There are some buyers who are looking for a mother-in-law suite, or it is alternatively called.
What is a Mother-in-Law Suite?
The mother-in-law, or granny suite, is normally an area of the home, or even a separate home, that is often like a distinct studio style apartment. Names the granny suite because it might be a great area for a widow or widower parent who is still autonomous but wants to live close to home, maybe to help with the grandkids. In many floor plans, especially in the Fort Hood area, it may be as simple as a corner of the home that has it’s own bedroom and bathroom – an area that one’s mother-in-law (or father-in-law, or guests) could live almost separate from the rest of the family. Technically, a proper mother-in-law suite would include it’s own kitchenette. When I grew up, my grandfather built the house we lived in and had the main 4 bedroom home on one side, a garage in the middle, and a small apartment on the other end with a living room, bathroom, bedroom and small kitchen. He never actually lived in it, and instead we often had it rented out.
Fort Hood Area Options
I don’t often see the full-blown mother-in-law kitchenette and everything. There are several builders in the area who have close approximations of the mother-in-law style – a bedroom with either en-suite or nearby bathroom that would fit nicely for someone looking for a mother-in-law plan. Saratoga Homes is an example, with homes in both Purser Crossing and White Rock Estates in the $250,000 – $310,000 range that have a setup worth checking into if you are looking for a home with a mother-in-law style plan. Most of their models have a bathroom and bedroom in a separate corner of the home for either guests or a parent, but no kitchenette.
The Lennar Next-Gen Suite
I was only recently exposed to what the home builder Lennar had to offer – the full-blown mother-in-law. They call it their Next-Gen Suite. It features not only a separate bathroom and bedroom, but an entire living room with attached kitchenette. A 3 car garage for both your cars and grandma’s, it includes it’s own front door adjacent the main home’s front door, so that your suite’s occupant can come and go as they please independently.
Lennar is currently building the Next Gen models in Evergreen Estates in Harker Heights. It is one-of-a-kind for our area and something worth looking into if that is one of your family’s needs!
Remember that it is still to your benefit to use an agent when working with builders! Most buyers either forget or are not aware, but having an agent as a buyer costs you nothing and gives you someone who knows the area and can help inform your decision making. Buying from a builder is no different in that respect than buying from any other seller.
