creative writing house

For all writers.

If you love to read or write, there’s a place for you at hugo house..

Hugo House isn’t just a place. It’s a community.

Hugo House is a nonprofit literary arts organization that aims to make writing accessible. Everyone has a story to tell. Whether you’re a new writer wanting to learn, an experienced author seeking a supportive environment to share your work, or a reader looking for new books to love—at Hugo House, you’ll find ways to explore your creativity, whatever your interest or budget.

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Whether you’re struggling to write your first poem or have a few novels under your belt, Hugo House offers classes, workshops, and other programs to help you achieve your writing goals. Our classes are taught by published writers who are also stellar teachers. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. What they all have in common: a love of words.

Unstuck: Strategies & Meditations

Instructor: Lisa Gluskin Stonestreet.  In this workshop, we'll use guided meditation, visualization, and writing exercises to identify and soften our own particular versions of resistance and to reconnect with the parts of us that use language to create. 

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Jenne Hsien Patrick, 2023-24 Hugo Fellow Mid-Year Check In

Neena Viel, 2023-24 Hugo Fellow Mid-Year Check In

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Adelle Dimitui, 2023-24 Hugo Fellow Mid-Year Check In

Featured free resource, open mic events.

Works in Progress is Hugo House’s semi-monthly writing open mic series inclusive of diverse formats. Read your work—poetry, fiction, essays, memoirs, plays, music, comedy, and more—and connect with your literary community.

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History of the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House

"The Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House at NYU has proved to be the loveliest of boons to the New York literary community at large. It is a total delight to be there. The intimacy of the place combines with the fervor of literary enthusiasm, and the result is both charming and nourishing."

—Alice Quinn, Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America.

This beautiful and historic townhouse located at 58 West Tenth Street was built in 1836, and remodeled by the architect Stanford White, who joined the three-story house on the front of the lot to the rear house with a one-story addition. Fireplaces in the main room of the rear structure are said to be some of Stanford White's first New York work. The structure in the rear of the lot was originally home to the celebrated Tile Club, a group of 31 notable New York painters, sculptors, and architects—including Winslow Homer, William Merritt Chase, J. Alden Weir, John Henry Twachtman, Ehilu Vedder, Edwin Austin Abbey, Arthur Burdett Frost, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and Stanford White—who met here frequently between 1877 and 1887. At one time, the townhouse was the residence of Hamilton Fish Armstrong, longtime editor of  Foreign Affairs Magazine . The land and structures were ultimately purchased by the Onassis family for use by New York University as a Greek cultural center, and for a time it served as NYU's center for both European Studies and International Affairs.

In January 2007, with generous support from Lillian Vernon, the house became the home of NYU's distinguished Creative Writing Program. Since then, the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House has become a vibrant New York literary landmark known for its lively readings and salons. The townhouse is the ideal home for the creative writing program, and is located in the same Greenwich Village neighborhood where so many writers—James Baldwin, Willa Cather, Hart Crane, E.E. Cummings, Frank O'Hara, Mark Twain, Richard Wright, and Marianne Moore, to name just a few—once lived and worked. The Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House allows writers—established and emerging—to share their work in an inspiring setting. Students come to the house to attend workshops, craft classes, and special events, and also to gather informally, seeking out quiet corners in which to read and write. The beautiful reception floor, which features skylights and stained glass by nineteenth century master D. Maitland Armstrong, is an ideal setting for the intimate readings, literary salons, panel discussions, book parties, lectures, and seminars that are held in the house throughout the year.

Writers' Photographs   In February 2008, the Writers House unveiled its new permanent collection of photographs by Nancy Crampton, based on her thirty-five years of work with prominent writers. The twenty-four stunning black-and-white portraits displayed throughout the house capture such luminaries as John Ashbery, W. H. Auden, James Baldwin, Saul Bellow, Gwendolyn Brooks, E. L. Doctorow, Ralph Ellison, Galway Kinnell, Stanley Kunitz, Norman Mailer, Philip Roth, Anne Sexton, Kurt Vonnegut, and others. An exhibition was made possible by a gift from Lillian Vernon.

About Lillian Vernon

Lillian Vernon (1927–2015), a much beloved benefactor of the NYU Creative Writing Program, lived an extraordinary life. Born in Germany, Lillian Vernon emigrated to the United States with her family in 1937 before the onset of World War II. With only wedding gift money in her pocket, she placed an advertisement in  Seventeen  magazine for personalized purses and belts. She received an overwhelming response and her business was launched. The Lillian Vernon Corporation, founded in 1965, went public in 1987, making her the first woman to found a company publicly traded on the American stock exchange.   A philanthropist as well as an entrepreneur, Ms. Vernon served on the boards of several non-profit organizations in her lifetime, and received several honors, including the Big Brothers/Big Sisters National Hero Award, the Direct Marketing Association Hall of Fame, and The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence. She was a New York University trustee and a member of the Sir Harold Acton Society. Lillian Vernon's many gifts to the NYU Creative Writing Program included the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House, the Lillian Vernon Graduate Fellowship, and the Lillian Vernon Distinguished Writer-in-Residence professorship. Lillian Vernon Distinguished Writers-in-Residence include Anne Carson, Jonathan Safran Foer, Jayne Anne Phillips, and Francine Prose. Thanks to the generous support of Ms. Vernon, the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House is now one of the most lively and vibrant centers for the literary arts in the country.

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We Need Diverse Books

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WNDB promotes and donates diverse children's books for parents, educators, and librarians to transform their home, school, and community libraries.

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Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards Submissions Are Now Open

October 1, 2021 by Elissa Petruzzi

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AND WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS ANNOUNCE

THE 2022 CREATIVE WRITING AWARDS ARE OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS

Penguin Random House to provide $50,000 in scholarship awards to five unique, diverse literary voices of high school seniors from across the country.

New York, NY, October 1, 2021 — Penguin Random House, the renowned trade book publisher, and We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a national grassroots organization that advocates for diversity in children’s literature, have opened submissions for the 2022 Creative Writing Awards. This is the first year the awards are featuring the newly named Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry.

The 2022 competition launches on October 1, 2021, and closes on February 1, 2022—or when 1,000 applications have been submitted. Current high school seniors who attend public schools in the United States, including the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories, and are planning to attend college in fall 2022, are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Five first-place $10,000 prizes will be awarded in the categories of: the Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry; the Maya Angelou Award for spoken-word; fiction/drama; and personal essay/memoir. In recognition of the Creative Writing Awards previously being centered in New York City, the competition will award an additional first-place prize to the top entrant from the NYC area. Runners up will also be honored.

Claire von Schilling, EVP, Director, Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility, said, “As Penguin Random House, we are always in pursuit of new stories, ideas, and voices reflecting the diversity of our world, and this starts by creating greater representation in the writing community. It is an honor to host the Creative Writing Awards to identify, empower, and celebrate the young writers who are the future culture-shaping storytelling talent of tomorrow.”

