Zoning Challenges That Can Be Problematic For Two Families Buying A Single-Family Home

Single-family homes get their status because they are designed and then subsequently built to cater to the needs of one family. However, it is not at all uncommon for more than one family to choose to dwell within the walls of the same house. If you are planning to buy a single-family home that can be shared with another family, it is really important to work with a good real estate agent who knows the local zoning restrictions. It is perfectly possible to find single-family dwellings that are fine for multi-family households, but there can be zoning restrictions in some locations. Here are a few that can come up. 

You may not be able to modify the house to better fit two families. 

Naturally, a single-family home is going to offer a single kitchen, a limited number of bathrooms, and a set number of bathrooms. If you do buy a home jointly with another family with intentions of adding rooms, you could run into a few issues due to dwelling unit zoning restrictions. For example, if you decide that you will need to add on an extra kitchen to make the home cater better to two separate families, there may be local zoning restrictions that won't allow that process. 

You may not be able to move in at all. 

No one wants to buy a home and then later find out that zoning restrictions prohibit them from living in it as they had planned. Some zoning restrictions will specifically state that a structure is a single-family dwelling only. In other words, only people within one family unit can live in the dwelling, which would not include anyone with a separate household income or who may not be directly related. Unfortunately, these zoning restrictions can even get in the way of typical multi-family housing, such as allowing an elderly relative to move in with you or a single person sharing their home with another single individual. 

You may not be able to change the square footage of the house in the future. 

Simply stated, some zoning restrictions for single-family homes try to combat more than one family moving in by stating that the home's overall square footage cannot be changed. For instance, you may not be able to build on a few rooms to make way for new bedrooms or an extra bathroom. As a homeowner, even if you don't intend to live with another family, these restrictions can be frustrating to discover after purchase. 

If you need help finding a single-family home, contact a company like Liberty Homes.