Meet the sandwich generation
- Thread starter WASP
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It would probably work in my family too except my mother is too house proud and would be very resistive to giving up her house.
This subject comes up from time to time because we have family in Greece who do this and in all cases the parents are looking after mooching children - parents not only have had the children and their families move in but the parents continue working to support them, often well into their 70's.
Often an old persons pension is utilized by the younger family members as well.
my cousin who works only occasionally and his wife who has never held a job {late 30's early 40's and do not have children} live upstairs in uncles lovely spacious apartment overlooking the town square, while my uncle and aunt live downstairs at the back of a shop.
Uncle and aunt cook their meals and pay the bills. Children don't contribute financially.
These living arrangements have always been the norm in Greece but the mooching appears to be a more recent generational occurrence created by parents.
I've heard of so many personal cases and heard so many Greek people here in Australia speak scathingly of these scenarios.
Even when the intentions are good and the families are close I think this is where it often fails.
I think this is great, if you can do it.
With us, we bought a 5 unit apt building, and our 4 adult children each took a unit.
Two of the kids have moved away, and they have tenants in their apt.
One is moving back next month.
I hope for the rest of our lives, we will have our children/ grandchildren (if we ever get any
) occupying at least some of the property with us.
With us, we bought a 5 unit apt building, and our 4 adult children each took a unit.
Two of the kids have moved away, and they have tenants in their apt.
One is moving back next month.
I hope for the rest of our lives, we will have our children/ grandchildren (if we ever get any
) occupying at least some of the property with us.
Sanj
I understand it is also cultural, that's the difference.
Side issue, was watching Grand Designs Australia, where this guy was building home on small block, 3 levels, trendy inner South Melb area. The family very close so decided to accommodate the wife's parents on the ground floor, their input/cost towards the project was $500,000.
They decided that if this arrangement did not work out they would just sell the property as family were more important than a house. BTW, there were some tensions by the end of the project.
http://www.lifestyle.com.au/tv/grand-designs-australia/episode.aspx?id=444996
I understand it is also cultural, that's the difference.
Side issue, was watching Grand Designs Australia, where this guy was building home on small block, 3 levels, trendy inner South Melb area. The family very close so decided to accommodate the wife's parents on the ground floor, their input/cost towards the project was $500,000.
They decided that if this arrangement did not work out they would just sell the property as family were more important than a house. BTW, there were some tensions by the end of the project.
http://www.lifestyle.com.au/tv/grand-designs-australia/episode.aspx?id=444996
In the later years of working as a removalist ,the pooling of money and resources to purchase a home started to become a common thing.I saw 2 generations,3 generations,brothers/sisters,all the combinations combine to make purchasing a home a reality.
European cultures embraced this concept,but i also saw Australian families born & bred also see the benefits of buying this way.
How does the teenage boy look asian with a family like that?
He looks Greek or Mexican to me. Asian, Sth American and Sth European all look the same anyway.
We are seeing increased buyer demand for dual living style housing to accommodate the extended families.
With divorce rates the way they are and the increasing entry costs for first home buyers I think this will be far more common in the future.
With divorce rates the way they are and the increasing entry costs for first home buyers I think this will be far more common in the future.
Working in a real estate a while back, I had a divorced lady and her young kids rent with her older mum and dad in 1 big house for a yr (maybe more as I left)
not really common then but im not sure on the situation now.
John.
not really common then but im not sure on the situation now.
John.
I reckon it's a great idea, provided the right people are involved. I'd do this with my in-laws in a heartbeat, my wife's in-laws, not so much...
My house would suit such an arrangement quite well, I think. Older people could live downstairs, parents get master suite retreat upstairs and kids get bedrooms upstairs at the front of the house.
If our bedroom was directly above my in-laws I could annoy my wife by being deliberately noisy during, um, never mind...
My house would suit such an arrangement quite well, I think. Older people could live downstairs, parents get master suite retreat upstairs and kids get bedrooms upstairs at the front of the house.
If our bedroom was directly above my in-laws I could annoy my wife by being deliberately noisy during, um, never mind...
Most of the world lives like this.
I think it's pretty normal in some (if not most non-western) cultures. In Peru / Iran / Italy / America a lot of my relos have multi story housing each floor lived in by one generation. They have other PPOR's elsewhere in the city as well.
Most of my non-Australianised friends have large properties with many generations living there, even the ones that have several properties in the one suburb.
My parents place has 3 distinct living areas, non of us live there permanently (sis and I have our own places elsewhere in Sydney/Tamworth) but we have our areas, even my two new born nieces have their own room and play area.
It's actually really nice to have the family all together like the old days last couple of weeks. Feels like you still have your old home to go back to. Though it's like the dead zone when nobody is there.
Most of my non-Australianised friends have large properties with many generations living there, even the ones that have several properties in the one suburb.
My parents place has 3 distinct living areas, non of us live there permanently (sis and I have our own places elsewhere in Sydney/Tamworth) but we have our areas, even my two new born nieces have their own room and play area.
It's actually really nice to have the family all together like the old days last couple of weeks. Feels like you still have your old home to go back to. Though it's like the dead zone when nobody is there.
This is something that I have been thinking about a lot lately as I have moved back in with my mum and although it is only the two of us her house is really small. We get on very well and it likely that this could be a long term arrangement. We are tossing up between renovating to add two extra bedrooms and a living area ( that is far enough from hers - in the new homes the living areas are very close together), building a granny flat and knocking down and rebuilding as we like the block. Mum so retired and the house is paid off. Really not sure which way to go or how we could fund it. Still very much in the thinking stage.
This is the norm in Chinese culture.
Many ethnic Chinese do it, even though they live in apartments. Eg in Hong Kong where 99% of the population live in apartments.
Sometimes the households have 2 fridges - one for the wife, one for the mil.
Many ethnic Chinese do it, even though they live in apartments. Eg in Hong Kong where 99% of the population live in apartments.
Sometimes the households have 2 fridges - one for the wife, one for the mil.
In indian culture, daughters marry out (they go live with their husband and his parents) whereas sons bring their wives into the household to live.
So, If marrying an Indian man, try to pick an only son
So, If marrying an Indian man, try to pick an only son
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