She retired on a Tuesday. Her partner still had a few years to go.

Most couples in that spot start having the same conversation -- downsize? Stay? Sell the house that's too big or keep paying into the one that's almost paid off?

This couple in Santa Clara skipped all of that. They walked past their garage and saw an opportunity -- two retirements, a rental income, and a home they'd never have to leave.

Here's what they did.

They converted the garage into a fully permitted, fully accessible ADU -- one story, wide doorways, a front entrance and a private entrance to the backyard -- and leased it to graduate students from the university down the road. Quiet tenants. Steady rent. And somebody on the property whenever they wanted to travel, which they did -- without a second thought about what was happening back home.

The backyard? Never touched. The garden they'd spent years building stayed exactly where it was -- and now it was shared, by choice, not obligation.

That was step one.

Step two hasn't happened yet -- but it's already designed. When her partner retires, they move into the ADU. The main house goes on the rental market at three times what the students were paying. The income goes up. The weight of property taxes and upkeep disappears. And they're still home -- same street, same neighbors, same garden -- just living smaller, simpler, and smarter.

They didn't get lucky. They planned it. And it started with a garage nobody was parking in.

If you've ever looked at your property and wondered what it could do for you -- not just what it costs you -- that's the conversation we have every day.

30 minutes. No cost. No pressure. Just answers.

No obligation. No pressure.
Just clarity on what's possible for your home

CA HCD Approved · American Dream TV · Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative

Or just reply to this email -- I read every one.

Warm regards,
Rebecca Moller
Founder & CEO, SYMBiHOM LLC
ADU Design-Build Developer
[email protected] · (510) 930-8900 · symbihom.com