Q:  Denise, I am getting calls from buyers who actually want a separate guest house on the property to house parents and children, but due to zoning these are few and far between. What should I do?

A:  If zoning is keeping the number of available detached dwelling units down and your buyers want to be in the areas where the zoning requirements are stringent, then you must help your buyers think outside the box. Perhaps renovating and adding an attached apartment with a separate entrance will provide the privacy your buyers long for in a separate dwelling. I have also seen stand-alone garages retrofitted into living spaces (where allowed). In situations where parents are staying long-term and additional separate space in close proximity is required, I have even seen buyers purchase two homes in a neighborhood in order to stay close. Solutions are out there – you just need to look at all the possibilities!