Courtesy of Julie Fornasero.
- In 2019, Julie Fornasero and her husband, Tim Logan, decided to rent out their primary home.
- The couple moved into a 500-square-foot accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, they put in their backyard.
- Saving on housing, she was able to partially retire at 53 and spends less time monitoring finances.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Julie Fornasero, 53, who along with her husband, Tim Logan, 49, is renting out their primary home in Marin County, California, while living in an ADU in the backyard. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Prior to the pandemic, I worked in retail as a buyer, and later transitioned into technology, specializing in product management. My husband, Tim, is a technology consultant.