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The new American household: 3 generations, 1 roof
http://money.cnn.com ^ | 4/9/2012 | Les Christie

Posted on 04/09/2012 1:29:14 PM PDT by dragnet2

As the economy continues to take a toll on consumers' finances, a growing number of people are discovering that becoming roommates with mom and dad, or a 20- or 30-something son or daughter, helps to ease some of the financial pain in tough times.

As of 2010, 4.4 million U.S. homes held three generations or more under one roof, a 15% increase from 3.8 million households two years earlier, according to the latest data available from the Census Bureau.

For multi-generational households, there is typically a nice payoff. Not only do they save money, but they are better able to avoid financial hardship.

"It's such an advantage to have multiple wage earners in the same household when the economy is still struggling." ... the multi-generational housing trend is one he expects will continue.

Census reported that "doubled up households," those including at least one extra adult who is not enrolled in school and isn't a spouse or partner, grew 10.7% to 21.8 million households in spring 2011, up from 19.7 million households four years earlier.

Many of those homes included adult children who flew back to the nest after being unable to find work. The number of 25- to 34-year olds living with their folks jumped by more than 25% between 2007 and 2001, Census reported.

Builders take note. "The recession caused doubling up to save money -- and the story is still unfolding,"

The long-term impact, he said, is that more families will want bigger homes with more bedrooms to accommodate their extended families.

In fact, so many relatives are already moving in with one another that builders are starting to construct homes to accommodate them.

Home builder Toll Brothers has started incorporating multi-generational living arrangements directly into its designs... Previously, such accommodations were offered only as custom options.

(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2010census; family; housing; trends
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To: dragnet2
It is not such a new idea.

It has been popular both here

and abroad.
21 posted on 04/09/2012 1:49:09 PM PDT by jmcenanly ("The more corrupt the state, the more laws." Tacitus, Publius Cornelius)
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To: dragnet2

Not that long ago the lack of generations living in the same house was considered a bad social development, leading to a lack of connectedness and responsibility. Maybe there will be long term good out of this.


22 posted on 04/09/2012 1:52:57 PM PDT by discostu (I did it 35 minutes ago)
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To: Army Air Corps
"Obama is bringing America together! / sarc"

That is exactly the spin that is coming.

23 posted on 04/09/2012 1:56:15 PM PDT by NoExpectations
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To: jmcenanly
It is not such a new idea.

Understood, but the article and my point are, this tread is now growing rapidly.

24 posted on 04/09/2012 2:03:40 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Smokin' Joe

Yep.

Anyone thinking this is some “Ghetto” thing, must be detached from reality and in fact are likely living on government retirement checks delivered to their mail box.


25 posted on 04/09/2012 2:08:22 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: dragnet2

We lived for three years with my mother when we only had two small children and it worked out well - but I was glad to get out and run my own house my own way.

Now that she is older, it’s possible we’ll have her living with us some day. Would definitely want a separate apartment then, with mini-kitchen, her own bath and sitting room, which is getting into luxury territory not necessity.

And there are some of my children I would be happy to share a house with even when grown, and others who for their sake or our sake need to live on their own.

Ideal I think is to have the generations living close by, in the same town, but sharing a house can be good for some.


26 posted on 04/09/2012 2:10:41 PM PDT by heartwood
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To: dragnet2

We lived for three years with my mother when we only had two small children and it worked out well - but I was glad to get out and run my own house my own way.

Now that she is older, it’s possible we’ll have her living with us some day. Would definitely want a separate apartment then, with mini-kitchen, her own bath and sitting room, which is getting into luxury territory not necessity.

And there are some of my children I would be happy to share a house with even when grown, and others who for their sake or our sake need to live on their own.

Ideal I think is to have the generations living close by, in the same town, but sharing a house can be good for some.


27 posted on 04/09/2012 2:10:41 PM PDT by heartwood
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To: dragnet2

I grew up in a three generation home. Times were different then. The Grand pa was retired. Grand ma never worked. Both my parents worked and my sibling and I stayed home till out of college.

I am facing a three generation home now...oldest one retired, wife working, her daughter quit job, has no education, left drug dealing boyfirend and now is pregnant with nowhere to go but guess where.

Then again, it may be two households, one with a single older gentleman living alone.


28 posted on 04/09/2012 2:11:54 PM PDT by Mouton (Voting is an opiate of the electorate. Nothing changes no matter who wins..)
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To: dragnet2

Another story about the Obama White House and Granny “Freeloader” Robinson?


