Reuters: More generations living under same roof

[marmar]

More generations living under same roof
Lynn Adler

Mon Feb 22, 2010 9:50am EST


NEW YORK (Reuters) - More generations are living under the same roof and the trend will deepen as families grappling with near double-digit unemployment share expenses, a study showed on Monday.

Demand is escalating for multi-generational housing as buyers scale down during the deepest housing crisis since the Great Depression, according to a survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Thirty-seven percent of the company's real estate agents polled in January said that in the past year, buyers were increasingly shopping for homes that fit more than one generation. Almost 70 percent of the agents said they expect economic conditions will drive still greater demand for this type of housing over the next year.

"More buyers are pooling investments, considering bringing mom and dad into it," said Diann Patton, a Coldwell Banker real estate consumer specialist based in Grass Valley, California, in an interview with Reuters. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61L1WR20100222

[monmouth]

1. Back in the day almost every home I visited had a grandma or other

relative living with them. After the war, young married soldiers and their brides often lived with one of their parents to "get on their feet." I used to love going to the one house of a friend, her grandmother was a great cook and was learning to speak English. She considered me an "expert"...Hahaha and would often ask me "what that mean?" She especially liked Ed Sullivan on Sunday nights because he spoke slower than most and she could understand. Those were not bad times and there was always someone in the home when kids got home after school.

[Fire1]

2. Yep. The good ole days. The "extended family"

returns as a result of the economy. Perhaps something good will come out of this crisis, after all.

[liberal_at_heart]

3. My father lives with us and my husband's mother will be living with us soon

along with our two children. It's been an interesting experience. We will definitely be a mixed household. My father is evangelical Christian. My husband is agnostic. I am Buddhist. My daughter is atheist. My mother in law is pagan. My son doesn't know what he is yet. At this point I would consider him agnostic. I have to say living with my father has helped me be more tolerant. When I hear the hatred on DU toward anyone religous it makes me sad but here in my household the only thing we demand is respect. You are welcome to have any opinion you want in this house as long as you respect other people's beliefs. My kids have loved having their grandad around and can't wait to spend time with their grandma. There are times when my husband and I think ahead to when the kids are grown and wish we could have the house to ourselves but I guess we will just have to take alot of trips together just the two of us.

[prolesunited]

5. I wish DU was more like your family

My father is a devout Catholic and I'm an atheist but we don't beat each other over the head about it. If they want to pray at dinner, I'll leave the room or just bow out of respect.

[liberal_at_heart]

6. I think it takes having personal relationships with people who are different than we are

to really help us be more tolerant. It is easy to hate someone we don't know. It is much harder to hate someone we do know. I'm glad you and your family have learned how to be respectful of each other. It makes for much better relationships when we respect each other.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. I think that is a positive trend.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. Good story. Thanks. Good idea for people to pool resources, help each other out.

[jwirr]

8. I have been living with my daughter for about 5 years now and when

they sell this house to their son I will be living with my grandson and his children and wife. We all have roles to fulfill and respect each others privacy. I remember the extended families from my childhood and I actually think this is a good answer to some of the problems we face today.