Amazing annexes: 8 homes perfect for multi-generational living

A home with an annexe can offer independent living for grandparents or a safety net for an adult child saving for a first-home deposit.

January 12, 2021

A third of UK households are currently multi-generational, a trend which looks set to continue in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

With Covid-19 restrictions making it harder to see relatives and working from home putting a squeeze on space, it’s easy to see why pooling resources and choosing to live together in a larger property makes sense.

By 2025 there could be 2.2m people living in multi-family households according to insurer Aviva, which conducted research last September and found that the majority of multi-generational families are adult children living with parents.

However, there has been a steady rise in older relatives moving in with younger generations, with the proportion increasing from 9% in 2016 to 14% in 2020.

But while many of us would like to see more of our relations, not all of us will be happy sharing a kitchen, bathroom and access to the television with them in the long-term.

The solution? A “granny annexe”, otherwise known as a dwelling either within the main property or in the grounds, but with separate facilities and space to meet different needs.

According to the latest figures from the Valuation Office Agency, there are now nearly 39,000 “granny annexes” in England and Wales alone – an increase of 16% in recent years.

We’ve scoured our listings to bring you some of the very best properties for multi-generational living for sale on our portal now:

1. Seven-bedroom detached house with a one-bedroom annexe over the garage, in Oxford, England, £2.8m

This beautiful house is set within 1.3 acres of mature grounds and ancient woodlands. With ample living space, a music room, a swimming pool (with a cover that can turn it into a dance studio, no less), a games room and even a wine room, it would be hard to find yourself feeling crowded no matter how big your family is. The garage has room for three cars and above it is a self-contained annexe, perfect for an independent-minded family member to live in.

Available via John D Wood

2. Five-bedroom detached house with three-bedroom cottage in the grounds and a studio over the garage, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, £2.15m

This wonderful Cotswold stone house was in the same family ownership for many generations before being acquired by a renowned Bletchley Park code-breaker in the 1960s. It has been extended and modernised, retaining many period features including mullion windows, crenulated elevations and flagstone floors. If offers not just one but two dwellings in the grounds for extended family to stay in or holiday let potential: firstly, a detached two-room studio over the garage; and a period three-bedroom cottage with its own parking and garden, accessed via a separate driveway.

Available via Hamptons

3. Three-bedroom terraced house with annexe, Frome, Somerset, England, £400,000

This late Victorian family house has been thoughtfully extended and retains lots of character. It is located near to the centre of bustling Frome, within walking distance of independent shops, cafes and the train station. The back garden houses a large separate annexe, with a bathroom and sitting room/bedroom, perfect for an older relation or adult child to live in.

Available via Allen&Harris

4. Three-bedroom detached house with studio annexe and stables, Bont Dolgadfan, Llanbrynmair, Wales, £590,000

This equestrian smallholding comes with 10 acres, a three-bedroom character house, a stone cottage annexe in the grounds (complete with open-plan living kitchen/living/sleeping area, and bathroom), and stables. Perfect for anyone keen for an authentic country life, it comes with a tack room and turnout area for the horses, while the main house is heated by an aga and features a large inglenook fireplace. The hills around the property have many historic features including stone circles and cairns.

Available via Roger and Parry Partners

5. Six-bedroom semi-detached townhouse with separate kitchen and living area on the top floor, Muswell Hill, London, England, £3m

This Edwardian house in London’s leafy Muswell Hill is rare in that it comes with Passivhaus certification, making it energy efficient and contemporary, while preserving original features. There is a spacious family kitchen and living space at the lowest-level, and at the top of the house there are two-bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen area; perfect for an au pair or family who might want their own space to live and cook, but don’t require a separate entrance.

Available via Hamptons

6. Four-bedroom detached house for sale with outbuilding, Cupar, Fife, Scotland, £550,00

This stunning four-bedroom detached house in Fife is being sold for the first time in 55 years. The interior requires some modernisation, but the old coach house and stable buildings in the garden have masses of potential for development as annexes or holiday lets. The property has two driveways, and is within walking distance of good local schools and a train station.

Available via Thorntons

7. Two-bedroom detached house with separate annexe, Isle of Skye, Scotland, £335,000

This contemporary home is finished in locally sourced Scottish larch and reclaimed stone from the ruin that stood before it. The Eyrie is perched up on a hill surrounded by croftland with spectacular views out to the sea and mountains, but is only 5 miles from Staffin beach, shops, cafes and small local businesses. The nearby stand-alone annexe has one bedroom and a bathroom.

Available via R. House

8. Three-bedroom detached house with annexe, Durham, England, £550,000

Bracken Cottage is a spacious three-bedroom family home in a popular village close to Durham city centre. Outside there is space for multiple vehicles. The annexe is set over two floors with an open plan living/kitchen area and a bedroom with en suite bathroom and a door to the balcony leading to the gardens.

Available via Ben Charles

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