Established in 1993, the Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards have awarded more than $2.8 million dollars to public high school students for their original compositions.

“The path to increasing diversity in literature starts with supporting young voices, which the Creative Writing Awards strives to do year after year,” said Caroline Richmond, Interim Executive Director of We Need Diverse Books. “The high school seniors who apply to the awards today will become the published authors of tomorrow, and we aim to nurture their voices from the CWAs and beyond.”

To apply and to read more about eligibility and rules, please visit this website .

Winners will be announced and posted on the Penguin Random House Creative Writing Awards website here in early June.

About We Need Diverse Books. We Need Diverse Books is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that runs twelve exciting initiatives united under one goal—to combat systemic racism and oppression by creating a world where all children can find themselves on the pages of a book. Established in 2014, WNDB strives to support and amplify diverse literature by mentoring marginalized creators, providing resources to diverse publishing professionals, and donating diverse books to schools and libraries nationwide. Learn more at diversebooks.org .

About Penguin Random House. Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson, who own 75 percent and 25 percent, respectively. With nearly 275 independent imprints and brands on six continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 15,000 new titles and more than 600 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 80 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors. www.penguinrandomhouse.com

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Fall ’23 creative writing open house, october 31, 2023.

Quantá Holden | Duke English Digital Communication Specialist

A group of students recently joined the Duke English Creative Writing faculty for an Open House. The Open House allowed students to chat with faculty informally about creative writing from all facets, ranging from course offerings to advice on how creative writing can continue beyond the classroom. Among the students in attendance was a local high school senior who has applied to Duke and is interested in majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing.

“I thought it was a super great opportunity to meet creative writing professors and learn about their classes and their experiences. I found the advice they gave was inspiring and helpful, such as how learning poetry can help with prose writing and to find groups of students who are also interested in English to bounce ideas off of and to push you in your writing.” – Annette Lu , ’25,  Chemistry and Math and English minor

Each of the creative writing faculty members on the panel shared information about the courses they often teach, their writing background, and what classes they will teach during the Spring 2024 semester.

Professor Mesha Maren spoke about being a novelist and pairing her love for writing with her passion for teaching the art of writing. Professor Maren is currently teaching in the Duke in New York program and participated in the Open House virtually through Zoom. She will return to campus in Spring 2024 to teach  English 110S.01  - Intro to Creative Writing , an introductory-level multi-genre creative writing course, and  English 421S.01  - Advanced Workshop in Writing of Fiction , designed to build upon the skills students have already developed from other creative writing courses.

Professor Faulkner Fox encouraged students in attendance to study various genres and pointed out how studying different genres can help you develop the one you are most passionate about. For example, she noted how poetry can help train one's ear for other genres. This Spring, Fox will teach  English 110S.02  - Intro to Creative Writing , which will allow students to explore four genres of creative writing: creative nonfiction, fiction, drama, and poetry. She will also teach  English 218S.01  -  Plays that Change the World , a creative writing course for aspiring playwrights.

Blackburn Distinguished Artist in Residence, Toby Martinez de las Rivas, shared his insight as a poet and how he incorporates his interest in multi-media into his poetry. Martinez, a visiting professor with the Duke English Department for the 2023-24 academic year, will teach two writing courses during the Spring 2024 semester. He will teach  English 220S.01 - Intro to the Writing of Poetry , which Martinez describes as a course that will allow one to create a short portfolio of poems in a supportive setting. He will also teach  English 290S-4.04  -  Poetry Beyond the Page , which will invite students to "challenge the image of the solitary poet and explore approaches to writing that de-centre the author and question the primacy of text."

Professor JP Gritton led the Open House and shared that as a novelist and short-story writer, he is interested in the psychology of what makes characters in literary works tick. This Spring, he will teach  English 221S.02  -  Intro to the Writing of Fiction , which will have students reading the works by writers who have mastered the short form. Students will compose short fiction pieces while exploring the narrative craft's building blocks. He will also teach  English 290S-4.02  -  Anti-Villains, or How to Write a Good Bad Character , a course that seeks to understand what makes a good "bad" character.

While discussing paths to continue writing beyond the class, Professor Cathy Shuman shared that she doesn't have an MFA degree like some of the other members of the panel but instead a Ph.D. in Literature and noted how vital reading is to one honing their writing skills. In the Spring of 2024, Professor Shuman will teach  English 217.S.01 -   Writing Flash Nonfiction , in which her students will experiment with the creative nonfiction style, tone, and structure while exploring the flash nonfiction genre. She will also teach  English 222S.01 -   Intro to the Writing of Creative NonFiction : Writing the Self , focusing on autobiographical writing.

Key pieces of advice that Professor Joe Donahue shared with the students were to consider doing an Independent Study in a creative writing area not taught as a course and the opportunity to complete an Honors project. Donahue will teach  English 320S.01 - Intermediate Workshop Writing of Poetry  that is designed to "deepen students' engagement with the history and practice of poetic art in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.”  

The Open House concluded with a Q&A session in which the students asked about developing one's craft, careers, getting published, how to keep the passion for writing going, and how to complement their love for writing with a career that allows them to incorporate writing or at least supports them while they write. 

"Interest in writing has a value that goes beyond dollars and cents..." -  Professor Faulkner Fox

Other Creative Writing courses being offered in the Spring 2024 semester include:

English 110S.03   Intro to Creative Writing , taught by Akhil Sharma, intends to introduce students to the intense pleasure of working with language.

English 221S.01   Intro to the Writing of Fiction , taught by Akhil Sharma, plans to introduce students to the building blocks of fiction: point of view, tenses, and plotting.

English 321S.01   Intermediate Workshop Writing of Fiction: "Detectives, Robots and Talking Frogs: Writing Altered/Alternate Realities,"  taught by Professor Amin Ahmad – "Reading like writers, we will analyze each genre to understand how it creates a new but authentic world..."

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Jiménez-Porter Writers' House Home Page

Welcome to the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House!

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About jiménez-porter writers’ house.

The Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House is a unique Living and Learning Program that offers students at the University of Maryland a literary center for the study of creative writing across cultures and languages.

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As a Jiménez-Porter Writers' House student, you will join a multicultural hub of writers from across campus that work together improve their writing and craft.   

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As a member of the Writers’ House community, there are many ways to grow your creative writing practice. The Writers’ House curriculum offers space and support for you to workshop your writing in community with other writers, and also helps you build tools for self-publishing through the capstone chapbook project.

Classes and Curriculum

Undergraduate creative writers rarely have the time and resources needed to pursue their passion alongside their academic work. Open to all majors, the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House (JPWH) provides participants with hands-on experience in the field of creative writing, while allowing them to complete their degrees in any area of study.

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Learn more about the Writers' House staff.

