If you’re reading this, you probably already know about granny flats. You probably know they are attached or detached secondary residences that are added to an existing property. What you may not know is just how lucrative fronting the money for a granny flat investment can be for you, and your family. More specifically, you may not know how solid an investment a modern granny flat is for your family.
Aside from the obvious perk of being able to keep your loved ones close to you – a sign of the modern times thanks to the increase in intergenerational living – there are indisputably attractive economic reasons to seriously consider adding a secondary dwelling to your property.
Read on to find out more about how you can use a modern granny flat to enhance your household income.
Highly Flexible
Any reputable granny flat builder will give you tons of options in terms of design, so you can create them with your budget in mind. Most granny flats are around 60 m2, but you can make them a little larger or smaller depending on the needs of your family.
Housing Shortage
Thanks to a steadily increasing population in Australia and worldwide, there is a shortage of affordable housing. This makes granny flats ideal if you have a loved one who is having difficulty finding a home to suit their budget. It also makes building a modern granny flat a great opportunity if you want to bolster your monthly income, since you can rent out your flat. This will garner you around $20,000 a year, which means in a few years, the building of your granny flat will have paid for itself.
Increased Property Value
Modern granny flats can increase your property value by up to 30% — if you build wisely. Some tips to keep the capital coming include making sure the design of your granny flat is in line with the stylistic feel of your primary dwelling, as well as the neighborhood, choosing green, energy efficient building materials and appliance options that will entice potential renters (should you choose to rent), and keep monthly bills down for your family member.
Financing is (Relatively) Easy
Compared to the hoops you have to jump through to get the financing to build a primary home, building a secondary dwelling is pretty easy. This is because it is a small investments, comparatively speaking, and because banks and lenders know the value a granny flat can add to your property. This makes lending you the money a sound and profitable investment for them.
Of course, you can’t just start building. Because municipalities, cities and counties don’t want granny flats crammed onto properties, depreciating their aesthetic value and driving down the real estate in the area, you have to make sure your jurisdiction allows you to build a granny flat. One of the best ways to do this is to talk to a professional granny flat builder in your area. They have the local expertise and building experience to guide you through the process. Otherwise, call up your city or town council and see what they have to say.
