Where's the duplexes and ADUs? (Seattle, Tacoma: real estate, apartments, renters)

[Wheatridger]

That's what I'm wondering tonight as I browse the regional listings. For twenty years I've owned a detached duplex consisting of a farmhouse and remodeled barn in the Denver suburbs. My second dwelling has provided a steady payment equal to 2/3 my overall monthly payment.

Now I'm contemplating a move out there to live closer to my daughter. I love the PNW anyhow, but finding housing is a tough nut to crack. When I search for "duplex" on Zillow, almost nothing comes up (at prices between $600-1000K; are there more expensive duplexes?) Then I search for the modern counterpart, the Accessory Dwelling Unit. A search for ADU brings me a dozen or so listings that suggest I might add one to the home. That would be handy; we're frequent visitors now, and the ADU could be our home base in Washington. Last night in a half hour of searching I found just one listing with a built-out, licensed ADU included, in Tacoma. Are they really that rare?

Here in Denver, duplexes are fairly common in fifties-seventies housing. Most are simple paired homes, nothing fancy. I wish there were more, because I think they serve as a step on the ladder to property ownership and building wealth. Like my dear late Mother used to say, "Buy a duplex and somebody else pays your note." Also, tenants in an owner-occupied duplex are some of the best-supervised renters around. I suspect that exclusionary single-family zoning quietly choked that off in past decades, with little notice.

So here's a question for the real estate gurus who haunt these pages: where in Pugetlandia do you find sub-million-dollar homes with the income potential and flexible living options of ADUs?

[Arcos]

I speak of my very limited experience as a first time home buyer just entering the market. There's overlap in classification. I saw two places in Phinney Ridge and one in the University Area that were actually set up as two dwellings each... but they showed up in the search for single family homes because that was what they were before the conversion.
I don't think they were sub million, though. Or at least wouldn't end up as such, in this market, even if listed below.
So you may need to browse more, and be less search term dependent or you will miss something.

[Hemlock140]

One family that I know bought a house that had a basement in-law apartment with separate entrance that could have been used as a duplex, but they converted it back to a single family residence, and it's valued at $1.1 million. Most of the recent old single family teardowns have been replaced with a new 4plex, building up to get the most money out of a small lot.

[jabogitlu]

City of Seattle relatively recently reformed their ADU/DADU codes, so we historically probably have fewer quantities than other cities that have welcomed their construction for longer periods of time. Also, ADUs are expensive to build here (separate sewer connection, permit fees, construction costs...), so they are typically associated with higher income homes or investment holds.

Not too many duplexes built in recent years. To my knowledge we don't have any 2 DU zones, just SFR and then multifamily of various densities. Land is so valuable here that it doesn't make sense to build a 2-unit when you can build a 6-unit.

[Diana Holbrook]

They're *fairly* common down in our area, South Puget Sound... and in other semi-rural areas. Lots of garage and half-basement apartments that are either completely or partially independent from the house.

Not all have been permitted as separate dwellings, but you can find them in listings.

Lots of people are looking for them these days, either to use as rentals or for either adult kids or parents.

[CrazyDonkey]

Out here we're just as liable to call them "mother-in-Law" units/apartments. Yes, a lot of listings will say whether they can be added (are permitted), which can make finding those that already have them more difficult. Maybe search on "kitchens" - for instance:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4...48903372_zpid/

Where are you looking? I'm not sure what might, or might not, be included in "Pugetlandia".

[Wheatridger]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Out here we're just as liable to call them "mother-in-Law" units/apartments. Yes, a lot of listings will say whether they can be added (are permitted), which can make finding those that already have them more difficult. Maybe search on "kitchens" - for instance:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4...48903372_zpid/

Where are you looking? I'm not sure what might, or might not, be included in "Pugetlandia".

I'm casting a wide net, just beginning to investigate what a move to the area would be like, and what's really available. Our only child has settled in south Seattle, which leaves us parents wondering how long we want to stay in Denver, and why. Somewhere within an hour or so of Renton, perhaps? I'll try looking for 1+ Kitchens next time.

What's the general public opinion about ADUs there? Permissive, or prohibitive? It was a hotly contested topic in Denver and its suburbs. Now they're approved in most municipalities, but most of the ones actually built are in a couple of new urbanist infill subdivision projects. The urge to go 4-plex usually wins out.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by Wheatridger

I'm casting a wide net, just beginning to investigate what a move to the area would be like, and what's really available. Our only child has settled in south Seattle, which leaves us parents wondering how long we want to stay in Denver, and why. Somewhere within an hour or so of Renton, perhaps? I'll try looking for 1+ Kitchens next time.

What's the general public opinion about ADUs there? Permissive, or prohibitive? It was a hotly contested topic in Denver and its suburbs. Now they're approved in most municipalities, but most of the ones actually built are in a couple of new urbanist infill subdivision projects. The urge to go 4-plex usually wins out.

ADU is a field we can search by in our MLS, so if an agent is helping you, they can fine-tune a search to look for them.

(CrazyDonkey we aren't allowed to call them Mother-in-laws any more)

Their popularity very much depends who you talk to, Wheatridge! They are a little controversial in some areas, for the same reasons they are in Denver.

They're less controversial in rural areas than in suburban ones.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Wheatridger

I'm casting a wide net, just beginning to investigate what a move to the area would be like, and what's really available. Our only child has settled in south Seattle, which leaves us parents wondering how long we want to stay in Denver, and why. Somewhere within an hour or so of Renton, perhaps? I'll try looking for 1+ Kitchens next time.

What's the general public opinion about ADUs there? Permissive, or prohibitive? It was a hotly contested topic in Denver and its suburbs. Now they're approved in most municipalities, but most of the ones actually built are in a couple of new urbanist infill subdivision projects. The urge to go 4-plex usually wins out.

I think it depends on how strict the historical zoning rules were. Seattle has loosened theirs more recently.

Maybe look for a house with a detached shop that you can convert into a dwelling unit. For instance:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...49198100_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...49050799_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...48711028_zpid/ (A shop and ADU.)