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The Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House is a campus-wide literary center for the study of creative writing across cultures. Writers’ House residents live in a close community of 50 to 60 undergraduate students who share an interest in creating stories, poems, and plays. Students attend colloquia, share their writing with each other in a supportive workshop environment, and attend additional special events together. Writers’ House students organize Litfest, our annual literary bash, every Spring. Writers’ House offers a two-year program, although rising seniors may complete the program in one year if they have adequate space in their schedules. Transfer students may apply to the program.

Any member of the campus community may join the editorial staff of Stylus , the campus-wide literary journal housed and supported by Writers’ House. Advanced students who have finished the course of study may also apply to the third year Undergraduate Teaching Assistantship program.

Members of the public are invited to attend the free and open Writers Here and Now visiting author series.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] .

Judges' Info:

Initial Poetry Judge: Dylan Weir

Final Poetry Judge: Sebastián Páramo

Initial Prose Judge: Norine McKee

Final Prose Judge: Xhenet Aliu

Announcing the 2024 Jiménez-Porter Literary Prize Winners!

The Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House and Stylus: A Journal of Poetry, Prose and Art are pleased to announce the winners of the

2024 Jiménez-Porter Literary Prize

A writing contest open to all University of Maryland, College Park undergraduate students.  First Place winners receive $200; 2nd Place $150, and 3rd place $75. Thank you to all who submitted work to the contest!   

Prose Awards

1st Place: Sophie McCarthy for "Nasty Man" 2nd Place: Rebecca Scherr for "Parking Tickets in Downtown Melbourne" 3rd Place: Grace Hayden for "If Found Please Return To:"

Finalists in Alphabetical Order:

Amelia Jang for "Things I'll Say Kneeling by Fake Flowers" Taj Wilkinson for "An All Consuming Flame"

Semi-Finalists in Alphabetical Order:

Alison Clingan for "Roots" Miele Murray for "The Sky Dancer" Cassandra Rochmis for "Older than the Sun" Nora Schobel for "Heavy Rain Cold Wind"

Poetry Awards

1st Place: Isabella Maheu for "Footnotes" 2nd Place: Amelia Jang for "Tomb Sweeping" 3rd Place: Alison Clingan for "Box Fan"

Hannah Campion for "Peach Rings" Elise Chang for "Daughter of Pearls" Sophie McCarthy for "Daughter Cell"

Raisa Lees for "Dining Hall Food" Serena Newton for "Perfect Lovers" Noah Swank for "The Day Soon Ends"

Please mark  Friday, May 3, 2024 between 6:00-8:00pm in your calendar to attend LitFest  in the Juan Ramon Jiménez Room in Stamp Student Union (Room 1128) ; prizewinners will be honored and read excerpts of their winning works.

Outstanding ARHU Graduate Students Honored at Awards Reception

‘with community, we’ll always get through’, 62 graduates honored as senior marshals, a warm embrace for graduating indigenous students, valerie orlando awarded neh summer stipend, carey cameron ’24 plans future in media and entertainment, finding the humanity in ai, tdps faculty nominated for 2024 tony awards, amith chandrashaker and jared mezzocchi nominated for lucille lortel awards.

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Promoting the Creation and Appreciation of Writers

Writerhouse response to covid, join our mailing list, here’s what some of our students are saying about writerhouse:.

Click here for a video testimonial from a happy student…

“WriterHouse is wonderful. I just recently moved here and WriterHouse is a fantastic resource, offering both community and an excellent range of classes.”

“What I enjoy most about my experience with WriterHouse is the support of a writing tribe.”

“Sunny and comfortable. Glad there’s coffee!”

“I like the space and time dedicated to the effort of writing. I like the quiet.”

“I am just so glad WriterHouse exists. I am grateful to have a place to come and write and be around writers.”

“I am a huge WriterHouse fan. Thank you for fostering this unique community; it’s completely revolutionized what has otherwise been a relatively lonely hobby for me.”

“Great institution. Love the camaraderie, the exchange of knowledge, the feedback. No way I would have started writing in this way without WriterHouse.”

  Read more

Featured events, first twenty-five workshop: getting the start of your novel ready (online seminar).

Instructor: Randall Klein $75 Members | $82 Nonmembers Saturday, 5/18/24 | 10:00 AM–12:30 PM (Submissions due 5/4) For the purposes of landing agents, enticing publishers, and hooking readers, the first […]

Writing About Art: Ekphrastic Poems (in-person seminar)

Instructor: Margaret Mackinnon $60 Members | $65 Nonmembers Saturday, 6/15/24 | 1:00-5:00 PM In some sense, all art is a response to other works of art. This is especially true […]

Begin at the Beginning: Poems About Families (online two-part seminar)

Instructor: Margaret Mackinnon $60 Members | $65 Nonmembers Wednesdays, 6/19/24 & 6/26/24 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET There are probably as many approaches to the subject of family […]

Innovative Tools to Spice Up Your Character Development (in-person seminar)

Instructor: Kristie Smeltzer $60 Members | $65 Nonmembers Saturday, 6/22/24 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Get ready to roll up your sleeves and try out some innovative tools to […]

A Publishing Playbook for Debut Novelists (in person seminar)

Instructor: Crystal Hana Kim $60 Members | $65 Nonmembers Saturday 6/29/24 |12:00 – 2:30 PM You've finished your novel. Now what? The publishing process can often feel opaque and confusing […]

Rhyme (online seminar series)

Instructor: Neil Perry $60 Members | $65 Nonmembers Saturdays 7/13/24 & 7/20/24 |10:00 – 11:30 AM Love it or hate it, rhyming is quite possibly the first thing that many […]

Write On! 2024 Summer Writing Workshop for 6th – 8th Grades — This session is full!

Session 1: Rising 6th – Rising 8th Grades Day: Monday-Friday, July 15–July 19, 2024 Time: 12:30 - 4:30 PM at WriterHouse Cost: $240 on or before 4/30/2024; $260 on or […]

Write On! 2024 Summer Writing Workshop for Rising 9th – 12th Grades

Session 2: Rising 9th – Rising 12th Grades Day: Monday-Friday, July 22–July 26, 2024 Time: 12:30 - 4:30 PM at WriterHouse Cost: $240 on or before 4/30/2024; $260 on or […]

Tracking and Submitting Your Poetry and Prose for Publication (online seminar)

Instructor: Joan Mazza $60 Members | $65 Nonmembers Saturday 7/27/24 |1:00 – 4:00 PM In this online seminar, students will learn the critical steps to the submission process, from finding […]

Write On! 2024 Summer Novel Intensive for Rising 9th – 12th Grades

Session 3: Rising 9th – Rising 12th Grades Day: Monday-Friday, July 29–August 2, 2024 Time: 12:30 - 4:30 PM at WriterHouse Cost: $240 on or before 4/30/2024; $260 on or […]

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Some people have always known they wanted to be a writer.

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How to Describe a House

Domingo Martinez’s memoir, The Boy Kings of Texas , was a finalist for the National Book Award.

