Belmont adopted a new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bylaw to comply with the state’s Affordable Homes Act. Most residential lots can now add one ADU without a special permit. It can be up to 900 square feet or half the main home’s floor area, and there’s a small lot-coverage bonus on top of that.
Why should you care? It changes what a lot is worth. A property with ADU potential can support a rental unit, a place for parents or adult kids, or a higher resale price. None of that was on the table under the old rules.
So far, though, almost nobody’s using it. Only four applications have been filed, and two of those are approved and under construction. Town officials say the holdup isn’t the zoning, it’s the cost of building, which they put at $250 to $500 per square foot. That slow start is the interesting part. ADU potential probably isn’t fully priced into listings yet, so there’s still a window.
Ready to talk? Nouné Karapetian, REALTOR®, Compass — 617.256.7097 Allen Babroudi, REALTOR®, Compass — 617.388.9601 📧 [email protected] | 🌐 nounek.com
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