29 posted on 04/09/2012 2:14:29 PM PDT by Iron Munro (If Repub's paid as much attention to Rush Limbaugh as the Dem's do, we wouldn't be in this mess)
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To: discostu
Not that long ago the lack of generations living in the same house was considered a bad social development, leading to a lack of connectedness and responsibility. Maybe there will be long term good out of this.

The Lord does work in mysterious ways.

30 posted on 04/09/2012 2:15:17 PM PDT by YankeeReb
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To: Army Air Corps

“See, Obama is bringing America together!”

I think trying to put the repercussions of obama’s miserable policies in the best light possible is exactly the purpose of this article.

That said, our family is doing this, but we began planning for it about 10 years ago.

It’s working out great, but again, it’s not a forced situation for us and we all have our own spaces — kitchens/baths/parking/doors to the outside,etc.


31 posted on 04/09/2012 2:16:59 PM PDT by Heart of Georgia
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To: MarineDad

LOL

The MSM spins this as a good thing- “family togetherness” and all that. In reality, the fewer options you have, the less freedom you have.


32 posted on 04/09/2012 2:18:51 PM PDT by TurboZamboni (Looting the future to bribe the present)
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To: dragnet2
I'd rather not. I will if they need my help, but that's it. If I move my 33 year old ass back to ma and pa's, I'm under their house and their rules and I don't do well with authority. My parents and I get along great today. When I lived there, we didn't. I valued my freedom too much.
33 posted on 04/09/2012 2:24:05 PM PDT by Darren McCarty (Time for brokered convention)
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To: dragnet2
This isn't really new to the USA. It just hasn't been that way since the end of WW2 (generally speaking).

I might go so far as to suggest that we were a better country back when this was the norm.

My wife and I are on the brink of buying a big ol’ house that might have been built (in 1908) with this sort of arrangement in mind.

I agree that anyone who can afford to move out on their own should have the right to do so. After all, that's what I did, nor did I move into my in-laws’ when I married. Both my parents, on the other hand, grew up in multigenerational households before heading out on their own, and benefited from the mutual support found therein.

34 posted on 04/09/2012 2:24:53 PM PDT by ExGeeEye (Islam: a transnational fascist government that demands worship.)
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To: Kartographer
Hand me downs, second-hand stores, actually mending things instead of just throwing them away, eating at home.....

Not necessariy bad things, and arguably the path to a sort of prosperity...and sound practice in the best of times IMHO.

35 posted on 04/09/2012 2:30:43 PM PDT by ExGeeEye (Islam: a transnational fascist government that demands worship.)
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To: dragnet2

The real problem is that there are fewer opportunities for children to capitalize on and become fully independent and plot their own course in life.


36 posted on 04/09/2012 2:32:32 PM PDT by Crucial
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To: ExGeeEye

Brings to mind a poignant conversation I overheard between an American and a gentleman from India who was working in the nursing home business.

The American guy asked him what nursing homes were like in India. After a long pause, he kind of rolled his eyes and said “We don’t have any. You must understand, in our culture there is a very strong obligation to take care of your parents, so you would never, ever see an Indian send them into a nursing home”.

The American gent was a bit taken aback by that answer, I could tell.


37 posted on 04/09/2012 2:32:32 PM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Uncle Ike

Future Present.


38 posted on 04/09/2012 2:52:56 PM PDT by AceMineral (Some people are too stupid for their own good.)
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To: Crucial
The real problem is that there are fewer opportunities for children to capitalize on and become fully independent and plot their own course in life.

Absolutely...In fact the children, those in their 20-30s who are making 9-15 bucks an hour doing whatever, will never be able to raise a family, buy a home etc. Throw in the ever increasing prices of everything and they don't have a chance.

39 posted on 04/09/2012 3:03:00 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: TurboZamboni

We may not like it, but it’s all about socialism and the breakdown of the family:

Back in 1900, fully 57% of adults ages 65 and older did so. But over the course of the 20th century, older adults grew steadily healthier and more prosperous as a result of a range of factors, including the enactment of social safety net programs such as Social Security and Medicare and improvements in medical care.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2010/03/18/the-return-of-the-multi-generational-family-household/


40 posted on 04/09/2012 3:22:07 PM PDT by donna (This is the age of Republican-Feminism. We "feel right” has replaced being right!)
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