Describing a house in a story ought to be easy. After all, real estate listings do it every day: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. For poetic purposes, maybe throw in a window and chair. Of course, more is needed—but is that  more simply more detail?

One of the best examples of a house description that I’ve read in a long time comes from the first chapter of  The Boy Kings of Texas . Domingo Martinez’s memoir tells the story of his family and growing up in Brownsville, Texas. It was a bestseller and a finalist for the National Book Award. You can  read the opening pages   at the website of The Diane Rehm Show..

How the Story Works

As a thought experiment, try describing the house or apartment where you live. (Seriously, give it a try.)

What happened? Odds are, you started with the property listings and then got stumped. A good description requires some organizational principle, and until you find it, you’re just listing things.

The house that Martinez describes belonged his father’s stepuncle. The two families did not get along, as Martinez explains here:

Elogio and his four sons clearly felt that Dad and his family did not belong in the Rubio barrio, since Gramma had married into the barrio when Dad was already four years old, a child from another man. Elogio was our Grampa’s usurping younger brother, and he wanted control of the family trucking business that Grampa had built. As Grampa’s stepson, Dad challenged Elogio’s succession. It was a Mexican parody of Shakespeare, in the barrio, with sweat-soaked sombreros and antiquated dump trucks.

That tension is important because it informs the way Martinez describes the Rubios’ house, property, and near-feral dogs:

The Rubios had kept these dogs unfed, unloved, and hostile. Presumably it was to keep burglars away from their prototypical barrio home: a main house, built by farmhands many years before, with subsequent single-room constructions slapped together according to the needs of the coming-of-age males and their knocked-up wetback girlfriends. As such, the houses were consistently in varying stages of construction and deconstruction, because the boys never left home; they just brought their illegitimate children and unhappy wives along for the only ride they knew, the one that headed nowhere.

Notice the word choices:  slapped ,  knocked-up ,  wetback , illegitimate, unhappy.  They’re all negative.

Now, think about what other words Martinez could have described the house (or the words that a Realtor would use):  big, hand-built ,  rambling ,  homey ,  comfortable . But those words would be totally out-of-place in this passage. Because Martinez has clearly defined his feelings toward the inhabitants of the house, the tone of the description is established. Once you’ve got the tone, the actual descriptions tend to present themselves automatically. The trick is to give your brain some guidelines. You’re not asking it to pull up every single detail about a place, just a few. The more clearly (and, usually, more emotionally) you define the guidelines, the easier it is to write the description.

It’s also worth noting that the description of the Rubios’ house is connected inextricably to the people who live in it. The main two sentences about the shape and construction of the house (beginning with Presumably… and  As such… ) end with the human rationale for the construction decisions ( according to the needs…   and  because the boys never left home ). The behavior and the needs of the family shape not only the house but the description of the house as well.

The Writing Exercise

Let’s describe a house or apartment (or wherever you or a character lives) using the passage from  The Boy Kings of Texas  by Domingo Martinez as a model:

• Choose your narrator or main character. If it’s you—good. If it’s a character in a story—also good. You need a primary perspective, a lens through which to view the house and everything else.
• Choose the house and its inhabitants.  Who lives there? How are they connected to your narrator or main character?
• Identify the emotional angle on the house. How does the narrator or character feel about the house or the people living in it? Don’t think too hard; just brainstorm. Does the character have warm feelings? Is the character bitter, disappointed, angry, nostalgic, sad? Are the first memories or scenes that come to mind funny? Tragic? Tense?
• Write a quick scene/anecdote that illustrates that emotion. Focus the scene or story on a character or two and a particular moment in time. Remember, the goal is to tell a story that conveys how you or your character feels about the place.
• Generalize about the people who live in the house (or spend time there).  This can be as simple as writing a sentence that begins, “They were the kind of people who…”
• Generalize how the people  used the   house.  Did they use in a communal way (everyone eating, talking, hanging out together)? Did they isolate themselves into rooms? Did they come and go at odd hours? What sort of activities did they do there? Keep in mind the sort of people you are (previous step). If they’re the sort of people who ____, that means they spent a lot of time _____, which really made me/your character feel ______.
• Generalize how the house was a perfect/imperfect fit for these activities and these people. Did the house allow the people to do the activities? Were the people cramped? Did the people modify the house in order to do the things they wanted to do? In what ways did they modify their own behavior to fit the house?
• Describe the house.  You’ve probably already written a few lines about the house. Now you’re summing them up. You might start with a sentence about the people: They were the kind of people who _____ or They spent a lot of time _____. Or, you can jump straight to the house with a sentence like this: It was the sort of house that _____ or It was a typical _____ house. Your goal is to write a description of the house that focuses on the ways it was used, the ways it fit a type of behavior, or the ways it shaped the inhabitants’ behavior. Keep in mind the cue words and phrases that Martinez uses ( according to the needs…   and  because the boys ). How can you describe the house in terms of causality?

As you likely know, people’s houses tend to become manifestations of their personality traits. The goal, then, is to write a description of a house that is as active as the people who live in it.

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Tags: character development , creative writing exercises , creative writing prompts , describing setting and place , Domingo Martinez , Hispanic literature , How to Write a Personal Essay , Texas literature , The Boy Kings of Texas

• Comments 9 Comments
• Categories Character Development , Setting and Place

9 Responses to “How to Describe a House”

This was very informative and very helpful! I look forward to trying these tips out very soon.

Thanks! Let me know how it goes.

Cool tips for writers like me. It’s really hard to describe a house in a story if you want to make it real for your readers. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

wow. great tips for bloggers like me. You did a great job on writing this post. I was impressed by your ideas.

Please I nedd help .

Please how can i become a writer

I like this

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Kelly Writers House Summer Workshop Alum Deborah Olatunji featured in Penn Today

Check out this fantastic  Penn Today feature on fourth-year student Deborah Olatunji, whose journey at Penn began with the Kelly Writers House Summer Workshop . Though initially intending to major in nursing, Deb discovered that her true passion lay in exploring identity, vulnerability, and mental health advocacy.  

Four years later, Deb has changed her major, started a podcast , studied abroad in South Africa, and launched the Black Storytellers Collective, a transnational project that connects Black writers across the diaspora. Through it all, the Kelly Writers House has remained a source of community and Deb's "third place" at Penn.

Read more about Deb's extraordinary path at the link below.

How To Describe a House in Writing (21 Tips for Beginners)

Enhance your storytelling by vividly describing houses and setting the perfect scene for your readers.

Here is how to describe a house in writing:

Describe a house in fiction by considering its architecture, size, color, materials, landscaping, décor, furniture, lighting, sounds, smells, age, and condition. Also explain the house’s location, unique features, atmosphere, emotional response, personal memories, and historical context.

In this article, you’ll learn all the best tips for how to describe a house in writing.

