What is compound living? And why are so many people on social media suddenly obsessed with the idea of living on a compound?

Well, during the pandemic, people may have done a lot more “unconventional” things, for the sake of safety and comfort. People in the city moved out of the city and bought land to live in more rural areas. There has been more of a demand and a rapidly increasing number of people who have been looking to build family compounds. In fact, if you do a Google search for “family compound” you will see that interest has reached a 10-year high in the United States.

But what exactly is it? For starters, we are not talking about the kind of compound that put northern New Mexico on the national news not too long ago. This idea of a compound living arrangement is where multiple dwellings are located on the same property, often for extended family members. These dwellings may be joined together or built around an open area, and the enclosure may be formed by a wall, fence, hedge, or other structure.

These multigenerational homes and households have always existed, it’s just that now there’s a resurgence in the desire to live in closer quarters. As more people join compound life and document their lives on social media, more interest builds in this alternative arrangement.

So, is it feasible for your family? What about you and maybe a group of friends? After all, for some people, the idea of living next door to their mother-in-law sounds like… well, we won’t go into that—while for others the concept of a block full of your besties and their kids sounds like the American dream.
The idea is simple: Keep your loved ones nearby so you can help each other out and benefit from sharing resources. And it is economical. For many, it’s the positive concept of growing up amongst family. You not only share the land, but you share meals and the joy of living together as a larger family unit.

Similarly, a compound can be as simple as buying the house next door to your parents, best friend, or sister, and tearing down the fence that separates your properties. This allows your kids to easily move between homes while keeping the rest of the fencing in place, ensuring they’re safe in both places.
Of course, there are challenges in living so closely, too. You’re tied up in each other’s business, everyone has an opinion about everything, and then there’s your cousin’s annoying habits…

But overall, the positives outweigh the challenges. Almost everyone wants to come back after college, the military, or living and working away for a while. Or there’s the instance of when you move to a new city or state and slowly everyone follows you because they like the idea of living close together.

There are some local properties that would best accomplish this idea of living on a compound and where the best opportunities might suit you and your own multigenerational living concept. Whether you are looking to live closer to schools and town or are looking to be further out, where you can farm and grow your own vegetables, I am always happy to help go over the options and what that might look like for you.

I know as we look at the housing market we think everything is still so steep. I’m here to say there is hope on the horizon… some prices are gradually coming down. Also, we remain hopeful that interest rates are coming down too: interest rates have hit an all-time low, the lowest we’ve seen since February of 2023!