top of page
Search

Multi-Generational Living in New Orleans: A 2025 Trend That’s Never Been a Trend Here


Multi-generational living is everywhere right now—showing up in headlines, real estate blogs, and even national market reports. But in New Orleans? It’s not a trend. It’s a way of life.


If you’ve lived here long enough, you’ve seen it. You might be living it. It’s in our doubles and rear cottages. Our camelbacks and side-yard guest houses. It’s in the layout of homes where one family becomes two, and two stay together just enough to still enjoy each other.


And professionally, I’ve seen the demand for these kinds of homes grow, especially over the past year.


We just wrapped up an almost year-long search with a retired couple looking for something that worked for their Mom. What they needed was rare: a downstairs bedroom that wasn’t a luxury suite. Something simple, comfortable, and dignified. And it wasn’t easy. Competition was high. The options were limited. But that search told me everything—multi-generational buyers aren’t just out there. They’re in it. Actively. Patiently. Willing to fight for the right fit.


And lately? I’ve been feeling this trend personally, too.


I didn’t expect to love it this much. But I do.

With a seven-month-old at home and two moms who visit often—flying or driving in at least once a month—I get it now in a different way. Sure, the shared baby help is a gift. But what surprised me most was how much I actually like having them here. We don’t just get things done—we enjoy each other. There’s rhythm, laughter, shared meals, easy moments.



It’s made me realize something I hadn’t quite seen before: This isn’t just about right now. It’s a glimpse of the future. A future where we show up for our parents the way they showed up for us.


And the homes that support that life? They’re here.

Sometimes that looks like a double. Sometimes it’s a rear cottage. And sometimes, it’s what we lovingly call a “mother-in-law condo.” Not because she’s living in your guest room—but because she’s living a block away, in a unit with a pool, an elevator, a dog run, secure garage parking, and a place that feels good to visit.


We help represent a building downtown called The Saxony, and yes—we’ve got a unit listed there now. But even more importantly, it represents a model for how families are thinking differently. Parents co-signing for adult kids. Grown children making room for parents—not just to help out, but to belong.


It’s not about cramming. It’s about closeness. Not forced, just possible.


The stats are catching up to what New Orleans already knows.

According to Pew Research Center, nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults now live in multi-generational households. Among younger adults (ages 25–34), it’s nearly 1 in 4. And 70% of those households say they experience emotional and financial benefits—closer bonds, shared responsibilities, and the kind of support that’s hard to quantify but impossible to ignore.


In New Orleans, this isn’t new. It’s how we’ve always lived. It’s why our neighborhoods have names and personalities. Why people wave from their porch instead of their car window.Why the front door is rarely the only one.


What’s ahead—and what’s coming soon

National real estate trends for 2025 talk a lot about:

  • Remote work changing what people want in a home

  • Sustainability and energy upgrades

  • Virtual tours and AI-driven search tools

  • Low inventory and high demand


All true. But the one that resonates most deeply here?Multi-generational living. Because it’s not new. It’s natural.


And it’s something we’ve built our business around.



We don’t just understand how to find homes that support this kind of living—we represent them.


We’ve got a:


COMING SOON

  • rare triplex in the Golden Rectangle (yes, you read that right) coming to market soon

  • two-family compound in the Marigny that’s ready for real life across generations


AVAILABLE NOW


If this trend feels personal to you, too, let’s talk.

Maybe the future isn’t about moving away. Maybe it’s about drawing closer to the people who raised you. To the ones you’re raising. To the family you've chosen for yourself. To a life that holds more than just your name on the deed.


The homes that support that kind of life exist. They’ve always existed here.

And we’re ready to help you find one that fits, now, and for whatever comes next.




Voted Neighborhood Favorite by Nextdoor the last three years, Cool Murphy is a top-producing, licensed real estate team based in New Orleans, brokered by Cool Murphy, LLC.


Celebrated for her next-level creative approach to real estate, Elisa Cool Murphy is an award-winning, top-performing real estate broker in New Orleans and the founder of Cool Murphy Real Estate.


Contact Her -

Facebook: @homeinneworleans

IG: @coolmurphynola

YouTube: @coolmurphynola

phone: 504-321-3194

Comments

Cool Murphy, LLC consists of licensed REALTORS® in the state of Louisiana. Our brokerage is modern and cloud-based with mailing addresses at 904 St Ferdinand St, New Orleans, LA 70117. We serve the Greater New Orleans area and are happy to refer great agents in other places.

Our office number is 504-321-3194.

​

© 2022 by The Narrative. 

equal-housing-opportunity-logo-1200w.png
bottom of page