How To Describe a House in Writing (21 Things You Must Know)

Table of Contents

When it comes to describing a house in your writing, here are 21 essential aspects to consider:

• Architecture: The architecture of a house can give readers a quick snapshot of its character. Victorian homes might be associated with history and elegance, modern homes with sleekness and efficiency, and colonial homes with tradition and solidity. An old, sprawling manor with many gables and chimneys gives off a different vibe than a compact, glass-walled contemporary home.
• Size: The size of a house can say much about the people living in it. A massive mansion might imply wealth or social status, while a cozy cottage may indicate a simpler lifestyle. The scale of the house can affect the overall atmosphere and dynamics of the story.
• Color: Color can set the tone for a house description. A red-brick house may evoke feelings of warmth and homeliness, while a grey stone mansion may feel imposing or cold. Use color to create an emotional response in your readers.
• Materials: The materials used in the house’s construction can add texture to your descriptions. The roughness of stone, the coolness of metal, the warmth of wood – these sensory details can make your descriptions more vivid and engaging.
• Landscaping: The surrounding environment and garden can also play a significant role in setting the scene. A well-kept garden may indicate the owners’ pride and care, while an overgrown yard may hint at neglect or mystery.
• Windows and Doors: Windows and doors can be symbolic gateways to the souls of a house. They can offer views into the world outside or hide secrets within. Their size, shape, and detail can add depth to your house description.
• Rooms: The arrangement and purpose of rooms can tell readers a lot about the inhabitants’ lives. A house with many bedrooms might hint at a large family, while a house with a spacious home office could suggest a work-from-home professional.
• Decor: The decor of a house can reflect the tastes and personalities of its inhabitants. Is the house filled with antique furniture and paintings, or is it minimalist and modern? This can greatly influence the atmosphere of the house.
• Furniture: Furniture adds functionality and personality to a house. A plush velvet couch might indicate luxury, while a worn but comfortable armchair may suggest warmth and comfort. Different pieces can also hint at the activities and priorities of the people living in the house.
• Lighting: Lighting can drastically alter the mood of a scene. Bright, natural light streaming through a window can create an atmosphere of cheerfulness and energy, while dim artificial lighting can make a room feel cozy or somber.
• Sounds: Sounds like the creaking of stairs, the ticking of a grandfather clock, or wind whistling through gaps can add a layer of sensory experience, making the scene more immersive and engaging.
• Smell: The smell of a house can evoke strong emotions and memories in readers. The scent of fresh paint could suggest new beginnings, while the musty smell of old books in the library might bring a sense of nostalgia.
• Age: The age of a house can add a historical dimension to your story. An old house might hold many secrets and stories within its walls, while a new house could symbolize a fresh start or modernity.
• Condition: The condition of the house can reflect its history and care. A house in good repair might suggest attentive owners, while a rundown house might indicate neglect, hardship, or abandonment.
• Location: The location of the house can set the context for your story. A house in a bustling city will have a different vibe compared to a house in a quiet countryside or a suburban neighborhood.
• Unique Features: Unique architectural features like a hidden room, a beautiful stained-glass window, or an ornate fireplace can add interest to your house description and serve as key points in your narrative.
• Atmosphere: The overall vibe or mood of the house can be a critical aspect of your description. Whether it’s a cozy, warm ambiance, a chilly, eerie vibe, or a sterile, impersonal atmosphere, this can greatly influence how readers perceive the house.
• Emotional Response: How your protagonist feels about the house can guide readers’ emotions as well. A character may feel comfort and safety within their home, fear and unease in a stranger’s house, or nostalgia and longing in a childhood home.
• Weather: The weather can dramatically affect how a house is perceived. A house may seem warm and welcoming with sunshine bathing its facade, while the same house can appear ominous and foreboding in a thunderstorm.
• Personal Memories: If your character has a history with the house, personal memories can add depth to your description. Memories of happy family dinners, traumatic events, or mundane daily activities can color a character’s perception of the house.
• Historical Context: If the house is set in a particular historical period, including relevant details can make the description more authentic and immersive. This could involve architectural styles of the period, materials commonly used in that era, or historical events associated with the house or location.

Here is a video I made about how to describe a house in writing:

Examples of House Descriptions

Every house has a story to tell, and it’s your job as a writer to relay it effectively.

Whether it’s a crumbling castle or a modern penthouse, the detail lies in your description.

Here are five examples.

Victorian House

Standing proudly at the corner of the street, the grand Victorian house commands attention with its ornate wooden detailing, stained glass windows, and a turret projecting into the sky.

Its paint, though peeling slightly, remains a vibrant royal blue, reflecting a subtle charm of antiquity.

The scent of roses wafts from the beautifully manicured garden, surrounding the property like an idyllic frame. Inside, the house remains faithful to its period, decorated with heavy drapes, antique furniture, and fireplaces in nearly every room.

Walking through the house is like stepping back in time.

Modern House

The modern house, all clean lines and glass, glows like a jewel against the cityscape.

Its tall, floor-to-ceiling windows invite light to play on the polished concrete floors, creating an ever-changing pattern throughout the day.

Minimalistic furniture, curated artwork, and a sleek stainless-steel kitchen give it a sense of chic sophistication.

An underlying aroma of freshly brewed coffee and a hint of sandalwood incense gives the house a warm, welcoming feel.

It stands as a testament to architectural innovation and luxury living.

Nestled in a lush, green valley, the charming stone cottage emanates a sense of tranquility.

Its ivy-clad walls, thatched roof, and quaint wooden doors seem lifted straight from a fairy-tale. Inside, the cottage is warm and cozy, with an open hearth always burning and worn, comfortable furniture.

The smell of home-cooked meals and the sound of wind rustling through the trees outside create an ambiance of serenity and homeliness.

It’s a picture of rustic simplicity and the perfect retreat from the hectic pace of the world.

The old farmhouse, with its weathered white paint and wrap-around porch, is the heart of the sprawling property.

Its large, open kitchen hums with activity, smelling of fresh bread and ripe apples from the surrounding orchard.

An old grandfather clock ticks rhythmically in the living room, filled with well-used furniture and family photos. The sound of livestock and the fresh scent of hay carry in through the open windows.

Despite its age, the farmhouse radiates warmth and the quintessence of home.

Situated in the heart of the city, the apartment is a mix of modern style and comfortable living.

It showcases an open concept layout, with a glass wall revealing an impressive view of the bustling city.

High-end appliances, a plush sectional, and a strategically placed bookshelf loaded with books of various genres lend a personality to the place.

The sound of jazz playing softly complements the hum of the city beyond. It’s a sanctuary amidst the urban chaos.

Words To Use to Describe a House in Writing

Here is a chart I put together to help you describe a house in writing:

How Do You Describe a Beautiful House?

Describing a beautiful house involves a balance of physical details and emotional responses.

You’ll want to communicate not only what the house looks like, but also how it makes one feel.

Begin with the house’s exterior, focusing on its architectural style, structure, and symmetry.

Discuss its color scheme, materials used, and the overall aesthetics.

