The Pros and Cons of Living Close to Family

Your home is more than just four walls and a roof. When you buy a house, you’re buying into a community. Your neighbors will have a direct connection to your quality of life, just ask the person whose neighbor chooses to run their snowblower at 11 pm on a school night.

They say that real estate is all about location, location, location. But in addition to proximity to schools, parks, and amenities, where you live is also about who is nearby.

And for many of us, that means choosing whether or not to live close to your family.

Maybe your parents are getting older and you’d love Sunday dinners to be a five-minute drive instead of a flight away. Or maybe you’ve had your first child, and suddenly the idea of grandma babysitting on short notice sounds like a dream.

For others, it’s the opposite. If you’ve ever seen reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond, you can probably understand the desire to move a little farther from family to establish independence or simply get some breathing room.

Whatever your reason, deciding whether to live close to family is one of the most emotional choices in real estate. It’s not just about geography; it’s about connection, support, and identity.

When it comes to the pros and cons of living close to family, here’s what you need to know.

Before we dive in, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter for more real estate advice, new listings, and community updates.

Pros of Living Close to Your Family

1. There’s a Built-In Support System Nearby

There’s something deeply comforting about knowing your people are close. Parents can pop over for dinner, cousins can become playmates, and there’s always someone to call when life happens, whether it’s borrowing a cup of sugar, picking someone up from soccer practice, or even just getting together for a quick catch-up before the school bus leaves in the morning.

They say “it takes a village,” and for young families, that support can be life-changing. Grandparents can help with childcare or school pick-ups, taking some of the pressure off and giving working parents more balance, especially in a world where after-school schedules dominate your calendar and remote work blurs the line between home and office.

2. More Shared Moments, Fewer Missed Milestones

When you live near family, the small, everyday moments add up. Morning coffee with a parent, a quick walk with a sibling, seeing cousins play in the pool; if your family is a long drive (or worse, a long flight) away, these moments are fleeting. The sense of effortless connection is lost, and that is not something you can recreate over Zoom.

As we age, it becomes harder to maintain these connections, and not to be morbid, but time is not always on our side. Having family close by means you’re present in their lives, which is a precious gift many of us wish we had more of.

3. Emotional, Financial, and Physical Security

In a time when the cost of living and housing continue to rise, families often find creative ways to share space or resources. Some households create multi-generational living setups such as basement suites, ADUs, or homes with separate wings, that give everyone independence with the bonus of shared costs and companionship.

Curious about ADUs? Read this post for an in-depth look at my experience with ADUs in Utah homes.

It’s more than practical. It’s a way of preserving a sense of home that extends across generations.
Even if you’re not combining households for financial reasons, you can still feel a sense of security with family nearby. Imagine having someone to check on your home, shovel your driveway, or feed the cat when you’re out of town. It’s built-in peace of mind.

Buying or selling real estate is more than a transaction. It’s a life-changing decision. Read these posts next to learn about some of the more emotional aspects of selling your home, and how to overcome them for an easy and profitable sale:

Cons of Living Close to Family

1. Blurred Boundaries

Proximity can sometimes mean too much access. When family members live down the street, it can be hard to find space to parent your own way, set routines, or just have quiet time.
You may have casually told your family to simply “let themselves in and make themselves at home.” But after a while, when someone (even if it’s a loved one!) continuously enters without knocking or ends up eating the last leftover slice of birthday cake you were saving, it can cause tension.

They say “familiarity breeds contempt,” and the same closeness that feels comforting can also start to feel confining if boundaries aren’t clear.

2. The Weight of Unspoken Expectations

Living near family often comes with invisible strings. Maybe you feel guilty when you can’t make every Sunday dinner. Maybe your parents expect more help than you can give.
It’s easy for love and obligation to mix, and that can lead to difficult conversations, hurt feelings, and add emotional weight to the very thing that was meant to make life easier.

3. Different Seasons, Different Lifestyles

Sometimes, living close brings out how different your lives have become. Maybe you crave the fast-paced city life, while your family thrives in the suburbs. Or you’re chasing career opportunities, while others are gearing down towards retirement. If you’re not on the same page as your loved ones, your lifestyles may clash.

What once felt like home might start to feel small if your lifestyle no longer fits the rhythm of those around you.

Speaking of your home fitting your lifestyle, read these posts next to learn about rightsizing:

Finding the “Right Distance”

There’s no universal answer to how close is too close or far enough. For some, having parents on the next street over feels perfect. For others, a 30-minute drive offers the right mix of connection and independence. Furthermore, others might prefer the formality of a holiday visit a few times per year.

The key is intentionality, choosing your home based on what truly supports your life, not just out of convenience or guilt.

Ask yourself:

What kind of relationship do I want with my family day to day?
How much help do I realistically need (or want to give)?
How might this choice feel five years from now, as our lives and needs change?

A seasoned Realtor can help you think through not just the property, but the lifestyle that comes with it, whether that’s a multi-generational home, a house near your parents’ neighborhood, or a place that offers healthy space while staying connected (complete with a spare bedroom for sleepovers).

Moving closer to (or farther from) family isn’t just a logistical decision. It’s about love, identity, and the life you’re building. It’s a tug-of-war between independence and connection.

Whether you’re thinking about buying a home close to family or selling your home to move farther away, my team and I can help. With strategies customized to your unique situation and needs, and an empathetic approach that understands the emotional side of your real estate decisions, we can help get you where you want to be, wherever that is!

Get in touch today by filling out the form on this page, calling me at 801-949-9878, or emailing me at Julia@JuliaSplan.com.

Become a Utah Insider Today

Stay up to date with everything happening in the Utah market.

The Pros and Cons of Living Close to Family — and How It Shapes Where We Call “Home”