Have an apartment or want an apartment on your property? It can be a great way to make a little extra money and offset taxes, have a relative stay, or use it for your guests. The house sitter or caretaker that stays can have separate living quarters and there are multi-generational benefits too.

One of the elements for making housing more affordable in the state of Washington is implementing new guidelines for Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADU’s). King County is taking the lead in higher density living with an expectation of growth in the city of Seattle.

If you currently have one on your property, by now you probably know that they have become attractive to future buyers. We affectionately refer to them as our cottages, cabins, flats, carriage houses and the like. The acronym came about more recently. We now have search parameters in the NWMLS for them. Here’s how they are identified:

ADU is the general term for Auxiliary Dwelling Unit. You might say then that you have one of the following if it’s permitted and a fully contained living unit. The types are broken down as follows:

1. AADU is an ATTACHED ADU that can either be above an attached garage, in the basement, or on the upper level of a home and therefore connected.
2. DADU is a DETACHED ADU which is a unit completely separate from the main dwelling. It might be above a detached garage, a stand alone unit, a part of a shop or even a barn.
3. SADU is a Secondary ADU and although not quite as common, is gaining popularity as a secondary unit. The SADU is starting to become known in areas seeking to increase density. Locations with examples include Seattle, WA, Portland, OR and Grand Junction CO.

If this is something that you’ve considered, check your county, as well as their regulations as they relate specifically to your parcel and the utilities available to you.

Lastly, does it add value to your property? YES!

How much value varies and is usually determined by the privacy and degree of separation from the main home, the parking, views, and access to any amenities that the main home might have such as waterfront.

Other buildings on your property without water are referred to as “outbuildings.” These include a storage shed, chicken coup, library, and/or art studio. If it’s larger in size, permits are required. If it’s less than 120 sqft, permits are usually not required. Setbacks always apply and the county is your friend. 🙄

As a REALTOR® it all makes a huge difference in how I am able to market your property so that we are in compliance with what it is listed as.