Multigenerational living is a term used to describe households in which there are at least two adult generations in residence. The number of these households in the U.S. is on the rise. Two types of multigenerational living are becoming more common in recent years; two-generation households, where adult children live with parents, and three-generation homes, where there are adult children, parents, and grandparents living under the same roof. Our real estate agents are here to explore some of the pros and cons of multigenerational households with you.

Pros of Multi-Generational Living

Living in a home with extended family can have a lot of advantages. Some of the more important pros of such a living arrangement may include:

• More family time – Grandparents get more quality time with grandkids; parents don't lose touch with adult children and elders have more interaction with younger family members. All can benefit socially and emotionally from these closer family connections.

• More help with household matters – having more adults in the house can mean more support for everyone. Parents of younger children may find family help with child care, cooking, cleaning, maintenance, and other chores may find more willing hands to pitch in, and for elders who need assistance with daily tasks, more adults can make it easier for those needs to be met.

• Financial advantages – More adults in the house can mean more people to contribute to household expenses, such as house payments, utility bills and groceries, lightening the financial load for everyone.

Cons of Multi-Generational Households

Of course, there can be disadvantages to multigenerational living too. Potential drawbacks of living with extended family can include:

• Less privacy – Having more people in the home can make it difficult for everyone to have their own space. This can be very stressful for people who value alone time to unwind after work or are used to having plenty of space for hobbies and projects.

• More housework – More people means more messes, which means more household cleaning and maintenance. This can be especially stressful for people who keep very tidy homes, particularly if other members of the household have different housekeeping standards.

• Family tensions – No two people agree on everything, so disagreements are bound to happen between family members in a multigenerational household. Common issues that can cause tensions include financial disagreements, parenting differences, and disagreements about household/family responsibilities.

Every family and situation is different, and living in a multigenerational home will work very well for some and be quite difficult for others. For more information on this topic or to find a New England home that is well-suited for multigenerational living,contact us. We have a great deal of experience with all things related to homeownership, and we're always happy to put that experience to work for the benefit of homeowners or home buyers in our area.