A Family Solution, Just Steps Away

Sarae Pacetta, 50, of Portland, wanted to be closer to her aging parents and support them as their needs grew. But there was a challenge: her parents lived in Georgia, where housing is more affordable than in Portland. How could she bring them to Maine without compromising their retirement savings?

The answer was right in her side yard.

“It was just a rectangle of grass,” Sarae said. “It’s now a house.”

Today, that patch of lawn is a fully built 1,100-square-foot ADU with two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, central air conditioning, and a sunroom. It cost $400,000—about the same amount her parents received from selling their home in Georgia. The modular home was built by Backyard ADUs.

Sarae’s mother, Clare Herrmann, 77, said she and her husband, Jim, love being close to family while still having a space of their own.

“That’s what an ADU does for you,” Clare said. “You can be near family but not in their business. We live our own lives, but if we need anything, family is right there.”

Clare added, “I have everything I need—plus a daughter next door. That’s the best part. And I get to see my grandkid on a regular basis. That’s a real bonus!”