Need some creative ways to get my mom into a duplex - think house hacking.

[Kim Handelman]

Hey Folks,

My mom has no retirement. Despite years of telling her to save she just hasn't. She is 72 and with health problems is now in a place where working every day is just too much. She has $200,000 equity in her OC California home and would like to move to more affordible Shoreline CT to be close to me and the grand kids. Buying a place outright doesn't work because she can't afford to live on SS. I have tried to get her into a duplex where she will have rental income to supplement SS but she can't afford a mortgage. I then tried a reverse mortgage but HUD won't allow one unless she can show proof of being a landlord for the past 2 years. STUCK. Anyone ever done anything creative with reverse mortgages or have any ideas on how this could work?

[David C.]

use her 200k to add an in law suite to your house?