ADU’s in Utah: Making your property work for you.

ADUs in Utah: Why Everyone’s Talking About Them Right Now

There’s a reason why you are hearing a lot about these lately.

Us too!

Recently, we have had a lot of people come to us talking about ADU builds (Accessory Dwelling Units).

Almost always it’s someone trying to figure out how to make their property work a little harder for them.

And right now, ADUs are kind of the obvious answer.

So what is an ADU (without the technical definition)

It’s just a second living space on your property.

Could be a basement apartment, a little house in the backyard, converting a garage. Nothing crazy, just a fully livable space with its own kitchen, bathroom, entrance, etc.

The part that’s actually surprising: Salt Lake will help you build one

Seriously.

Salt Lake City has a program (called Backyard Keys) where they’ll help fund your ADU.

Not like a small grant either. It’s a real loan, up to about $200k.

But what makes it different:

• the interest rate is WAY lower than normal

• it’s stretched out over 30 years

• and part of it can actually be forgiven

The trade-off is you agree to rent it out at a more affordable rate.

That’s it.

So the city gets more housing, and you get help building something that still makes you money long-term. It’s actually a pretty smart setup.

They’ve also made the process way less annoying

A few years ago, building an ADU felt like jumping through hoops.

Now it’s a lot more straightforward.

They’ve loosened zoning in a lot of areas, and they even have pre-approved plans you can use, which saves a ton of time.

It’s still a construction project, but it’s not the headache it used to be.

It’s not just Salt Lake anymore

We’re seeing this more across Utah in general.

Places like Sandy, Millcreek, Ogden… they’re all starting to allow ADUs in more areas.

Every city is a little different, but overall the direction is the same… Utah needs more housing, and this is one of the easiest ways to do it without overbuilding everything.

Why people are actually doing it

Most people aren’t doing this because it’s trendy.

It just makes more sense.

• You can bring in extra monthly income

• It adds value to your property

• It gives you flexibility (family, guests, etc.)

We’ve had people come to us wanting a space for parents, and then later realize it could also help cover their mortgage.

Or they build it as a rental and keep it as an option for their kids later.

It’s one of those things that works now and later.

The part most people don’t think about

The incentive program is great, but where people get stuck is everything around it…

• figuring out if their property qualifies

• understanding the city rules

• designing something that actually fits the space

That’s usually where we come in.

If you’ve been thinking about it

Lets Talk

A lot more people are starting to move on ADUs, especially in Salt Lake, because the incentives are there right now.

And those programs don’t always stick around forever. Give us a call or text and lets get started 801-809-8181