How to turn your house into a duplex | Real Estate

For some homeowners, the idea of ​​converting their home into a duplex may seem novel. Why would you do that to a perfectly good house? But for other homeowners, perhaps those looking for extra income or who like the idea of ​​renting out space, this might be an idea that makes sense.

Here’s a look at what you need to know if you’re considering converting your single-family home into a duplex.

A duplex is a type of apartment complex that consists of two consecutive dwellings with separate entrances on a single property. Each residence is considered a duplex apartment. Usually a duplex looks like a house with two front entrances, divided between floors (one apartment is on his second floor, another downstairs) or divided in the middle of the building It has been.

There are several good reasons to ponder this idea. Homeowners sometimes convert their homes into duplexes.

It also has the potential to create future value for the home, said Peter Evering, business development manager at Utopia Management in San Diego, who has been in the rental industry for more than 20 years.

For years, he says, he had to accept that converting a home to a duplex was “an instant purchase decision for a huge number of the public.” Not everyone wants to live near homeowners, Ebeling said.

Eberling said the fear that their home would become a duplex and become less valuable is becoming less of an issue as more people need affordable housing.

“In fact, converting your home into a duplex now can be a great value-add, as you’re essentially turning your home into a flexible asset that you can transform into what’s best for you,” Eva Mr. Ring says. “You can rent out one side and continue living in the other, or you can rent out both sides and live somewhere else. You can sell the whole thing to a willing landlord. The possibilities are endless, especially in this There is no shortage of buyers or borrowers in the market.”

There are several good reasons to shelve this idea.

Before you call a contractor, you should give this idea some thought. Converting your home into a duplex may sound like a great plan, until reality hits.

If you’re going to talk to Bruce Irion about converting your house into a duplex, bring an umbrella. Ailion is a real estate agent and attorney with RE/MAX Town & Country in Atlanta, Georgia, and spoiler alert: he generally advises against converting his home into a duplex.

Most real estate is subject to some form of government regulation or zoning. In many cases, Ailion says, the community won’t allow it. The first step is to research your local rules and regulations regarding rental properties.

“Single-family residential zoning is a highly guarded and protected classification,” he says. “Residents buy single-family residential zones precisely because they don’t want rental housing nearby.”

Even if you can easily obtain the necessary permits, “not every home is suitable for converting to a duplex,” Ailion says.

You’ll need two front doors and probably two back doors as well. As mentioned above, the other half of the house will probably need two kitchens, plus a bathroom and other living space.

Typically, the easiest and best way to convert a home into a duplex is to convert a finished basement into a second unit, Ailion says.

“When you try to split a unit in half on the main floor or separate the first and second floors of a two-story home, the results are often suboptimal,” Airion says. Aerating or installing a second kitchen can be quite costly and labor intensive. Splitting the baby may not give either side exactly what they need. ”

Finding the right permits to convert your home into a duplex can take time. If you are lucky enough to hire the right professionals to convert your home into a duplex, they will have more trouble than you, but you should still be aware of it.

“Zoning laws vary by location, and homeowners should be aware of local regulations that may impact their project,” says the Jensen Beach, Florida-based real estate broker with eXp Realty. says John Steppling. “Consulting with your local planning department is an important first step. The last thing you want to do is complete your project and have local officials knocking on your door.”

Please also keep in mind the impact on future home sales. If a potential buyer finds out that you didn’t build the duplex with the proper documentation, that could hurt your chances of selling, Stepling says.

If your home is not zoned for a duplex and you really need one, you can ask your local government for permission for an unconventional use. This adds time and complexity to your project.

“Some homes are in homeowners associations. “Homeowners associations often have stricter restrictions than city planning authorities,” Airion says. “If city planning officials allow it, homeowners association approval will also be required.”

There’s a lot more to think about than just the time and cost of converting one home into two.

The age of your house. Ailion said that can sometimes come into play. “Those making this decision are often dealing with homes built before 1978. Homes older than this age have problems with lead-based paint and asbestos contamination that require large amounts of money to address. It’s expensive,” he says.

sound. Have you ever thought about the noise that comes with having two families in one home? Maybe you should, suggests Justin Bartz, a real estate agent with Engel & Völkers Okanagan in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Homeowners considering building a duplex should think about other factors, such as soundproofing the walls so you can’t hear your neighbors talking, Bartz says. Your or the renter’s children are also something to consider. Will the noisy neighbors wake up the kids? Do you need to be conscious of waking them up?

fire. Fire safety regulations also need to be considered, Bartz said. You may need to add a layer of fireproof drywall to the bulkhead.

Find the right expert. It’s not enough just to be good at using power tools. If you’re going to comply with building codes, you’ll need the right people to transform your home into two. They will realize things that most average homeowners would not think of when converting their home to a duplex.

For example, Baarts says: “The property must be checked by an engineer because both homes require unique structural characteristics. This means that if the roof of one home collapses, there will be no significant structural damage to the other home. This means that it will not occur.”

Being a landlord. It doesn’t apply to everyone. You may be happy to have adult children, elderly parents, or in-laws living next door. However, families with strangers with different schedules and habits may be a different story. Although they will not be living together, they will all be living on the same property. Also, keep in mind that problem renters can be difficult to remove.

future value of the house. Renting out half of your home can be profitable, but it can also reduce the value of your home in the future. A lot of it depends on whether the duplication was created correctly or incorrectly.

“If the two homes don’t feel like separate residences internally, prices will definitely be affected,” Bartz says.

Return on investment. You also need to do some calculations. How long will it take to recover my investment?

Only you can decide whether converting your home to a duplex is a good idea or a huge headache. If you have a good reason for wanting to do it, and you believe it’s worth the effort despite the effort, the answer is probably yes.

If the steps required seem daunting or you’re not sure about the rental market in your area, the answer is probably no.

But one thing is for sure: it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.

“Converting a single-family home into a duplex can be a lucrative business if done correctly,” Stepling says. “And that’s a big ‘what if?'”