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Old 02-10-2014, 05:45 PM
 
Location: Chicago
31 posts, read 36,842 times
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So essentially an MIL/In-Law is very similar to a duplex, with the exception of not having shared common spaces?
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Old 02-10-2014, 05:49 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,188 posts, read 107,790,902 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by njtaylor View Post
So essentially an MIL/In-Law is very similar to a duplex, with the exception of not having shared common spaces?
Not exactly. "Duplex" usually refers to buildings that were originally designed as two separate apartments of roughly equal space. An MIL is a single-family home where someone decided to convert a little-used space into an apartment for extra income. As previously mentioned: a garage, a basement, usually, but sometimes another part of the main house, like: a back porch and adjacent room, or more rarely, the 2nd floor bedrooms might get converted to an apt., and an exterior stairway/entrance added. The MIL apartment is an afterthought, not part of the original home design. Whereas a duplex is a building designed and built as an apt. building with two apartments.
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Old 02-10-2014, 10:01 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,480,254 times
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RE: MIL apts...just hope you REALLY like your landlord and that he/she isn't a nosy, control freak. Personally, MIL apts scare me lol! I don't want to live in my landlord's backyard.

Last edited by NoMoreSnowForMe; 02-10-2014 at 10:03 PM.. Reason: Less is more...
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Old 02-11-2014, 12:40 AM
 
243 posts, read 467,247 times
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MIL can be illegal, BTW, so if it bothers you... Otherwise, MIL are very good deals, money savers; if you do not have family. Landlords can be nosy.
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Old 02-11-2014, 12:52 PM
 
Location: Chicago
31 posts, read 36,842 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
Not exactly. "Duplex" usually refers to buildings that were originally designed as two separate apartments of roughly equal space. An MIL is a single-family home where someone decided to convert a little-used space into an apartment for extra income. As previously mentioned: a garage, a basement, usually, but sometimes another part of the main house, like: a back porch and adjacent room, or more rarely, the 2nd floor bedrooms might get converted to an apt., and an exterior stairway/entrance added. The MIL apartment is an afterthought, not part of the original home design. Whereas a duplex is a building designed and built as an apt. building with two apartments.

Ruth4Truth, that makes a lot of sense. I could actually visualize it! Thanks!
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Old 02-11-2014, 12:52 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,188 posts, read 107,790,902 times
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They're illegal where the area isn't zoned for dual-family residences. There are so many around Rockridge that I assume the zoning there allows it, but I don't know that for a fact. (Legal) MIL owners are subject to the same laws that apply to any rental unit, meaning they're not allowed to enter the rental unit except for an annual inspection and whatever the local restrictions are. Some MIL owners aren't aware of that fact.
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Old 02-11-2014, 12:55 PM
 
Location: Chicago
31 posts, read 36,842 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
RE: MIL apts...just hope you REALLY like your landlord and that he/she isn't a nosy, control freak. Personally, MIL apts scare me lol! I don't want to live in my landlord's backyard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilkhd2 View Post
MIL can be illegal, BTW, so if it bothers you... Otherwise, MIL are very good deals, money savers; if you do not have family. Landlords can be nosy.

DULY NOTED to BOTH comments! LOL... I like my privacy and I don't do well with invasion of it, and I certainly don't need to be involved with anything considered potentially illegal. All good things to know, thanks NoMoreSnowForMe (I LOVE your name, btw - completely expresses my current state of mind lmbo) and Ilkhd2!
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Old 02-11-2014, 01:30 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,188 posts, read 107,790,902 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
RE: MIL apts...just hope you REALLY like your landlord and that he/she isn't a nosy, control freak. Personally, MIL apts scare me lol! I don't want to live in my landlord's backyard.
I've been an MIL landlord, and I'm not a nosy control freak.

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Old 02-11-2014, 02:08 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
28,226 posts, read 36,855,940 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
They're illegal where the area isn't zoned for dual-family residences. There are so many around Rockridge that I assume the zoning there allows it, but I don't know that for a fact. (Legal) MIL owners are subject to the same laws that apply to any rental unit, meaning they're not allowed to enter the rental unit except for an annual inspection and whatever the local restrictions are. Some MIL owners aren't aware of that fact.

I think it is technically on a lot by lot basis. There are lots of illegal ones in SF. Haven't heard a lot about it being an issue in the east bay. I have friends who do/did live in inlaws....
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Old 02-11-2014, 03:36 PM
 
Location: Chicago
31 posts, read 36,842 times
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I have another question, this one is about the seasons... here in Chicago I am used to LONG winters 5-6 months out of the year, but we get all the seasons, a short spring, summer, and fall (which is my favorite season for the climate and the changing leaves...plus I was born in November ).

I am looking forward to no snow and cold (cold of course being subjective, for me anything 50 below is chilly, colder than freezing is cold LOL sad but the truth of Windy City living), but I'm curious the length and existing seasons in the Bay Area. I read somewhere about lots of rain, which I don't mind at all, but what else would I need to be prepared for? I also heard theres not really any bugs...truth or exaggerated?
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