How an ADU can help you plan for Retirement

When you think about preparing for retirement, what comes to mind?

For most of us, it’s probably savings, investments, Social Security, healthcare costs, and figuring out whether we’ll have enough money to live the way we want.

But I think there’s another question we should be asking:

How do I want to live during retirement?

Where do I want to live? How much house do I really want to maintain? Do I want to be closer to my children and grandchildren? And what happens if my needs change as I get older?

These are questions my husband and I have had to think about ourselves.

And surprisingly, an Accessory Dwelling Unit—or ADU—became part of the answer.

Our Plan Didn't Start With an ADU

If you've read some of my previous posts, you know that building an ADU wasn't our original plan.

We initially wanted to purchase land where our family could build separate homes. I pictured each family having an acre or more—our own homes and our own space, but still close enough to enjoy life together.

Separate, but together.

We searched and searched.

We looked for the right land, in the right location, at a purchase price that made sense.

And eventually, we realized the pieces simply weren't coming together.

So we started looking differently at something we already had: our existing property.

Instead of buying more land, what if we could create the lifestyle we wanted right where we were?

That's when the idea of building an ADU became real.

And looking back now, I think we ended up with something even better than what we originally imagined.

Today, We Live Differently

Our daughter and her family now live in the primary house, and my husband and I live in our ADU.

We have our own home.

Our own kitchen.

Our own living room.

Our own front door.

And, most importantly, our own privacy.

But we're only steps away from our family.

The grandkids don't have to get in the car to come visit Grams and Grampy. They just run across the patio.

That's the part of ADU living that's difficult to explain on a spreadsheet.

There is certainly a financial side to building an ADU, but there is also a lifestyle side—and as I think about retirement, that part has become increasingly important to me.

What Do You Want Retirement to Look Like?

I think this is where the conversation about retirement housing should begin.

Not with:

"How many square feet do I need?"

But with:

"How do I want to live?"

Maybe you love your current home but don't want to maintain all of it forever.

Maybe you'd like to travel more.

Maybe you want to be closer to your grandchildren.

Maybe you're helping an aging parent now and beginning to think about what your own needs might look like later.

Or maybe you simply want more choices.

That's one of the things I love most about ADUs.

They create options.

You Can Downsize Without Giving Up Home

I've talked to plenty of people who know they'll eventually want a smaller home, but they don't necessarily want to leave their property or neighborhood.

An ADU creates an interesting alternative.

Instead of selling your property and buying another home, you may be able to build a smaller residence on the property you already own.

Eventually, you could move into the ADU and allow a child or another family member to occupy the primary home.

That's essentially what we've done.

You get the benefits of downsizing without necessarily giving up the property, neighborhood, or family connections you've spent years building.

And smaller doesn't have to mean sacrificing quality.

A thoughtfully designed 700-, 800-, or 1,000-square-foot home can have everything you really need—without all the rooms you no longer use.

Build for the Person You'll Be 10 or 20 Years From Now

This is something I think is incredibly important.

If you're building an ADU with retirement in mind, don't design it only for the way you live today.

Think about the future.

You may be perfectly comfortable with steps today. That doesn't mean you'll want them at 75 or 80.

When designing a retirement ADU, I would consider things like:

• One-level living

• A zero-step or low-threshold entrance

• Wider doorways

• A walk-in or curbless shower

• Easy-to-reach storage

• Good lighting

• Lever-style door handles

• Minimal flooring transitions

• Plenty of room to move comfortably

• Low-maintenance exterior materials

The great thing about aging-in-place design is that it doesn't have to look like aging-in-place design.

You can create a beautiful, modern home that works wonderfully today but is also prepared for what you might need tomorrow.

Less House Can Mean More Freedom

This is another benefit I appreciate more and more.

A larger home requires more.

More cleaning.

More furniture.

More heating and cooling.

More maintenance.

More things that eventually need repairing or replacing.

At some point, you have to ask yourself:

Do I want to spend my retirement taking care of my house—or do I want my house to make retirement easier?

Living in a smaller, well-designed home can free up time and potentially reduce some ongoing household expenses.

