If you’re asking yourself, ‘Can I build a granny flat on my property?’ and you happen to live in NSW, you’re in luck. Of all the states and territories across Australia, NSW leads the country in the number and proportion of granny flats.
Besides the advantages inherent in this style and composition of modular living, there are a number of reasons why granny flats are on the rise. Specifically, we can look to three trends in demographics that paint a picture of a changing population in the country:
These developments, coupled with more flexible planning and zoning for residential properties, are making granny flats a smart choice for homeowners — or potential residents of these incredibly flexible options.
These convenient housing units are so popular with families, prospective buyers, and investors because they offer several benefits.
Chief among them is flexibility, especially when it comes to design, orientation, and function. For example, Smart Choice Granny Flats feature granny flat designs that range from ‘pocket-sized’ to 4-bedroom layouts.
So, let’s look at four reasons why putting a granny flat on your property may be the best idea yet.
You may think that putting a granny flat on your property is for aging parents and so it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t have aging parents or in-laws. However, these compact and efficient ‘extra’ living spaces can help give parents an option to assist their kids by giving them access to their own ‘starting space’.
Right now, across Australia, there’s a shortage of affordable housing, especially among millennials looking to transition out of their family home. Granny flats are the right solution to this issue. They can be as compact as a family needs — from a simple studio-style layout with a small stove and ensuite bathroom to a kitchenette, bedroom, and separate living space.
Growing families who manage to buy their own starter home do so with the idea that they’ll simply scale up in size as their family grows. However, they may get to that point in their future and decide it’s too much trouble to do so (or, at the very least, too expensive for their budget).
Instead of buying an entirely new home, why not build a granny flat on your property? Granny flats can be a fantastic addition to a starter home or a home with a more modest interior area. This is useful for families who are growing in size or those that plan to blend their family members and need a multi-generational living space.
When building a granny flat, homeowners can be very selective about what kinds of inclusions and design choices they want to make. Granny flats are fully customisable — you can choose to add quality inclusions like insulation, skylights, and modular furniture. With Smart Choice Granny Flats, for example, you can use popular suppliers like Beaumont Tiles, Rinnai, and SMEG.
Once children or parents transition out of the granny flat, you can use these bonus additions as an extra source of income. Now, being able to rent out a granny flat really depends on the rental laws around your community.
Certain by-laws in NSW may restrict you from renting out a granny flat, but if it does work out, this could be a good way to supplement your own mortgage payments. If you do plan to rent out a granny flat, make sure to specifically opt for a design that features a kitchen and an extra bedroom for your future tenants’ convenience.
Smart Choice Granny Flats help homeowners build high-quality, affordable, and customisable granny flats. With over 35 years of experience in the construction industry, and over 400 granny flats built to date, we guide our clients through every step of the design and build process. Contact us to arrange a display home visit and to learn more about the potential return on investment that a putting a granny flat on your property can provide.