Garages! Most of the houses I see with real estate clients seem to have a two-car garage. I bet you've seen, and maybe drooled, over those delightful five car garage options – usually with a two car garage on one side and a three car garage on the other side. But, like many of us, your budget won't go anywhere that high. Even the three car garages and four car garages can take so much space they push the price of the house beyond your reach.
But guess what! There is another possibility. A tandem garage! “What is a tandem garage,” you ask? Per Wikipedia, Tandem is defined as “Tandem (or in tandem) is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction..A tandem arrangement may also be used for cars parked in a garage.”
In other words, a tandem garage may look like a normal two car garage but when you open it,
there may be an extra space in front of one (or both) of the regular garage spots. My grandfather, who lived in the country in Southern California, had a 6-car garage with his 1940s home – it was the width of a two car garage but uber long so he could have parked 6 cars in it.
Of course, not all people park cars in the garage. My grandfather never did. He had too many hobbies from rock polishing to gardening. Another friend has a complete wood-working shop that takes up two car spaces of the garage and they store household extras in the third space. And check out this cool idea for storing golf clubs by hanging them from the garage ceiling so they DON'T take up as much space. 🙂
Whether you want to park your cars, store your home goods, work on hobbies, create a man (or woman) cave, or a combination of any or all of these, a tandem garage can definitely be a help. But it can also be a challenge to find the homes that offer these.
You can search Metrolist MLS for tandem garages but not all agents may remember to check that box. I generally search for all garages, then weed through each listing. If necessary, I can also call and check with the agent.
I will warn you, not all tandems are created equally. While out with real estate clients, I have seen a couple of tandem garages where the extra space is only 1/2 the length of a car – or even smaller. Even if they are “full size,” one person's full size might be smaller or larger to another. Plus many owners have installed cupboards, workbenches, etc. which will stay with the house and which decrease the amount of useable space in the garage. It can definitely pay to take a tape measure and measure away if you need the space for something specific of a large size.
All in all, though, tandem garages can definitely be a sweet bonus for a home buyer who needs the extra space – whatever the reason.
P.S. Want to search the MLS for homes for sale in Roseville CA with 3 car garages which might include some tandem garages? Check the ones currently available below. Even easier, Call Kaye and let me help you find the right home with the size of garage you need. 657-229-KAYE 🙂
