Pros And Cons Of Creating A Garage Apartment For Your In-Laws

Posted on: 25 July 2018

Making the decision to allow your in-laws to move in with you is a big decision that you should seriously think about before agreeing to it, and this is something that a lot of people do. If you have decided to do this but do not have room for them, you could consider converting your garage into an apartment for them to live in. Doing this offers pros and cons, and here are some of the pros and cons you should think about.

Pros of creating a garage apartment

A garage apartment is basically a garage that is converted to an apartment. When converting it, you can design the layout of the space, and you could include a bedroom in it, or you could have it just like a studio apartment where there is no actual bedroom. Having a garage apartment offers some benefits, and here are the top ones:

  • It offers a separate place for your in-laws, or for other people to live in, which means you will both have privacy.
  • It could increase the value of your house because your house would offer the potential to collect rental income.
  • It could be rented out to anyone that you choose.
  • It would be cheaper to convert this area into an apartment rather than put an addition on your home.

Garage apartments are great additions to have in homes, as they offer these benefits and more.

Cons of creating a garage apartment

Having a garage apartment also has some downsides. The main one is that when you convert your garage into an apartment, you will no longer have a garage to park in or store your things in. If you have a separate garage or shed at your home, this may not be a huge problem for you. If you don't have a shed, you may need to add one to use for storing your garage things. The other main downside is that you may have trouble selling your home. There are people who would love buying a house with a garage apartment, but there are also people who would not, and this could result in having trouble selling if you ever decide to.

Having a garage apartment can be a great feature to have in your home. If you currently have one or are considering putting one in, it could be a great selling feature when you decide to sell your home. For more information about garage apartments, contact a real estate agent today.

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