that 13% of home buyers purchased multigenerational homes last year. The top 3 reasons for purchasing this type of home were:

  1. To take care of aging parents (22%, up from 19% last year)
  2. Cost savings (17%)
  3. Children over the age of 18 moving back home (16%, up from 14% last year)

Valerie Sheets, Spokesperson for Lennar, points out that, “Everyone is looking for the perfect home for any number of family situations, such as families who opt to take care of aging parents or grandparents at home, or millennials looking to live with their parents while they attend school or save for a down payment.”

For a long time, nuclear families (a couple and their dependent children) became the accepted norm, but John Graham, co-author of “Together Again: A Creative Guide to Successful Multigenerational Living,” says, “We’re getting back to the way human beings have always lived in – extended families.”

This shift can be attributed to several social changes over the decades. Growing racial and ethnic diversity in the U.S. population helps explain some of the rise in multigenerational living; “Data suggest that multigenerational living is more prevalent among Asian (28%), Hispanic (25%), and African-American (25%) families, while U.S. whites have fewer multigenerational homes (15%).”

Additionally, women are a bit more likely to live in multigenerational conditions than are their male counterparts (12% vs. 10%, respectively). Last but not least, basic economics.

Valerie Sheets brings to light the fact that home prices have been skyrocketing in recent years. She says that, “As home prices increase, more families tend to opt for living together.”

Bottom Line

Multigenerational households are making a comeback. While it is a shift from the more common nuclear home, these households might be the answer that many families are looking for as home prices continue to rise in response to a lack of housing inventory.

Recent Blog Posts

Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.

Work With Us

We'd love to hear from you! Whether you're buying, selling, or just exploring your options, we're here to provide answers, insights, and the support you need. Contact us and start planning your next move.

Follow Us On Instagram