Making Room for Everyone: The Rise of Multigenerational Living

Every year around the holidays, the same scene plays out in homes across Southern Utah, with three generations crowded around counters built for one family until somebody finally says what everyone’s been thinking: “What if we just lived closer?”

That question is becoming a real housing decision for more families every year. Nearly one in five Americans now shares a home with multiple generations, and 14 percent of all buyers last year purchased a multigenerational home, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. We’re fortunate that Washington County offers options that can make this kind of living arrangement work, including homes with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and casitas. These separate living spaces can give parents, adult children, or extended family the independence and privacy of their own space while still keeping everyone close.

The reasons families choose to come together vary, but a few themes show up again and again: easing the cost of assisted living, adjusting for today’s mortgage rates, sharing childcare, and simply wanting to be close as parents age and grandchildren grow. For many residents of Washington County, the move to multigenerational living has become increasingly enticing A few features tend to make a home work for this kind of living:

• Casitas and detached guest homes. Our mild winters have always made Southern Utah a draw for extended family, and local rules have gotten friendlier. Washington City loosened its ADU ordinance this year, and a new state law now requires larger cities to allow detached units on qualifying lots.

• Basement apartments. With basements already common here, finishing one as a real living space with its own entrance, kitchenette, and bathroom is one of the most affordable ways to add a second household.

• A main-floor bedroom and bath. For aging parents, skipping the stairs can be the deciding factor in whether a home works long term.

• Separate living areas. A second family room, a split floor plan, or two primary suites can give everyone a private corner. And good doors make good roommates.

Before you tour homes, it’s worth talking through a few things as a family. Consider whether you’ll need one house or two on the same lot, whose name goes on the title, how much privacy everyone wants, and whether this is a long-term plan or a bridge. It also helps to think ahead, since a casita that’s a home office today might become a caregiver’s suite down the road.

This is where local REALTORS® earn their keep. Casita and ADU rules differ across St. George, Washington City, Hurricane, and Santa Clara. Unincorporated parts of the county follow their own rules entirely, with lot size, setbacks, and parking requirements shifting from one property to the next. A REALTOR® who knows Washington County can tell you what’s actually allowed, point you toward homes with room to grow, and connect you with builders who know the permitting process. That guidance is what turns the question “What if we lived closer?” into a home where your family gathers for many holidays to come. However your family decides to make it work, the goal is the same: staying close to the people you love and making a decision that works best for your family.