Hive living holds promise for SA homebuyers
Households made up of several generations of the same family are on the rise again and the "hive" living arrangements they are increasingly adopting could help solve some of the country's pressing housing problems.
So says Berry Everitt, MD of the Chas Everitt International property group,
who notes that agents are reporting a marked rise now in multi-generation home
purchases, "with parents and children, or parents and grandparents, for
example, clubbing together to buy a residential property that will
accommodate them all".
There has recently been a rise in demand particularly for homes with multiple granny flats or separate cottages to accommodate retired parents, newlyweds or working singles in the same family, he says.
"At the same time, many retirees who already own large properties are now building themselves a retirement cottage on the same stand while one or more of their adult children move into the original family home.
"And similarly, the demand for smallholdings with several dwellings is increasing, as siblings or cousins band together to buy properties that will serve as family 'compounds' and enable them to jointly also provide housing for their ageing parents or grandparents."
Everitt explains that such "hive" living is quite distinct from cocooning, in that it enables members of the family to share living space and interact closely when they wish but still live quite independent lives.
He also notes that the trend is already well-recognised overseas, with the US Census Bureau reporting a jump of 63 percent in the number of American households consisting of three or more generations living together in the decade from 1990 to 2000. In 2000 nearly 4m such households were recorded.
"And it is interesting that the main drivers of hiving are the same abroad as in SA - that is, high property prices and declining affordability, especially for the young and the elderly, as well as growing concerns over crime and personal security,
"But more important is that multi-generational housing also implies major social benefits, not only for the families concerned, but also for wider society. For example, retired parents who live on the same property as their children might do it primarily to stay close to their grandchildren - but at the same time are relieving the pressure on ever-scarcer institutional housing for the aged."
Hiving can thus be expected to gain further ground in SA, Everitt says, and local architects can in due course be expected to respond as American ones have - by adapting traditional home layouts to create several separate but interlinked living units.
"Each unit in these super-homes is self-contained, with sleeping quarters,
bathroom, kitchenette and living space, allowing privacy. However, each unit
is also connected to communal recreational areas where families can spend time
together, while a fully-equipped central kitchen can be used to prepare
meals for the extended family."
ISSUED BY CHAS EVERITT INTERNATIONAL
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
BERRY EVERITT ON
011 801 2500