If you’re considering tapping Canada’s Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit to create a multigenerational household, think beyond the physical space. Discussing everyone’s needs and expectations in advance can make the living arrangement more fulfilling for each family member. Generations United, which conducted the study Family Matters: Multigenerational Living Is on the Rise and Here to Stay, offers ten tips on making such living arrangements successful. They include: 1. Build relationships through shared activities across the generations, including learning together, cooking, and

Who doesn’t like those what’s in and what’s out lists? They’re especially helpful when you’re making home renovation decisions or tweaking your design in anticipation of selling your home. Forbes talked with home industry experts, including interior designers, a real estate broker, and an HGTV personality, to identify 12 kitchen design trends on the way out for 2023. Here are five. 1. Open kitchens 2. All-white kitchens 3. The farmhouse style 4. Faux finishes 5. Matte black hardware Read more about commentators’ thoughts on kitchen design elements at. If you’re not a Forbes subscriber, the

A recent National Institute on Ageing (NIA) report, "Ageing in the Right Place: Supporting Older Canadians to Live Where They Want,” outlined how to help Canadians age where they want and stay out of institutional settings. One of its key points concerns boosting home safety, something you can do right away on your own. Tapping materials produced for November’s Fall Prevention Month is one starting point. For example, look at the link to the home self-assessment tool. It walks you through your house room-by-room, helping you identify dangers in each space and outlining how to address each

You may want to invest additional money for upgrades when budgeting for a new home. Home buyers spend close to $12,000 on alterations and repairs during the first year after closing, according to NAHB’s analysis of Consumer Expenditure Survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That figure includes over $4,000 on things like building outdoor patios, fences, pools, and driveways. They spend another $3,167 on landscaping. New appliances are another significant cost – an average of $4,254 – as are new furnishings, with an average spend of $5,122. Other projects done by new buyers include

This year’s AARP Livability Index (https://livabilityindex.aarp.org/) included information about accessory dwelling units (ADUs), often known as in-law suites and guest houses, for the first time. After all, ADUs may be an attractive aging-in-place option for the 88% of Americans between the ages of 50 and 80 who, in the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging, said it's very or somewhat important to live in their homes as long as possible. The rub is that in many places, zoning laws don’t permit ADUs. But that’s changing, and AARP has been advocating for ADUs. The District of

Not long ago, the perception was that Millennial buyers wanted move-in-ready houses. That placed a burden on sellers who felt like they had to invest considerable time and money to sell their homes. New research by Real Estate Witch (https://www.realestatewitch.com/2022-millennial-home-buyer-report/) suggests that Millennials, facing inventory shortages and stiff competition for homes, are compromising on their must-haves. For you, that may mean that you won’t need to invest as much in upgrades and deal with the angst and inconvenience of major renovation projects. Some ways that Millennials

The effects of aging start slowly, and often it’s all the bending and lifting in the kitchen when you start feeling some physical limitations. If you’re exploring aging-in-place kitchen solutions – modifying an existing kitchen or deciding what to incorporate in a renovation – Lowe’s Livable Home (https://www.lowes.com/l/shop/accessible-home-resources-and-guides), a collaboration between AARP and Lowe’s, gives you a good place to start. Though the site focuses heavily on products, those products can make life easier. They include: Pull-down cabinet inserts to make reaching items in upper

Co-living is an increasingly popular lifestyle that offers many seniors a satisfying and financially viable way to remain independent longer. It also depends heavily on finding a suitable roommate. The search begins with thoughtful upfront planning. Follow these tips for identifying the best match! 1. Don’t limit yourself Consider looking outside your age range. Depending on the individual, a college student with a job and a studious nature may be a good fit. You might want to offer regular home-cooked meals in exchange for their efforts on cleaning, yard chores, or running errands

Has it been a decade or two since you moved into your current home? Are you now planning to sell it? If yes, it’s a good idea to learn about today’s buyers, what they want, and the steps you can take to help sell your home for the best possible price. For example, if your interior walls showcase paint colors that were trendy decades ago, a substantial number of buyers no longer share your taste. “Let them repaint the walls,” you say. “That’s what I did!” Yes, paint is indeed a relatively easy cosmetic update. However, you’re also assuming that buyers will take time to use their imagination

It’s no secret that the reverse mortgage has been on the rise lately. For those aged 62 and older, it can mean the difference between buying a home they think they can afford, and buying a home they love.