Last weekend I showed houses with in-law arrangements in Mount Prospect and Des Plaines to a gentleman relocating from Dallas and his mother. His mother currently has a house in the far northwest Chicago suburbs, but it’s too far a commute to his job in Northbrook and they both agree that they would like to live near each other, but have their own space.
Listings that claim to have in-law arrangements require a lot more investigation on my part before I forward them to my buyers. Many have claims such as “good in-law potential”, “kitchenette”, or “perfect in-law”. Yet, when I ask the listing agents what such terms really mean, I more often than not find that the home has “in-law potential”, but isn’t “in-law ready”.
Many homes that claim to have a “2nd kitchen” don’t have a stove or full size refrigerator. Many supposed in-law arragements don’t have a bedroom and full bathroom on the same level. The MLS let’s listing agents specify if their listings have a “2nd kitchen” or “in-law arrangement”. Unfortunately, there is no definition of what these terms mean.
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Fran Bailey shows, previews and tracks downtown Chicago homes for sale giving her the insights needed to help her clients negotiate the best price and terms. Fran has been quoted in numerous Chicago and national publications. To schedule showings of listings regardless of broker or to contact Fran email her at fran.bailey@bairdwarner.com or call 773.793.4516. Learn More
Fran Bailey, Realtor
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m impressed that there’s a market for “in-law potential” housing. I would like to meet these people. Or maybe I would’nt.
Maybe “in-law” plan should be changed to “child-who-won’t-leave-home plan”. I do think the industry should try to come up with standards for what an “in-law plan” is. Must it have it’s own kitchen? Separate entrance? Or is it just two masters on opposite sides of the house?
You got a nice post on Metro Area Real Estate, a Chicago Real Estate Blog. Really very nice to read and useful, thanks for the nice share.
I have a ‘true’ In-Law Arrangement. Seperate and joined entrances – 710 Sq.Ft. Eat-In Kitchen has full size stove and frig. Full bath with large living room and bedroom w/WIC. Separate heat and air from main house.
Beautiful home on 3/4 acre in Indian Lakes Subdivision-Bloomingdale, IL. Fran, email me with interest.
Thanks for letting me know about your in-law house, Lisa. I don’t currently have anyone looking for an in-law house in Bloomingdale, but when I do, I’ll certainly keep yours in mind!
I live in Bartlett and I also have a true full in-law arrangement. It is 1500sq.ft. and has 8′ ceilings, 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms with closets, 1 full bath that is handicap accessable and a full eat-in kitchen with an island, pantry granite countertops, stove, double door fridge, window over sink and double french door that opens on to a large 16′ x 24′ patio. Huge 14′ x24′ Living/Dining room combination. Foyer with guest closet. 1 shared entrance and 1 seperate entrance. Washer/Dryer in the separate utility room outside of the in-law and in another separate room with a door on the same level. So, Yes they do exist, but arrangement is such a loose term that covers many different situations (a blanket term that keeps it legal) and that’s why it does cover and apply to a 1 bedroom in-law or a full-blown in-law. I think that the term apartment by law is an income property and cannot exist in a residential neighborhood.
I do think that the term arrangement should be tightened up in listing a little, by being refered to as either a Partial In-law arrangement or a Full In-law arrangement in real estate listings and that might help a little. Mine is in Bartlett and listed on MLS and Realtor.Com and I’m constantly concerned that it’s worded correctly. I also have it listed on http://www.owners.com which is great, because you can say more about the in-law in your listing and show more photos and that gives people a better idea of what you have.
P.S.
I had to design and build this home to house my mother and father in-law in 1993 and at that time I searched between Bartlett and where they lived at Cumberland and Foster in Chicago. I could find nothing termed as In-Law that was suitable enough to house them comfortably.
First of all, if it’s in a basement it needs to be a deep dug basement as not to feel like a dungeon or a hovel. Most older homes do not have deep digs, so you need to be looking for newer homes. My in-law is the full ground level Walk-Out of my home and feels like your in a ranch style house and not like a basement or an apartment at all.
I don’t know how many other people your client needs to house in his own family, but another option I looked into at the time was a ranch duplex. They had really nice all brick ranch style duplex’s at that time off of Bartlett Rd. in Streamwood, but they were too small to fit my children.
Good Luck to you and your clients, I’m sure there is more out there today than there was in 1993 and I hope you find the perfect place as it is paramount for mom to be happy in her surroundings. It’s just as important as it for anyone looking for a new home. I only know that in 1993 the touted in-law arrangements looked pretty dismal, dreary and bleak and I would’nt have let my dog live in most of them, much less my in-laws or parents.
You have a lucky mother and father-in-law, Roxanne! You also make a good point of considering multi-family properties, if a suitable in-law house can’t be found.
I have a large home in Montgomery, IL with a full aparment for in-laws or the older child with a young family. Thinking about selling soon. Not on the market yet. Please contact me if you’re interested in more details. This home was built my me and my father in 1996. Privacy was the main consideration. This is true seperate living for two families under one roof.
We currently own two condos on one floor of a small condo unit in Morton Grove, IL. (a two bedroom and a one bedroom); this has worked out very well as an in-law arrangement but it is now time for us to move on to Florida so we will be selling if anyone else would like to look into this arrangement.