Opportunities Open Up as Multigenerational Living Rises

The case for building homes extra large or small is growing as the popularity of multigenerational living soars.

Across the country, governments are looking to increase housing diversity and density, opening up opportunities for developers. 

GJ Gardner Homes said enquiries for extra large homes had increased drastically in 2021 as housing costs and inflation rose.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics also found households containing three generations had increased by 22 per cent between the 2016 and 2021 censuses.

This figure was projected to increase further off the back of the housing crisis, the trend of young people living in family homes longer, and the nation’s ageing population growing.

Meanwhile, the Victorian government has introduced reforms to allow builders to bypass councils and create secondary homes, or granny flats, via a standardised application process.

E61 Institute research economist Matthew Maltman said the measures would boost housing supply. 

“Our analysis found that secondary home approvals surged in Sydney in the decade after the implementation of similar reforms in 2009,” Maltman said.

“From 2006 to 2021, secondary homes almost tripled as a share of detached housing, from 0.3 per cent to 0.9 per cent.

“This contributed 1.5 per cent of Sydney’s total housing growth, and was 6.1 per cent of Sydney’s growth in detached housing.”

▲ One of Hoek Modular Homes’ granny flats. Policies are changing across the country to deliver more homes by increasing housing density.

And people wanting to have all the family under one roof are looking for bigger homes of four, five or six bedrooms.

GJ Gardner Homes chief operating officer Chris Thornton said parents planning ahead, the aging population and cultural diversity were contributing to changes in their designs.

“Given the rise in costs of living and housing, parents with young families building now are expecting their children to live at home longer,” Thornton said.

“Planning ahead with multi-generational homes will serve them well for years to come, with a particular focus on separate bedroom areas and multiple living areas.”

Thornton said there was a major motivation for increasing their big home offering.

“It stemmed from customer enquiries, which have increased noticeably since 2021,” Thornton said.

“Prior to that increase in demand, our designs were specifically catering to allow multiple areas of living and privacy within one home. 

“Over time, we have made a conscious effort to create designs that allow older kids or elderly parents to have their own private zones separate to the master and main living areas.”

The UNSW City Futures Research Centre has reported one in four Sydney households has more than one generation of related adults living together.

In Queensland, Hoek Modular Homes said granny flats were trending again with a big change in interest and investment in its products.

This was largely due to changes in state laws that now allow owners to rent out secondary homes on their property.

▲ GJ Gardiner Homes has experienced a pronounced increase in inquiries for homes suitable for multigenerational living.