That may mean more time for traveling, hobbies, family, or simply doing whatever you want with your day.

And isn't that part of what retirement is supposed to be about?

An ADU May Also Create Financial Flexibility

There can also be a financial component to this strategy.

If you build an ADU before you're ready to live in it, you may have the option to use it for family or potentially as a long-term rental, depending on applicable regulations and HOA restrictions.

Later, your needs could change.

Maybe you move into the ADU.

Maybe a family member moves into the primary house.

Maybe the ADU provides housing for someone who helps care for you.

The point isn't that there's one perfect strategy.

The value is having choices.

I would never suggest building an ADU solely because someone tells you it's guaranteed to produce a certain return. You need to consider construction costs, financing, taxes, insurance, property value, local requirements, and your family's financial situation.

But when you're looking at retirement planning as a whole, having two independent living spaces on one property can create possibilities that a traditional single-family home simply doesn't offer.

There's a Difference Between Living With Your Children and Living Near Them

I think this is one of the biggest misconceptions about multigenerational living.

When I tell people we live on the same property as our daughter and her family, they sometimes imagine all of us living under one roof.

That's not our situation at all.

We live near each other—not on top of each other.

That distinction matters.

I can close my front door and be completely at home in my own space.

So can they.

But if someone needs something, we're right there.

As we get older, I think that proximity will become even more valuable.

It gives us independence today while creating a natural support system for tomorrow.

Don't Wait Until You Have to Make a Decision

If there's one thing I'd encourage homeowners approaching retirement to do, it's this:

Start thinking about your future living situation before circumstances make the decision for you.

It's much easier to thoughtfully design an ADU when you have time.

You can consider your budget.

Choose the right floor plan.

Think about accessibility.

Select finishes you love.

Work through zoning and permitting.

And build on your timeline instead of reacting to an urgent family or health situation.

You also get to enjoy the space now.

Retirement planning shouldn't only be about preparing for what might go wrong later.

It should also be about creating a lifestyle you can enjoy.

Look at Your Backyard Differently

If you own a home in Charlotte with a backyard or unused portion of your property, I want you to look at it differently.

Instead of seeing grass that needs mowing, ask yourself:

Could this space become part of my retirement plan?

Could it become a beautiful 700- or 800-square-foot home?

Could your children eventually live in the primary house while you live next door?

Could an aging parent live there first, and you use it later?

Could it give you more financial or family flexibility?

You may discover that one of your most valuable retirement assets has been sitting right outside your back door.

For Us, It Became About More Than Real Estate

I have spent much of my career thinking about real estate as an investment.

Location.

Value.

Marketability.

Return.

Those things still matter.

But living in our ADU has changed the way I think about the value of a property.

There is financial value, and then there is life value.

Our original plan was acreage.

What we ended up with was a primary home and an ADU connected by a patio.

And I wouldn't trade what we have now for those extra acres.

Our grandchildren can walk out their back door and into ours.

We can be together when we want to be and separate when we want to be.

We have a smaller home that's comfortable for us today and can continue working for us as we get older.

For our family, that's what preparing for retirement looks like.

Could an ADU Be Part of Your Retirement Plan?

I'm not going to tell you that an ADU is right for everyone.

It isn't.

Your property has to work. Your budget has to work. And, most importantly, the lifestyle has to work for you and your family.

But I do think it's an option more Charlotte homeowners should consider before automatically deciding that retirement means selling their home and moving somewhere else.

At MAK Construction Services, I can help you start with the most important question:

What's possible on my property?

We'll look at your property, your goals, your budget, and how you envision living in the years ahead. From there, we can determine whether an ADU makes sense and what the next steps might look like.

I bring my experience as a real estate professional and licensed North Carolina General Contractor to that conversation—but I also bring something else.

I've made this decision myself. I built an ADU, and I live in one.

So, when I talk with you about creating a home for the next chapter of your life, I'm not just talking about construction.

I'm talking about something I understand personally.

Ready to explore whether an ADU could be part of your retirement plan?

Schedule an ADU Property Consultation with MAK Construction Services.

Creating space for family. Building value for the future.