You could describe a charming thatched cottage nestled amidst vibrant flowerbeds, a majestic Victorian manor with intricate woodwork, or a sleek modern house with clean lines and glass facades.

Don’t forget to include its surroundings and how they complement the house – a well-manicured lawn, a serene backdrop of trees, or a stunning waterfront view can all contribute to the house’s beauty.

For the interior, provide details about the layout, furniture, decor, and lighting.

Describe large, sunlit rooms, high ceilings, tasteful décor, elegant furniture, or perhaps a spectacular view from a floor-to-ceiling window.

You might describe a kitchen filled with modern appliances and smooth marble countertops, a living room with plush, comfortable seating and warm lighting, or a bedroom that offers a peaceful sanctuary with its muted colors and soft textiles.

Most importantly, convey the feelings the house invokes.

A beautiful house might make one feel relaxed, enchanted, or awed. It could emanate a sense of warmth, tranquility, or sophistication.

Using sensory details and emotive language can help readers not only visualize the house’s beauty but also experience the atmosphere it creates.

How To Describe a Mansion in a Story

When describing a mansion in a story, you want to convey its size, grandeur, and luxury.

Begin with a bird’s eye view of the mansion – its sprawling grounds, multiple floors, vast gardens, perhaps even a pool or a tennis court.

Highlight architectural features that communicate its scale and opulence, such as tall columns, grand archways, a long, winding driveway, or vast, manicured lawns.

For the interior, describe large, opulent rooms filled with luxurious furnishings.

The entrance could feature a grand staircase, the living room could have soaring ceilings and elaborate chandeliers, and the dining room could comfortably seat dozens.

Describe materials and features that indicate wealth and taste, such as marble floors, silk draperies, gold leaf details, or art collections.

Don’t forget other rooms that might be found in a mansion, such as a library, a game room, a home theater, or a wine cellar.

A mansion can also create a particular atmosphere and emotional response.

It might feel intimidating due to its size, imposing due to its grandeur, or fascinating due to its luxury.

However, a mansion could also be depicted as a lonely, echoing space, demonstrating that bigger doesn’t always mean homelier.

As always, remember to use sensory details to bring the mansion alive in your reader’s mind – the echoing footfalls on marble floors, the soft glow of a chandelier, the subtle scent of polished wood, and the hushed silence that fills its spacious rooms.

Final Thoughts: How To Describe a House in Writing

You can also describe houses based on the mood or genre of a scene of story (romantic, horror, etc.)

Happy literary house hunting!

Related Posts:

• How to Describe a Scary Clown in Writing (130 Words + Tips)
• How to Describe Voices in Writing (300+ Words & Examples)
• 400+ Words to Describe a Flower Garden: Best Writers Guide
• How to Describe a Sunset in Writing: 100 Best Words & Phrases

Fave Five: Eat, Shop, Be Creative

START your writing life this summer at Seattle’s Hugo House with a one-hour drop-in writing circle, an all-day “Write-O-Rama” event or fully commit with a course spanning six weeks. Seattle nonprofit literary arts organization Hugo House has provided a central place for writers to meet and learn since 1996. Get started on your sci-fi novel, discover flash fiction or listen to an author read. Everyone has a creative voice, but sometimes it takes a guide to help you find it. Hugohouse.org

VIEW the city from within the discreet landscape of Seattle’s Volunteer Park. While others crowd to the (narrow) Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill, or down to the newly renovated waterfront along Alaskan Way, those in the know are strolling through the park surrounding the Seattle Asian Art Museum, relaxing on the vast lawn, or finding shade and plant life inside the landmark conservatory. This multifaceted experience is tucked away on north Capitol Hill, where you can enjoy the July Fourth fireworks exploding over Lake Union from above. For the holiday, save time and park a few blocks away in the neighborhood. Volunteerparktrust.org/profile

DISCOVER salad while you shop at Nordstrom. Yes, the clothing store. No, not among the shoes and cosmetics. Head to the Nordstrom Café on the fourth floor of the downtown flagship location. There’s an array of menu options, but everyone I know orders one of the salads. My favorite is the shrimp and arugula with sweet corn. This one’s dotted with beautiful cubes of polenta croutons. You will stand in line to order, but the café seating is pleasant and comfortable, the service is efficient, and at the end of your meal, you’ll be served a delicate, individually wrapped chocolate mint with your receipt. Enjoy it. You’ve just eaten a salad. Nordstrom.com/browse/about/Nordstrom-restaurants

EXPERIENCE the work of modern artists from around the world this summer at the Seattle Art Fair. A four-day p(art)y showcasing new, innovative art from more than 80 galleries nationally and internationally, including museums and institutions. There’s so much creativity to display that it requires the vast Lumen Field Event Center to feature it all. Founded by the late Paul Allen, this event is one to attend even if you’re “just looking.” Plus, it promises to offer the most interesting people-watching of the summer. Seattleartfair.com

STEP into an oasis of simple, beautiful things at boutique Flora and Henri in Pioneer Square. Independent Seattle shops are scattered across the city, and it’s easy to miss them if you don’t frequent a neighborhood regularly. Guilty as charged. I was reminded by an acquaintance wearing a stylish crossbody bag that this shop was right where I’d left it before the pandemic. You’ll find an inventory of well-made clothing, fashionable shoes, gifts, books, and toys. The store is an easy walk east from the renewed waterfront. Florahenri.com

The post Fave Five: Eat, Shop, Be Creative appeared first on Seattle magazine .

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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

Setting Description Entry: Haunted House (inside)

May 23, 2009 by BECCA PUGLISI

Sight Dust, cobwebs, sheets on furniture, broken tables, chairs, windows, lamps, peeling wallpaper, gaps in the floorboards, holes in the walls, flickering lights (if there’s electricity) chandelier with broken strings of crystals, broken glass on the floor, spiders, cockroaches, rust, mildew, ripped curtains, shadows, gloomy staircases, old portraits & paintings, cracked…

footsteps on the stair, creaking doors, window shutters rattling on the outside, wind scattering/rustling paper through a broken window gap, words whispered in ear, screams, crying, wailing, laughter, glass smashing, the scrap of a chair moving, the scritch of tree branches scraping at the windows, rats squeaking, movement in the walls, a…

Phantom perfume or cologne, burning smells, pipe or cigarette smoke, mildew, rot, dank, rusty or metallic smells, wet wood and stone, rancid breath, yeasty beer smell, food, dust, dry rot, rat/mice feces, urine

Sour & dry mouth from fear, dust floating in the air and coating the tongue, salty tears

A phantom hand on the shoulder, the puff of breath on the earlobe or the back of the neck, the sensation of being grabbed on the arm, pushed, pulled, pinched, poked, slapped, burned, a feeling of light-headedness and nausea, hair rising on arms or the back of the neck, the body’s reaction to a drop in temperature (chills, shivering, breath puffing out…

Helpful hints:

–The words you choose can convey atmosphere and mood.

