Having a home that has an additional living space is not something that every home buyer will be looking for in a house. However, if you plan to have an elderly relative living with you at some point in the near future, having a space that can be transformed into a granny flat will be important. In general, a granny flat is a small, usually one-bedroom, living space for an individual that is on the same property as a traditional home.

Granny flats can be built as a standalone structure on the property, but most often, these single-person residences are implemented into an existing house in the garage. If you are looking for a home that would work well for adding a granny flat to the garage, there are a few attributes to look for while you shop. 

Make sure the garage has a private entrance. 

The best garages for transforming into a granny flat will have their own private entrance that is separate from the rest of the house. Of course, a garage door will have to be removed in the process, and a door can be installed at this point, but it is much better off if there is a doorway entrance already somewhere else than at the front side of the house. 

Make sure the garage has sufficient head space. 

It is not uncommon for some garages to have a lower ceiling height than the rest of the house. Either the space is just not as tall as the rest of the home or there will be other elements taking up head space like an HVAC system or overhead mounting for different home elements. During the transformation from a garage to a granny flat, it is often necessary to install a drop ceiling so wiring and plumbing can be run overhead, so a shorter-stature garage often won't do. 

Make sure the garage has room for the necessities. 

A granny flat can be small, but it still needs to have room for the necessities. For example, you will want the granny flat to have enough space for a small kitchenette, living room, and a bedroom, but it will also need to be sizable enough for a private bathroom. If the garage is rather small, it is not impossible to make it a granny flat, but doing so may mean having to expand the structure, which can be a lot more costly than simply changing the interior. 

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