East Point Properties
The ADU hub

A smarter way
to live together.

Accessory Dwelling Units let families keep a parent close without moving them away from independence. The 2024 Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act just made them dramatically easier to build.

What’s an ADU?

Three forms — same fundamental idea.

An Accessory Dwelling Unit is a small, independent living space on the same property as an existing home. They can be attached, detached, or converted from existing square footage — each form fits a different lot, budget, and family.

01

Attached addition

A new wing off the main house — often a ground-floor suite with its own entrance, kitchen, and bath. Fastest path when the lot allows.

02

Basement or garage conversion

Reclaim existing square footage rather than build new. Lower cost, lower disruption — ideal when the main house already has the footprint.

03

Detached backyard cottage

A free-standing small home — 600 to 900 sq ft — behind the main house. Most privacy for both generations, longest build timeline.

What it can look like

The point of an ADU isn’t a smaller home. It’s the same daily life, lived closer.

Dining area opening to a bright kitchen with wood floors
Open plan · dining to kitchen
Kitchen with wood cabinetry, tile floor, and natural light
Full kitchen · natural light
Compact open kitchen and dining area in a single-level home
Compact plan · single level
Why ADUs, especially for seniors

Comfort, independence, and proximity.

  • 01Safe, nearby housing for seniors — without the move to a facility
  • 02Independence for the parent, proximity for the adult child
  • 03Typically more affordable long-term than assisted living
  • 04Adds durable value and flexibility to the main property
Who this is for

Three families we’ve walked through it with.

01

The widowed parent

When the house got quiet.

Mom doesn't want to leave the town she's lived in for forty years, but the four-bedroom is too much to keep up. An ADU on the daughter's property — one town over — keeps her close to her grandchildren without making her a houseguest.

02

The adult child planning ahead

Before the crisis.

You know the call is coming — the fall, the diagnosis, the sudden loss of a parent. Building the ADU now, while everyone has the energy and agency to design it well, is a different conversation than building under pressure.

03

The family thinking generationally

A property that lasts beyond one chapter.

Today it houses your mother. In ten years it's a home office, a rental, a landing pad for your kid after college, or the place your family gathers. ADUs are the rare senior-housing decision that keeps paying forward.

Questions about ADUs

The six things every family asks first.

01

What does the 2024 Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act actually allow?

The law permits homeowners to build one ADU on any single-family property, up to 900 sq ft or 50 percent of the main house (whichever is smaller), without zoning board approval. Local towns can impose some restrictions but cannot prohibit ADUs outright — a major shift from pre-2024 rules.

02

How much does a typical ADU cost to build?

Conversion projects (basement, garage) generally run $150k to $300k. Attached additions range $250k to $500k depending on size and finishes. Detached cottages in Massachusetts commonly land between $350k and $600k all-in. A feasibility review sharpens the estimate for your specific lot.

03

How long does the permit-to-move-in timeline take?

Conversions typically take 4 to 8 months. Attached additions run 8 to 12 months. Detached cottages commonly take 10 to 18 months. The new state law removes the zoning board hearing on most projects, but local building-department review and inspections still set the floor on timing.

04

Can I build an ADU if my town doesn't like them?

The 2024 Act limits what towns can prohibit. Local bylaws can still regulate design standards, parking, and short-term-rental use, but they cannot require a zoning variance for a conforming ADU on a single-family lot. We'll check your town's updated bylaw as part of feasibility.

05

What are the financing options?

Most families use a home-equity line of credit, a cash-out refinance, or a renovation loan that rolls the ADU cost into a new mortgage. Some use the sale proceeds from downsizing the parent's home. Our partners include lenders who specialize in senior-transition ADU financing.

06

What if we want to rent it out later?

Under the 2024 Act, ADUs can be rented to long-term tenants without special approval. Short-term rental rules (under 31 days) are set by local bylaw and often restricted. Most families we work with keep the option open — build for Mom today, open to renting in five years.
Begin a conversation

Start with a feasibility review.

Every ADU starts with a conversation about the lot, the budget, and the family. We’ll tell you whether an ADU makes sense before you spend a dollar on architects — and if it does, we’ll sequence the team.

Prefer to schedule directly? Book a call with Kevin.

Typically a same-day reply during business hours.

One last thing

A smarter way to live together — starts with a lot walk.

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