Example 1:  I cringed at each creak on the old warped stairs, but it didn’t sway my determination to make it to the bedroom on the second floor. Halfway up, a shadow flickered at the corner of my vision. I froze, and as I stood there, caught a woody scent lingering in the air. Tobacco smoke? A shiver curled through the hairs on the back of my neck then cascaded down my backbone. It was all I could do to not hurl myself back down the stairs toward the front door…

–Similes and metaphors create strong imagery when used sparingly.

Example 1: (Metaphor ) The dining room chair suddenly jolted back and tilted toward me, a gracious invitation by an invisible host…

Think beyond what a character sees, and provide a sensory feast for readers

Setting is much more than just a backdrop, which is why choosing the right one and describing it well is so important. To help with this, we have expanded and integrated this thesaurus into our online library at One Stop For Writers.

Each entry has been enhanced to include possible sources of conflict, people commonly found in these locales, and setting-specific notes and tips, and the collection itself has been augmented to include a whopping 230 entries—all of which have been cross-referenced with our other thesauruses for easy searchability. So if you’re interested in seeing this powerful Setting Thesaurus , head on over and register at One Stop.

On the other hand, if you prefer your references in book form, we’ve got you covered, too, because both books are now available for purchase in digital and print copies. In addition to the entries, each book contains instructional front matter to help you maximize your settings. With advice on topics like making your setting do double duty and using figurative language to bring them to life, these books offer ample information to help you maximize your settings and write them effectively.

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers —a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

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Reader Interactions

May 14, 2021 at 1:51 pm

creepy…

May 8, 2021 at 6:48 pm

Oh wow. It hadn’t occurred to me to make a list of all the things to do with my settings. Thank you for this. Brilliant!

May 10, 2021 at 5:53 am

It’s so much easier to get the setting exactly where we want it when we know beforehand what to aim for :).

March 12, 2021 at 5:58 pm

I really love this Thank you so much for doing this

March 2, 2021 at 2:17 pm

February 18, 2021 at 8:34 am

Thankyou soo much…it really helped me

February 13, 2021 at 5:04 am

omg!! Thankyou so much, this helped with my assignment!!!

February 10, 2021 at 6:25 am

thank you so much, helped me alot during lockdown!!

February 11, 2021 at 8:29 am

Well thank goodness for that!

December 22, 2020 at 12:24 am

Thank You really helpful

December 12, 2020 at 5:30 am

December 4, 2020 at 11:38 pm

Thank you so much, there are totally enough ideas for me for my essay

November 22, 2020 at 10:04 am

Very helpful

November 10, 2020 at 5:41 pm

thank you so much i needed ideas and this gave me so much.

October 21, 2020 at 4:50 pm

I am doing a descriptive writing project and this helped me so much! Thank You!

October 21, 2020 at 7:01 pm

Glad it helped!

March 20, 2021 at 6:59 am

October 8, 2020 at 11:51 am

I love the website I had to write a paper about Halloween and I used this website to find my d Description Word I need . Who ever made this website I don’t know what I would tell him or her but it’s one of my favorite it gives me great description of what words I don’t understand and I then I can use it later if I could rate it 5 stars

October 8, 2020 at 1:07 pm

Zachary, I am so glad you like this website and it’s a help to you!

September 26, 2020 at 5:48 pm

thank u a lot s helps me in my writing

September 19, 2020 at 1:49 am

Thanks! It was quite helpful for my paragraph. 😊

March 25, 2020 at 1:17 am

This was SOOO helpful. Thanks a lot. It was very helpful.

This was SOOO helpful. Thanks a lot.

January 2, 2020 at 5:56 am

this helped me with my essay A LOT!!!!!!!!!!! 😊

December 3, 2019 at 2:51 pm

This is awesome！👌

March 31, 2021 at 11:41 pm

This awesome

November 18, 2019 at 1:32 pm

This is so helpful for everyone . People can use them in essays while describing a haunted house .

November 10, 2020 at 5:43 pm

That is exactly what i used it for

November 11, 2019 at 7:02 am

This is so helpful! Definately the best website for writing! Thanksssss❤️❤️

November 11, 2019 at 10:42 am

Happy this helps!

November 3, 2019 at 7:28 am

October 25, 2019 at 4:58 am

I really like it. It’s really good.for.young children and writers. I love it do much

July 1, 2019 at 6:21 pm

wow I really needed this thank you sooo much

May 25, 2019 at 11:22 am

Amazing. Im a 14-year-old writer and all these descriptions inspired me on how to write my mystery book. Thanks so much Becca

February 9, 2019 at 6:29 pm

I really liked it because it helped me a lot to inspire me with my writing for greater depth.It was all very creative and amazing 😃👍🏻

January 28, 2019 at 11:34 am

very good descriptions

January 3, 2019 at 11:03 pm

This is too helpful

November 11, 2018 at 4:21 am

Helpful!!!!!

June 6, 2019 at 2:08 am

Good descriptive terms and phrases!!

October 24, 2018 at 1:23 pm

Thank you so much you have helped me so much.

October 23, 2018 at 10:49 am

This story describes the house and starts to leave an image of what the inside of the house looks like. I get shivers reading it.

October 22, 2018 at 11:10 am

I love this website it helps me

July 22, 2018 at 8:38 am

Thank you so much.. It helped me a lot… I am very happy about this web page😊

November 19, 2018 at 11:04 pm

yeah me too it helped alot

December 13, 2017 at 7:04 am

Thank you so much it really helped write my writing assessment and get full marks, don’t worry i didn’t cheat that much!

October 25, 2019 at 12:17 pm

lmao “that much”

November 9, 2017 at 5:32 pm

It Game Some Ideas What To Write

April 4, 2017 at 1:37 pm

Its just awesome because I get a idea to write it in my suspense story??

March 19, 2017 at 11:49 am

thanks alot it really helped me in my suspense story writing and it did really gave me some ideas to write it thanks 😉

December 3, 2016 at 8:15 am

Thank you very much. This is helpful to do my English HW. Zabit Khwaja

September 12, 2018 at 2:01 pm

October 25, 2016 at 2:12 pm

Thank you !! This has really helped me to do my homework and to inspire me for different t ideas.

October 6, 2016 at 9:45 am

this helped me do my English course thank u sooo much

September 1, 2011 at 9:32 am

this is awesome! 😀 helped me do my coursework for English! thanks a lot 😀

October 14, 2010 at 8:47 pm

this story is awsome i want to read another one.

September 16, 2010 at 12:48 pm

Thanks Aloot It Helped Me In My English Homework:) But I Think It Would Be Better If There Were More Examples Of Haunted Houses:D x

April 3, 2010 at 4:53 pm

this has helped me a great deal with my story for my English class 🙂

May 27, 2009 at 11:34 am

I love the image of the child riding a phantom rocking horse — very effective.

May 25, 2009 at 11:48 pm

This one was so fun to do. There are so many unusual settings to explore–stay tuned!

