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Author Archives: Martin John Brown
Multigenerational homes: accessory dwelling units by any other name
In the past year or two, major builders have accomplished an interesting slight of hand. They have recognized the need for houses with ADUs, and started selling them for tidy sums — but only while doing everything they can to … Continue reading
Appraisal Journal on ADUs: they could be worth more than you think
Today the Appraisal Journal publishes a research paper about residential properties with accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The paper describes an income-based method for appraising properties with ADUs, and concludes that using an income-based approach can give appraisers a valuable counterpoint … Continue reading
The many and confusing synonyms for ADUs
A quick note about language here. One reason people get so confused, and perhaps heated, about accessory dwellings is that language about them is confused. The different names conjure up different images; who wouldn’t rather live in a “carriage house” … Continue reading
My tiny house after 5 years: things I would have done differently
I’ve written here about how well my tiny house is working out — I converted my detached 1.5-car garage to a little “accessory dwelling unit” and have mostly rented it out to my mother in law since then, though it’s … Continue reading
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Tagged conversion, design, detached, gallerypost, garage, permitted
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A research and action agenda for Accessory Dwelling Units and their advocates
I spent a lot of 2011 learning about Accessory Dwelling Units (also known as in-law units, granny flats, backyard cottages, etc). Beat that in terms of geekiness! (Okay, I bow to anyone involved in Viking re-enactment societies.) Now that my … Continue reading
Appraising properties with accessory dwelling units: a preview of new methods and findings
[update Nov. 2012: the paper is out in Appraisal Journal... click here] This year I’ve been working with appraiser Taylor Watkins of problem of appraising properties with accessory dwelling units, and we’ve finally got something to show for it. Here … Continue reading
How appraisals and “GSEs” make financing an ADU challenging
(Update January 2013: please note that the research on which the following piece was based has now been published in Appraisal Journal. Please read the full text of that article for a deeper treatment of this material.) So you’ve bought … Continue reading
Can ADUs solve our McMansion problem? Or maybe the other way around?
Accessory dwellings don’t often get a thorough discussion in the media these days, because most writers (and most Americans) are still getting used to the basic idea of them. We’re all still recovering from four or five decades of life … Continue reading
My garage apartment — a place that redefines family
I’m pretty much an obsessive planner when it comes to big projects. I researched and penciled out a lot of scenarios before I developed my garage into a little apartment, and I’m glad to say that between good design and … Continue reading
