If you’ve recently found yourself wandering through rooms that once overflowed with life and laughter, you’re not alone. That quiet hallway where backpacks used to pile up, the dining room table that’s seen more dust than dinner plates lately—these are the gentle signs that you’ve entered one of life’s most meaningful transitions: the empty nest years. And here’s the beautiful thing about this chapter: it’s not about what you’re losing, it’s about what you’re about to discove

Forget downsizing. Gen X buyers caught between aging parents and adult children who can't afford housing are buying bigger, not smaller. Since COVID, Chicago multigenerational buyers doubled, hitting 17% nationally. Game-changer: Chicago's April 2026 ADU ordinance allows granny flats with up to $75,000 in grants. Ranch homes and main-floor bedrooms command premiums in Oak Park, Evanston, Lincoln Park, Andersonville. Properties for multigenerational living = the new American D