Thanks, Not familiar with that. Does that mean the in-law unit can only be rented out if the owner lives there? And once the owner leaves (but still owns the property), the in-law unit can’t be rented out?
I think that’s a grey area and I am not sure about that too 
True
Or, look for ones especially fixers or corner lot homes that have inlaw potential. So, that means looking for high ceiling garages or basements. Gotta meet building code, right? A corner lot home allows one to use the backyard gate as the entryway to the unit. So no need to build a separate entryway or see a tenant all the time via front door side. No one wants to go through a garage door or garbage storage side door either so corner homes are quite dandy indeed!!!
Not sure of all the cities. Generally in-law units is permitted to “build” while the owner lives on the property. After it has been built and approved, you are not required to live as far as I know.
Interesting, never heard of such a law. They can’t police that for too long. So, what happens when the owner builds it while there and moves out? They gonna make you tear it out? I would think not. Besides, anyone can legally add additional rooms and say a bathroom (no kitchen per se) on the ground floor with the idea that it would be used by the owner for family. What inlaw?
I posted this on the Sunset thread, but this is what I mean for a nice one that would probably accommodate an inlaw easily. Entrance from the side backyard way. Garage looks large and has height. Boom!!!
https://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Francisco/2501-42nd-Ave-94116/home/1238751
Hayward, Sunnyvale, Cupertino all have that rule where owner must live on property when building the in-law. I was looking at big lots in Hayward and checked the city rules. Wife thinks a loophole can be that you build in-law, then leave a room with a side entrance in the main unit for your personal purposes and rent everything out - that way you have some “presence”. Lol.
Interesting… I need to look into that. I’m in the unincorporated area of Hayward. I think we go by Alameda County rules.
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Wow, 5000+ views and 200+ favorites.
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Come on, we know what contractors, flippers, investors are eyeing in the Fab 7x7… relatively cheap properties that have big upside. This one may land on the high overbids list. It wouldn’t surprise me.
@elt1, can you tell me what the newest rules on inlaw units in unincorp RWC zoning R100S7 are? (Or anyone who is familiar with them.)
Contingent!!!
Don’t know any specifics, but found this http://planning.smcgov.org/press-release/second-unit-ordinance-update.
Sorry no…but the county is run by buttholes…You are better off in the city…
Only 2000sf lot. Can do you build an inlaw in the backyard?
Not where I was focusing on… I meant within the garage on the backside rear. That’s how I did mine, A legit, spacious 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apt with small dining/“kitchen” area. Today, probably rents for 2k at least which would almost cover my mortgage alone. Now, that does take away a car space but it would be in tandem anyway and like I said before plenty of street parking in the Sunset where I am.
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dupe posting…
There is talk of 150k potential units…personally I think very few will be built…Who needs the headache if you own a $1.5m house…You will get maybe $2500 in rent…But most of these homeowners are already making $200k…Plus these units will cost $100k…so maybe a $800 mortgage…besides who needs the headache of a whiny tenant in your face and less privacy…Basically you lose your backyard…and the fact is they add little value…maybe just the cost…Lots of potential future buyers don’t want them…
Then there is the parking issue, and demanding tenants that will want to cram more people than you want in these 400sf shacks.
I had 600sf one at my house in RWC…I only rented it to friends.It was a pool house…And I made sure they knew the rules…my way or the highway…
No way I would let a third party build and control the unit…frigging ridiculous
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Yeah, but it is the trend down here. Come on, I am def not the first one to ever add additional permitted rooms to a SFH and rent them out but that was in 2004 a year or so after buying my Sunset home. I remember back then, oh if the city found out you would be in trouble, the parking headaches, etc… Now a days, every city has to say yes to these for simply the reason that there is none or very little building of conventional housing being done. Let’s be honest, it works. Yes, it potentially adds parked cars to streets but then again you have Uber now and especially millennials they accept that form of transportation quite easily.
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