May 24, 2009 at 6:08 pm

You gals cover some of the greatest topics!!! Hope you can get these out in book form soon or eventually! Keep up the good work!

May 24, 2009 at 7:21 am

I can hear the wind moaning around corners…whhoooooooooowhoooooo.

May 24, 2009 at 7:14 am

Fantastic! Thanks!

May 23, 2009 at 4:09 pm

Gives me the shivers too. =)

May 23, 2009 at 1:35 pm

Gives me shivers just reading it. 😉

Spring Writing Session

Join the peer advisors on 5/16 from 4:30-6:00 for a laid-back, stress-free writing session! Stop by Mariposa House's front lawn to participate in a writing session inspired by  spring ,  blossoming , and  flowers . Bring a poem or a piece of writing that you associate with blooming! (Doesn't have to be something you wrote.) We will be doing a writing activity that will necessitate everyone bringing a piece of writing to the session. There will be sunshine, snacks, and a fantastic ambiance for creating! All are welcome. 

( Courtesy of Leslie Sherman and Conrad Useldinger; Realtor.com )

How Parents Are Helping Their Adult Children Buy Homes Today: ‘We Own 25%, Mom and Dad Own 75%’

Leslie Sherman was resigned to being a renter the rest of her life.

The 33-year-old couples therapist and her husband,  Conrad Useldinger , 30, a dance academy director, live in San Jose, CA . Nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, where Apple, Google, and Nvidia are based, it is the most expensive housing market in America, according to a Realtor.com analysis . There, the median home list price hovers around $1.46 million—and homebuyers need to earn at least $361,000.

“We didn’t have plans to buy a place because it was not going to be financially feasible for us,” she says. “So we were going to rent indefinitely.”

But, that’s when Mom and Dad stepped in.

“My husband and I started investing in Silicon Valley real estate in the early 1980s,” says Kathy Fitzgerald Sherman , a retired lawyer. “We benefited greatly from the explosion in real estate values, which also made it impossible for our kids to purchase real estate on their own. Our decision to help them was a ‘pay it forward’ kind of action.”

In February, Kathy and her husband, Michael Sherman , helped Leslie and her husband close on an $850,000 condo. All four of their names are on the deed: Leslie and her spouse own 25% of the property, while Kathy and Michael own 75%.

Here’s how this unusual deal came together, along with the pros, cons, and other considerations that homebuyers (and their parents) might want to know.

(Leslie Sherman)

Why parents are pitching in to help their kids buy a home

While turning to Mom and Dad for help buying a home is an age-old practice, today’s high-priced housing market has made it a growing necessity.

Although San Jose’s million-plus list prices are at the high end of the spectrum, they aren’t all that unusual. The national median list price currently hovers at $424,900 , according to the latest Realtor.com data. Mortgage rates are high, too, passing the dreaded 7% threshold in April.

In a new study by Intuit and Credit Karma, 38% of Gen Z homeowners say they received financial assistance from their parents to buy a home. It also helps that boomers tend to be a wealthy generation, whereas their kids are often saddled with massive student debt, making it hard to enter the housing market.

“Even with zero-down payment programs, high home prices and interest rates can put buying a home out of reach without help,” says real estate agent and attorney Bruce Ailion , of Re/Max Town and Country in Alpharetta, GA.

The Shermans helped both of their kids purchase their first home, and see the money they’d invest as an advance on their inheritance. But in both cases, they did so carefully.

(Leslie Sherman and Conrad Useldinger)

The two generations sat down to craft a “shared equity” deal. (You’ll sometimes hear this called, humorously enough, a “rich uncle” arrangement.) Based on their income, they figured out how much the young couple could afford to pay monthly. Next, they worked backward to determine what size mortgage the young couple could handle. The parents stood ready to pay the rest.

Once they had an estimate of what price house they could afford, they were off to the house-hunting races, which they did as a team.

“Since we’d had experience buying several properties in the area, we went with them, pointing out plusses and minuses,” says Kathy. She admits that she didn’t give them carte blanche to choose just any place.

“But we were sensitive to their feelings and wanted them to love what they purchased,” she explains.

House hunting as a family

At first, they checked out houses in the Los Gatos Mountains, but the maintenance costs seemed too much.

“They were in our budget, but I absolutely hated them,” admits Leslie. “They all required some amount of work right out the gate, and I did not want my future to be filled with endless home improvement projects. That is just not the life I had envisioned for myself.”

Their attention then turned to condos , and they found one they really liked—and that her parents liked, too. It was a two-bedroom, two-bath with a spacious kitchen, office space in the primary bedroom, and in-unit laundry (at the top of Leslie’s wish list). Also part of the package were killer amenities, including a pool, hot tub, playground, and beautiful gym.

“We decided to make an offer the very next day, before others came in,” says Leslie.

(Realtor.com)

The deal this couple could offer was strong: With her parents’ backing, Leslie and her husband could offer all cash if needed, with no contingencies . They snagged the property for $850,000 ($5,000 below asking price).

At closing, her parents ponied up $650,000 in cash, leaving Leslie and Conrad with a $200,000 mortgage—$1,297 a month at a 6.75% interest rate. Leslie and Conrad also pay property taxes, homeowners association fees (currently $465 a month), and maintenance.

“We pay for all repairs,” notes Leslie. “But if there are ever any major upgrades, we could split the cost. Under their arrangement, it would be in the same 75% versus 25% proportion.”

Get it in writing

All of these details were written up in a rock-solid legal agreement, which is exactly how you want to do this to protect all involved—no casual “pinky swear” kind of deals allowed. Such arrangements need guardrails.

“The best way to make sure bad feelings don’t arise is to have a contract,” explains Kathy. “If there ever is a disagreement about how to handle something, we can just look in the agreement.”

There are infinite ways to structure investing in a home for a child, Ailion notes. For instance, when the property sells, the parents might get their money back plus interest. This interest could be similar to what their funds would have earned if they had been sitting in the bank. Or, if the child is making the interest payments and maintaining the home, they might want to negotiate a bigger cut of any gains in the property’s value.

For most families executing this kind of deal, a lawyer will be necessary. Because Kathy is a retired lawyer, she jumped in, buying a boilerplate equity-sharing agreement and modifying it to suit their needs.

“In theory, anyone can do this,” she notes. “Since I am an attorney, I was particularly comfortable doing that.”

But what about that old saying “Never do business with friends or relatives”—does it apply here? Can it all backfire? Not for the Sherman clan so far.

“We haven’t had any issues,” says Leslie. “My parents are not controlling, but that’s not the case with everyone’s parents. To avoid problems, you would definitely want the contract to spell out how decisions about changes to the home will be made. That’s especially important if there are disagreements.”

And the upside of doing this kind of deal right is tremendous.

“I know that without this arrangement, we wouldn’t be able to get into the housing market in this area,” says Leslie, “so we are really very lucky.”

Janet Siroto is a journalist, editor, and trend tracker. Her work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, and other publications.

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