{"id":5467,"date":"2025-02-26T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/26\/is-an-accessory-dwelling-unit-right-for-you-heres-what-to-know\/"},"modified":"2025-02-26T11:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T11:30:00","slug":"is-an-accessory-dwelling-unit-right-for-you-heres-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/26\/is-an-accessory-dwelling-unit-right-for-you-heres-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Is an Accessory Dwelling Unit Right for You? Here\u2019s What To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"<body>\n<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\"  src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250226-Is-an-Accessory-Dwelling-Unit-Right-for-You-Here-s-What-To-Know-original.png?w=1220&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Is an Accessory Dwelling Unit Right for You? Here\u2019s What To Know Simplifying The Market\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear: both; max-width: 100%;\">\n<p>Are you having a hard time finding the right home in your budget? Or maybe you already own a home but could use some extra income or a designated space for aging loved ones. Either way, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) could be the smart solution you\u2019ve been looking for in today\u2019s market.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>What Is an ADU?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>According to <em>Fannie Mae<\/em>, an <a href=\"https:\/\/singlefamily.fanniemae.com\/originating-underwriting\/mortgage-products\/accessory-dwelling-units\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">ADU<\/a> is a small, separate living space that\u2019s on the same lot as a single-family home. It must include its own areas for living, sleeping, cooking, and bathrooms independent of the main house. And they can take shape in a few different ways. <em>Fannie Mae<\/em> adds, an ADU can be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Within a main home, such as a basement apartment<\/li>\n<li>Attached to a main home, such as a living area over a garage<\/li>\n<li>Detached from the home entirely; it could even be a manufactured home<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>The Benefits of ADUs<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>ADUs are growing in popularity as more people discover why they\u2019re so practical. In fact, <strong>a recent survey shows that 24% of agents say an ADU, such as a mother-in-law house, is one of the most desired features buyers are looking for right now. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250226-ADUs-Are-One-of-the-Top-Features-or-Upgrades-That-Make-Homes-More-Appealing-To-Todays-Buyers-original.png?ssl=1\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250226-ADUs-Are-One-of-the-Top-Features-or-Upgrades-That-Make-Homes-More-Appealing-To-Todays-Buyers-original.png?w=1220&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"a blue and grey pie chart\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a>The growing appeal makes sense. With rising costs all around you, an ADU can help supplement your income and ease some of the strain on your wallet. Whether you buy a home that has one already or you add one on, it gives you the option to rent out that portion of your home to help pay your mortgage.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some of the other top benefits of ADUs, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/sf.freddiemac.com\/docs\/pdf\/fact-sheet\/adu-fact-sheet.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Freddie Mac<\/em><\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/content\/dam\/aarp\/livable-communities\/housing\/2023\/slideshow-abcs-of-adus\/Presentation-The%20ABCs%20of%20ADUs-2023-0706.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>AARP<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Living Close, But Still Separate<\/strong>: You get the best of both worlds \u2014 more quality time together, plus privacy when you want it. If that sounds like a win, it might be worth looking for a home with an ADU or adding one to your home.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Aging in Place<\/strong>: Similarly, ADUs allow older people to be close to loved ones who can help them if they need it as they age. It\u2019s a sweet spot that offers independence and support from loved ones. For example, if your parents are getting older and you want them nearby, this could be a great option for you.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Built-In Childcare:<\/strong> If your family\u2019s living in the ADU, you may be able to use them for childcare, which can also be a big cost savings. Plus, it gives your kids more time with their grandparents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s worth noting that since an ADU exists on a single-family lot as a secondary dwelling, it typically can\u2019t be sold separately from the primary residence. And while that\u2019s changing in some states, regulations vary by location. So, connect with a local real estate expert for the most up-to-date guidance.<\/p>\n<h3>Bottom Line<\/h3>\n<p>In today\u2019s market, buying a home with an ADU or adding one to your current house could be worth considering. Just be sure to talk with a real estate agent who can explain local codes and regulations for this type of housing and what\u2019s available in your area.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s your motivation for exploring ADUs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you having a hard time finding the right home in your budget? Or maybe you already own a home but could use some extra income or a designated space for aging loved ones. Either way, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) could be the smart solution you\u2019ve been looking for in today\u2019s market. What Is an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5468,"comment_status":"registered_only","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[12],"tags":[29,27,20,18,28],"class_list":["post-5467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate-insight","tag-idaho-real-estate","tag-north-idaho-homes","tag-rain-silverhawk","tag-real-estate","tag-sandpoint-idaho"],"aioseo_notices":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250226-Is-an-Accessory-Dwelling-Unit-Right-for-You-Here-s-What-To-Know-original.png?fit=750%2C410&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pdz2Zu-1qb","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5467"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5467\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandpointrealtyidaho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}