All Forum Posts by: Aaron Schrader

I'm from Bend, OR originally and there in the older neighborhoods that were built with alleys this is very common. It looks nice because the ADU can be accessed from the alley so the tenants have a more private feeling, street side tenants have their entrance facing street and ADU access faces alley. As far as safety goes I can't really speak to that, but to my knowledge it wasn't an issue. I rented one of these set ups at one point and it was a good experience. I'm sure it's neighborhood or city dependent as far as the pushback received. I'm starting to see some of these set ups pop up here in the Black Hills as well.

It's pretty subjective to what you or your financial backers would want for the time and effort put forth.  I work with a guy that has a minimum 70-80k desired profit and finds the deals that will do that.  But then there are others that want 25 or 30k profit per flip.  What do you want?

It's kind of hard for me to picture this set up, is the garage door going to stay on there, but the physical garage is being converted to a living structure?  And then you are placing windows elsewhere on the structure?  If I'm going with that idea, would it be reasonable to swap the garage door out with a glass window garage door?  It'd look cool.  You'd get windows.  You'd keep garage door functionality. 

The best looking/functional ADU's I've seen in established neighborhoods are the alley access garage with the apartment above the garage. Parking isn't an issue, and maintains same or similar foot print.

Not that it is helpful but thought I'd add my redundant recommendation of gutters.  I've worked with so many houses that have had moisture in crawl spaces, block walls pushing in, and even settled corners of homes, all can be traced right back to no gutters and poor drainage.

Good luck with the fix I hope it's gutters for yours and you can move onward and upward!  

As much as most people don't want to do this (and I get it, I understand) I would very much recommend having everything permitted (especially in a rental).  The problems it can cause later when either selling, or running in to some rent control/inspection/whatever issue isn't worth it.  Plus when it is added square footage and is actual permitted legal space, that's helpful on the resale.  

I saw this maybe it's relevant

https://www.biggerpockets.com/...

That's great!  Glad to hear that.  

Keep in mind I don't know you, your market or this house, but if someone in my area were looking at an expenditure like this and said "3 bed houses don't sell in the area", the first thing I'd want to see is proof, which would be just pulling the sold listings off the MLS in the area and looking at days on market. I guess I just question big statements like that only because they often can be formed off of what people hear, and not what is true. But if you know this answer definitively and know it will bring the value then go for it! Best wishes for your project.

I think a question I have right away is does adding a bedroom add this much value to justify the time and expense?