Adu

[Dublin ohio]

I've been doing more ADUs than you and for many decades.

So what. I have done more rural properties than you will ever see. Means absolutely nothing. I just didn't appoint myself the permit police. You would probably curl up in the fetal position appraising some rural properties with no zoning and no building departments

Again with that one city, the city allows an inlaw unit to become legal if modifications done.
If you see subject having a nicely done ADU and not legal, it's still have value because it can be easily be permitted if owner desires.

Well the OP is in PA so probably doesn't care or have a need to know what goes on in the land of fruit and nuts

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

I might just add, that in some cases, like the one today, the original building included all the living space as GLA. In reality and use, a portion was used as a separate LQ, but the whole thing includes all GLA as SFR.

 

[Surf Cat]

First off, the op didn't give a detailed explanation on how the mother-in-law quarters came to be.

Was it the main bedroom in the back of the house with an en suite bath converted to be separate living quarters? Was it actually an addition? Does the zoning allow for ADU's? Lastly, and you can tell by the look on the faces of the borrowers when you ask, is it permitted?

My first question is easy to answer after measuring the house. If the homeowners indeed just converted the back room to be a mother-in-law's quarters, it's encompassed in the GLA recorded on public records. So, it's not technically an Adu or mother-in-law's quarters, it's a converted section of the house.

It becomes harder if it was an addition and it's not permitted. That being said, just like with any other non permitted addition, you find comparables with non permitted additions. In my area, the market does accept these and pay more for them permitted or not.

It should be evident in a market analysis that dwellings with a permitted, separate, Adu have higher price points than the Jimmy rigged non-premitted stuff. A permitted, truly separate from the main dwelling Adu doesn't necessarily need to be separately metered. But it depends on the zoning regulations.

 

[Fernando]

So what. I have done more rural properties than you will ever see. Means absolutely nothing. I just didn't appoint myself the permit police. You would probably curl up in the fetal position appraising some rural properties with no zoning and no building departments

Yes, I don't know rural but I think ADUs are not as important as in urban areas with housing shortage. Potential for rent is incentive for owners to build and many will live whether permitted or not.

Well the OP is in PA so probably doesn't care or have a need to know what goes on in the land of fruit and nuts

If OP doesn't want my suggestions, it's his/her prerogative.

 

[Dublin ohio]

but I think ADUs are not as important as in urban areas with housing shortage. Potential for rent is incentive for owners to build and many will live whether permitted or not.

ADUs are not a thing everywhere. Even in the large urban area in my market they are very limited due to zoning. or if they are allowed they can't be rented unless it is zoned 2-4 family. In law or guest suites without a separate entrance are more common. In fact in my experience ADUs are more common in my rural areas.

 

[Fernando]

ADUs are not a thing everywhere. Even in the large urban area in my market they are very limited due to zoning. or if they are allowed they can't be rented unless it is zoned 2-4 family. In law or guest suites without a separate entrance are more common. In fact in my experience ADUs are more common in my rural areas.

Years ago if a snitch contacted the building department on an illegal space, city could "shut it" down.
With Progressives in CA state government in past decade, ADUs are encouraged and pushed upon local planning departments to build ADUs.
Know your area.

 

[Sandra Koutsopoulos]

I suspect that even in SFR zoned areas where ADUs are not typical, a residential addition which provided potential access to the main portion of the house, and also which had a separate entrance could slink by as a SFR with its residential addition occupied by a "roommate". Some municipalities have a limit of the number of unrelated ppl who can live in one SFR as "roommates", but it occurs to me that would be a way to gain passive income for the homeowner.

I have seen some interesting new developments out here which were laid out in such a way that 2 rooms with bath and 'kitchenette' with sink, under-counter fridge, microwave and hot plate, had its own outside entrance, and was connected through a hallway (locked) door leading to the main part of the house. Builder was touting it as 'multi-generational living', and the floorplan certainly had many advantages for the 'seasons' of one's life. A place for young or 'mature' ppl to have privacy and small living space at an affordable price, with the main family using the rest of the house, or expanding into that multi-generational area when the family needed all the space (so didn't have to move to a larger residence to get more square footage). I thought it was a remarkably practical solution to many housing challenges of the old, young, and in-betweeners. Those houses were selling in the $700s as new construction, and I'll bet the $1200-$1500 current potential rent for that space would be a great help to the homeowner.