I’ll admit it, when my husband first approached me about building a “granny pod” in our backyard, I was admittedly a little skeptical. Why would I want this small house in my backyard? What exactly is there to DO with it? But after several long conversations, I am proudly a granny pod/backyard cottage convert. We are beginning construction on our very own next weekend! Here are five reasons why you should make the same granny pods/backyard cottage investment.
Say No To Nursing Homes With Granny Pods/Backyard Cottage (And Keep Your Family Close)
It’s A Great Guest Room
Even if you aren’t thinking of building a granny pod to house your parents or parents-in-law, they are a great alternative to the classic bedroom. If the layout of your house is small, but you always wanted a little extra space for guests, why not build something outside? Plus, we all know that house guests get tiring a few days into their stay, so this helps everyone have their own space to relax and decompress after a long day.
You Could Rent It (And Make Extra Money!)
For those weeks when your granny pod is not occupied by a guest…or, well, a grandma, why not rent it out to make some extra cash? Small houses like granny pods do exceptionally well on sites like Airbnb because they are affordable for renters and still give them independent space outside of the main home. One of my friends rents hers out a couple of weekends a month and has already made her investment back in just a year!
It’s More Cost-Effective Than A Nursing Home
One of the main reasons to build a granny pod is to give your elderly loved ones a safe place to stay while still living independently. Not only are they a whole lot cheaper than enrolling your elderly loved one into a nursing home, but those loved ones are likely to feel a bit better about this kind of transition. You’ll just have to get used to your parents (or parents in laws) living with you, but that should be easy to manage. 😉
Close Proximity To Loved Ones
If you find yourself worried about an elderly loved one living on their own, a granny pod in the backyard provides excellent proximity to loved ones. You can regularly check on each other throughout the day, and you will always know where to find each other in case of an emergency. Think about it, if your elderly loved one has a hard time remembering to eat, you could have them over for dinner every night to ensure that their needs are being met.
Granny Pods/Backyard Cottage Tiny Homes Might Raise Property Value
Small additions like this to any property will surely raise the value if you go to sell your home in the future. After all, the granny pod in the backyard is additional square footage AND they have a functioning bathroom. What could be better? It’s like a little cabana minus the pool. I know tons of future buyers who would love something like this.
Granny Pods/Backyard Cottage Floor Plans
When looking for a design perfect for our backyard, I spent a lot of time online looking for floor plans. Of all the sites I visited, Cottage Depot was my very favorite! I can wait to post photos when it is complete.
Granny Pods/Backyard Cottage Interiors
Here are a few of the images I am turning to for inspiration in our own granny pod!