The older we get, the less we want to live in multi-generational homes. 43 percent people over the age of 66 declared that they could not imagine living with their family – according to the study “Apartment on the Timeline”. In turn, nearly a quarter of Polish residents aged 18-35 consider multi-generational homes to be a good solution and would be happy to live in them.
– Young adults entering the housing market find themselves in a different situation than older generations and face different challenges. Recent years in the real estate sector have been marked by rising prices and more difficult access to mortgage loans. And for many people, this is an obstacle to buying their own apartment and leaving their family home, said Agata Stachowiak from Otodom.
Expensive real estate makes it difficult to buy your own home
In the largest Polish cities, prices per square meter exceed PLN 10,000. zloty. In Warsaw, buyers of developer premises must expect to spend over PLN 17,000. PLN per square meter, and second-hand apartments are on average PLN 1,500 more expensive. In Kraków, Tricity and Wrocław, average rates exceeded PLN 14,000. PLN per square meter. Łódź, the cheapest among large agglomerations, also broke the ceiling of PLN 10,000. PLN/sq m
In the largest Polish cities, prices per square meter exceed PLN 10,000. zloty. Shutterstock
As the expert noted, the motivation to live under one roof with parents and grandparents or to start one's own family in a family home are not only economic factors. For approximately 1/3 of people aged 18-35 who do not have children, the reason may also be good relationships with loved ones and constant contact with them. However, for people raising children, it may be important to support older generations in caring for the youngest. In this group, almost 1/4 believe that multi-generational houses are a good solution and would be happy to use it. In turn, approximately 30 percent Many of them cannot imagine such a situation and prefer to live on their own.
The reason for living under one roof with the oldest generation of the family may be the desire for care, daily support and to prevent loneliness. Inviting elderly parents to your home also means a greater sense of security and ease in reconciling household responsibilities and professional work. According to Otodom research, the older we are, the less we want to live in multi-generational homes. 43 percent people over the age of 66 declared that they could not imagine living with their family.
Different generations, different needs
According to experts, the reluctance of Polish “silvers” to live in a traditional multi-generational house with relatives, usually children or grandchildren, may be caused by several factors. One of them is lifestyle preferences: the need for peace, independence and greater living comfort.
– The reluctance to live together may also be the result of one's own or parents' experiences – in the post-war years, there was a shortage of apartments and alternative forms of living. As a result, several generations lived in small areas in less than comfortable conditions. The need to adapt apartments and houses to new family needs and the associated costs may also discourage people from living together with relatives, said Dr. Agnieszka Labus, co-author of the Otodom report “Apartment on the timeline”.
Alternative forms of residence
She noted that in Poland we are at the beginning of the road to building an offer of alternative forms of housing that meet the needs of the 5th generation. In her opinion, a proven solution is the German program supporting multi-generational homes where people who are not related live but help each other in everyday life. In Poland, examples of this form of housing are multi-generational houses in Łódź and Nowe Żerniki in Wrocław or a multi-generational tenement house in Warsaw.
Another way of multi-generational housing is to combine students with older people and live together in a nursing home, an example of which is the Humanitas Senior Home in Deventer in Netherlands or grassroots housing construction, such as senior and multi-generational cohousing or cooperatives. “Another possibility are housing forms that connect groups with special needs, i.e. young, single mothers and elderly people, who provide support for each other: young mothers help the elderly with shopping or cleaning, and older people help young women become independent. An example of such initiative is the housing development of the Talita organization in Houten, the Netherlands,” added Labus.
The decision to let three generations live together under one roof is not only an organizational challenge, but also a space-related one. As indicated in the report, those interested in purchasing a house with more rooms (4+) will have the greatest choice on the development and secondary markets in Mazovia, Lower Silesia and Małopolska. The smallest – in the province. Świętokrzyskie and Opole provinces.
In the Masovian and Lesser Poland Voivodeships, most offers of such properties from developers are in the price range of PLN 1-1.5 million. In Lower Silesia on primary market it is slightly cheaper – most available ads for new houses cost 600-800 thousand. zloty. However, the highest percentage among offers of developer houses for multi-generational families (4-room) at a price of PLN 400,000-600,000. PLN can be found in Podkarpacie, Warmia and Mazury and in the voivodeship. Lubuskie – indicated.
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