Multi-generational Boston Housing During The Pandemic Boston Condos For Sale Ford Realty

Boston Real Estate for Sale Search

Multi-generational Boston housing during the pandemic.

According to the National Association of Realtors buyers purchasing multi-generational homes during the pandemic rose to a new high of 15%, The number has been tracked for less than a decade.

Pre-pandemic there was an even split between buyers who purchased a multi-generational home for aging parents and for adult children boomeranging back or never leaving. Now the top reason to purchase a multi-generational home is for aging parents to move into the home.

During the great recession, we saw an uptick in young people moving back home this trend is more about giving the older generations a place to live.

Multi-generational housing is pretty scarce but existing housing can be modified. I grew up in a multi-generational household. My parents had an addition put on the back of the house so that my grandmother could live with us. She had her own entrance bed, bath, and sitting room just off the kitchen.

When my mother was growing up her grandmother lived with them in a spare bedroom.

Original Boston Real Estate Blog Post

This year challenged us to reprioritize everything – from the way we use our time to where we work, how we socialize and gather together, and our needs at home. For many, this also meant making decisions about how to best support and engage with our extended families, near and far.

In some cases, we weren’t able to see our relatives and loved ones who were living in senior facilities. In others, maybe older children moved back home. Jessica Lautz, Vice President of Demographics and Behavioral Insights for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:

“A lot of families have an aging senior relative who was living independently or in senior care and wanted to move them into their home.”

These changes led to more Boston real estate buyers investing in multi-generational homes to accommodate more long-term plans. A multi-generational home, according to the 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from NAR, is a home that has adult siblings, adult children over the age of 18, parents, and/or grandparents in the household.

A recent study from NAR shows that since the health crisis began, there’s been an increase in purchasing trends for homes that cater to this dynamic:

“Buyers who purchased after March were more likely to purchase a multi-generational home at 15% compared to 11% who purchased before April.”

Downtown Boston Real Estate

There are many reasons for this uptick in preference toward multi-generational downtown Boston properties. The graph below shows the top two reasons and how they’ve increased this year:

Boston Real Estate and the Bottom Line

More homeowners are making arrangements to accommodate their loved ones so they can safely take care of them at home. If you’re in a similar situation, let’s connect to discuss your options in our local area and maybe even have your whole family under one roof by early next year.