Shalini Karnani Bonjour in front of her mother's ADU.
Courtesy of Shalini Karnani Bonjour
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sotheby's International Realty real estate agent, Shalini Karnani Bonjour, 50, who is building an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, in her California backyard for her mother to live in. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.In 2024, my father passed away. He and my mother had lived in their 3,500-square-foot home in Michigan for about 20 years, and suddenly, she was alone.My mom was 78, and my husband and I didn't feel comfortable having her so far away, especially when it came to her day-to-day needs. At the time, I was recovering from breast cancer. As an only child, I had to navigate my father's death and my own health while also figuring out what came next for my mom.My husband and I worked hard to sell my parents' home and relocate her near us in California. After she moved, we rented different places to help her figure out what type of home suited her best. We also explored assisted-living and independent-living communities, but none were ideal.She was already making a major emotional adjustment by downsizing from the home she had known for so many years, and asking her to completely change her lifestyle didn't feel right.My mom has worked very hard in her life, and I want her to enjoy the time she has left. Finding her the right home was very important to us.We decided to move in together and build an ADUAfter a long search, my husband, my mom, and I decided to buy a large home in the Coachella Valley, an area we all loved, where we could live together with my teenage son.
