All Forum Posts by: Randall Demary

So my wife and I are a few months farther down the same road. What we ended up opting for was buying a new construction with a JADU already built in. This wasn't really the way we wanted to go, but in the end it made the most sense. A lot of builders are including Jr ADUs now and the plans are super popular, not just as rentals, but for lots of reasons. We were able to secure a larger lot that has plenty of room for a future detached ADU down the road once the rent from the JADU has us better positioned financially. Food for thought.

Hi @Cathy S.! That sounds like a fun deal! I've been obsessively researching ADUs for a bit now and am looking to connect with other Californians who are going that route. In terms of recommendations, there's a lot of stuff out there. Check out Ryan who's based in Napa with How-To-ADU (https://www.how-to-adu.com/). He's got some helpful videos, resources, etc. There are also good groups down in your neck of the woods. 

I'm short on time at the moment, but what I can say is that most of the specialists will tell you that it can be just as or more expensive to convert space into an ADU as to build one ground up. What I've found personally is that the devil is in the details. Your specific property will impact the costs (age, layout, access to water lines, etc) a great deal. Also, your city's regs and policies are a big deal. Some will require you to get a separate sewer hookup for each unit and charge you an obscene amount. Others will let you tap into the existing and charge little or nothing. I'd start by trying to find local people/groups that specialize in anything ADU and get their take on your job. Hope this helps!

@Adam Azam I’m glad you said that. Offers the best of both worlds. I can advertise having everything others offer while also possibly avoiding maintenance.

Hi Janeea - 

I've wanted to get into ADU rentals for ages. It's always just seemed so obvious to me. My wife and I are in California where ADUs are not only legal, but the state recently put in some protections to keep citys, HOAs, etc from preventing you from building them. So, I'm in the process of selling my condo and buying a new construction home that has a JADU already as part of the plan. From this approach, it is definately advantageous to go the ADU route. These are actually the new BIG thing in new construction, at least in some states. Check out this link to a floorplan by Lennar, one of the country's biggest builders.

https://www.lennar.com/new-hom...

People seem to be drawn to the flexibility of ADU floorplans as they can use the space for all sorts of things: home office suite; room for an older teen; adult child living at home; In-Law unit; Airbnb; rental... You get the idea. For a rental, there's also a big advantage in that you pay property taxes for one property instead of two separate ones (although I don't know how that works in your state). I also like that I'll be able to try my hand at landlording while keeping it as straight forward as possible. I'm also hopeful that renters who are more likely to host frat parties 8 nights a week are less likely to try to rent under the owner's nose. We are doing a lot of things to head off problems and frustrations form the start, like opting for lots of extra insulation to help to soundproof, and creating private outside spaces with fencing and vegetation. The plan is to build another 1 or 2 bedroom ADU on the property in a couple of years if all goes well.

I'd love to hear more about what you end up doing

@James A. Nelson Yeah, the access is something I've been trying to decide on. Even considering building a washroom in the garage that would limit renters' access. At this point it seems like either of those are actually better than trying to add traditional hookups to the unit. 

I'm seeing good deals on secondhand combos to the point that I'm thinking I'll try that route out as it's the least involved. I can likely get a good one for about $250 and if it bombs I can transition to the garage. 

@Waleep Alvi Exactly. I've run it by friends who were the types of renters I hope to attract and they said the same: they instantly eliminate any listings without a washer-dryer. But the concerns expressed here have gotten me thinking. If I were to go with a set in the garage, I'd have access to service them, room to get a standard set, etc. This is one of the many advantages of starting out renting ADUs as I'm around to keep an eye on things. 

If anyone has any thoughts or concerns with this approach, I'm all ears :) 

Thanks for the input all. Given that I see very few units that don't include a washer and dryer and those all show as having been posted much longer than those that do, I don't think I can just skip it altogether. Perhaps I can find a way to add a washroom somewhere else. 

I'm in the process of buying a new construction with an JADU (attached In-Law suite) rental. The unit is a small, but quite nice, one-bedroom (or will be by the time I list it). The builder offers only very specific options/upgrades that don't include washer dryer hookups. Comps show that having W & D is a must. I could fairly easily add a ventless washer dryer combo (the all in one unit type) under the kitchenette counter. Here's my concern. My research says those 1) take 3.5 hours+ per load; 2) leave the clothes feeling damp and needing to be shaken out; 3) can only accommodate the equivalent of 2 large bath towels and two hand towels per load. My concern is that most Americans aren't used to doing laundry this way and may write the unit off much as if it didn't have a W & D. 

Anyone have experience with this? I technically could add a more traditional setup, but it would be expensive and an all-around pain.