AUSTIN: 4% of home purchases last year involved a multigenerational household of adult children, plus parents, grandparents or both. How will this growing trend affect the agent’s role in the home searching and buying process? Here are three things to keep in mind:
1. Know the back story
While the reasoning for the multigenerational home may vary with each client, it will be important for the agent to take the time to understand the back story.
2. Rethink your traditional strategy
In a traditional setting, the agent is usually dealing with the requests of one person or two people. With multigenerational housing, the agent is tasked with complying to the demands of multiple people from various generations – each with their own needs and preferences.
3. Bigger may not always be better
When you begin searching for options to show your clients, keep an open mind. A larger home with a traditional open floor plan may sound like the best option for a bigger family, but that’s not always the case. Smaller homes with separate living quarters like split-levels or an in-law apartment can also provide your client with the best of both worlds: everyone living under the same roof, but with enough space and privacy to transition comfortably…